We know it’s coming.

The “New Year, New You” messages.

This year, I’d like to invite you to consider a completely different approach.

If you were to ask me, “Janna, what’s the one thing I should do to improve my health? Where’s the best place to start?”

My answer: start with your self-image.

No, not the vain type of self-image. What I learned from my coach and what I now love sharing with clients is the concept of a sacred self-image.

This concept is so important and foundational that it’s one of the very first things we cover in my coaching programs, both 1:1 and in The Exhausted Mom Solution.

Speaking of — before you keep reading…

…and the next group starts on Monday, January 8th! Registration is currently open (and with a really fun bonus when you register before Christmas!)

Sacred Self-Image

So what does it mean to have a sacred self-image?

Something that’s sacred is, according to Merriam-Webster: “dedicated or set apart for the service or worship of a deity; entitled to reverence and respect”.

Place yourself into those words. You are set apart for the service and worship of God. You are entitled to reverence and respect. 

When we view our self-image as sacred, we see our roles of wife, mother — and all the other hats we wear — as being devoted to God. When we have a sacred self-image, we know deep in our bones that we are the beloved daughters of the King. When we understand this, feel this, and live this, we treat ourselves with the same love and respect that we imagine God does. 

Whoa. Sit with that a sec. It really starts to change everything!

Here’s where it connects back to our health: when we build and nurture a sacred self-image, we naturally start to take better care of our bodies, our minds, and our spirits.

When we see ourselves as necessary and important instruments for doing God’s work in this world, it’s a bit easier to prioritize our self-care. Doing the sometimes challenging work of caring for yourself is not only worth it, it is what He wants.

Self-Care is holy work

Self-image and self-care are closely connected. It’s hard to truly care for yourself if you don’t see yourself as worthy, valuable, or holy. However, self-care is our most important daily responsibility. Your kids aren’t making sure you prayed today. Your spouse probably isn’t checking in with you to see if you’ve eaten a healthy breakfast. Ultimately, it’s up to us. We have to care for ourselves so that we have the energy and health to care for the precious people God’s entrusted to us.

We are given this one life and this one body. As St. Paul reminds us, our bodies are temples of the Holy Spirit. Our bodies are holy and sacred because of Who lives in us.

We need to honor these temples and care for ourselves — body, mind, and soul — so that we can grow and thrive the way God created us to.

We need food, water, sleep, sunshine, and personal connection. A lot of times, especially as tired moms, those fundamental areas don’t get enough attention. We might be tempted to think of self-care just as pedicures or spa days.

Feeding yourself well, trying to get enough sleep, getting fresh air, spending time with your spouse — these are all important forms of self-care.

As you care for yourself, you are glorifying God. Start to make the subtle mindset shift that self-care, even in it’s simplest form, is holy work.

What you can do

Starting to think of yourself through a sacred lens and seeing self-care as holy is a huge mindset shift to make! I encourage you to take one of these baby steps towards thinking this way:

• Sit with Jesus, even if it’s only for 5 minutes. Ask Him to show you how to see yourself the way He sees you.

• The next time you’re making a decision for yourself (what to eat, whether or not to exercise, etc.), ask yourself the simple question “How would God treat my body right now?”

• Ask yourself: “What does self-care look like for me at this particular moment in my life? Do I see it as a necessity or as a luxury?”

If you make one New Year’s Resolution, goal or intention for the coming year, I hope it connects back to this idea of a sacred self-image. I pray that any “New Year, New You” intentions focus on becoming “a new creation in Christ”, grounding your health in prayer.

If you’d like support on your journey, I hope you consider joining the next group of The Exhausted Mom Solution.

At the very least, go ahead and schedule an Action & Accountability call with me. You'll walk away from this call knowing the one area of your health you most want to focus on and you'll feel confident about at least two simple action steps you can take. Before we hang up, we'll agree on an accountability check in date when I'll text you to see how things are going.