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A friend in the fitness business once told me that January was their biggest month at the health club. He said it was combination
of New Year's resolutions and Christmas excess that prompted throngs to enroll. The gym gets pretty crowded in those first
few weeks of the year, but by mid-February or so, he said things would be back to normal.
During the last week of the year the news organizations will do some retrospectives, looking at the events and highlights
of the past year. They'll try to put some perspective on the past twelve months -- stories with lots of 10 Ten lists.
The end of year is not a bad time for some personal inventory and a bit of resolution making. Are you healthier than
you were a year ago? No just physically, but spiritually and emotionally healthier. What can you do to propel you toward
a saner more balanced life?
One of the church's ancient traditions is a Rule of Life. A Rule of Life is the spiritual counterpoint to a physical
exercise plan created by a personal fitness trainer. Many people will go to a Spiritual Director for some help in devising
a Rule of Life. Most just make some resolutions and promises to themselves and, like visiting the gym, start trying to live
into their better intentions.
At our church we invite everyone to live into a five-point corporate Rule of Life: worship weekly, pray daily, learn
constantly, serve joyfully, live generously. We encourage everyone to define for themselves a way of living within the rhythms
of these five disciplines. A similar pattern can work for people whether they practice a religion or not. Here's a way to
think about this kind of Rule, with or without reference to religion.
1. Worship weekly. Making regular time to feed your soul is critical to our emotional balance. That might be getting
out into nature, listening to some satisfying music, creating something with your hands, spending some quiet solitary time
away, or spending a special evening each week with someone you love. We need ways to nurture the deepest part of our selves
regularly.
2. Pray daily. Some form of daily recollection is incredibly valuable. There are as many ways to pray as there are
people praying. Secular gurus have noted the value of many contemplative practices, including silence. It is good to begin
the day with some intention that reminds you of your deepest values, your identity and calling. It is helpful to reflect
on the past day and to honor it with thanksgiving and with intentions to make amends tomorrow wherever you can. In a real
sense, to pray is to remember.
3. Learn constantly. Education is life long. It’s great to have a book working and a subscription to some
interesting magazine. And now that we have mp3s and DVDs, there are so many new ways to stimulate our minds. Currently I'm
listening to a 48-lecture series about how to understand great music. I copy the CDs to my tiny digital player and listen
while I exercise. (When I exercise, that is. And I resolve to exercise more regularly in the new year.)
4. Serve joyfully. Each of us needs to have an outlet for offering ourselves to something beyond our self-interests.
Researchers have found a remarkable correlation between happiness and lives of service. It is deeply satisfying to find some
need that moves your heart, and then to discover a way to do something to contribute to that need.
5. Live generously. The old words the best way to gain your life is to lose it is still true today. Nowadays it is
sometimes more of a gift to give your attention and your time to others than your money. How can you be generous with your
very being? ...generous to others and generous to yourself? I think it is a good thing to plan intentionally to give away
a certain percentage of your income to help others. Generosity is the antidote to the soul-shrinking temptations of self-centeredness
and greed.
It's new year's resolutions time. Maybe the tradition of a Rule of Life could offer a skeleton structure for your resolutions.
Such disciplines are essentially freeing. They help us lead lives that are more balanced and meaningful. How can you make
next year better than this year? Try these five categories and see if they don't give you a pattern for being healthier and
happier in 2006.
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