Showing Up: Tips for being more engaged in every area of your life

Becoming more engaged and fully present in every area of your life takes attention and dedication

Being fully present in a situation, circumstance, relationship or any aspect of your life takes, well, attention. If you truly want to show up and be engaged in your work, your prayer life, or even your relationship with your best friend, you have to be intentional and make focused efforts to show up.

So, as we continue delving into our summer theme, let’s take a look at a few specific areas of our lives and think about what being fully engaged and present in those areas might look like.

Spiritual

As believers, we know that our faith should shape every aspect of our lives—but if you’ve been a believer long, you also know that it’s incredibly easy to slide into a season of going through the emotions. The truth is, as Christians, our journey of faith isn’t always going to mountaintop experiences. Like any relationship, there are seasons of waxing and waning, times when your faith may feel less vibrant than others. Hear this: that’s normal. Sometimes being fully present in your relationship with God is authentically showing up, being honest about how you feel and where you are, and laying those things in God’s hands. Your journey of faith isn’t exactly linear. It’s a journey. It’s choosing to walk with God when it’s easy and when it’s not, when you can see how he is working and when you can’t, when you feel like it and when you don’t. Being present and fully engaged in your spiritual life simply means you keep showing up.

So what does that look like?

• Are you building habits in your life that keep you engaged with God’s Word and his people?

• If you feel far from God or like you’re going through the motions, are you seeking God in the daily grind? In the things that weigh on you? In the circumstances or worries you find yourself thinking about in the dead of night?

• What spiritual disciplines might help me to focus more on God’s character and teach me to seek him in all seasons? How can I start establishing these practices and rhythms in my life today?

• What do I need to be honest with God about? What do I need to be honest with myself about? How can I open my heart to God and let him work in those areas?

Physical

For us, being present carries with it the idea of being mindful. So when it comes to our physical health, being present simply means that we practice mindfulness and show up when it comes to nutrition, exercise and emotional health. We aren’t physicians or counselors, so we do acknowledge that we don’t have all the right answers when it comes to being physically healthy. Please understand that there are many issues involving physical health that you may need to consult a doctor or therapist to live at your healthiest. All that said, if you’ve read much of this website, you’ll understand that we love desserts and good food—so we’re definitely in the “everything in moderation” camp! If you’re trying to “show up” more when it comes to your physical health, here are a few questions to ponder:

• Am I talking over my concerns with a physician or clinician who is trained to offer advice or a plan of action?

• How can I be more mindful about what I eat? Can I add more vegetables to my diet? Can I cut back a bit on sugar or focus on eating more complex carbs?

• Is my diet mostly processed food and take-out? What steps can I take to eat one meal that’s not highly processed?

• What is my attitude toward exercise? Do I beat myself up if I don’t exercise? Do I avoid it altogether? What steps can I take to adopt a healthier attitude toward exercise?

• What are some practical ways I can add mindful movement to my daily routine? A quick walk after dinner or while my child is at a sports practice? Stretching for 10 minutes before watching the next episode of my favorite series?

• How can I choose to honor God with the choices I make about my body?

Relational

If we’re being honest, we’ve all probably walked through seasons in our lives when we haven’t been as attentive to our relationships as we should have been. With the people who love you most and know you best, it’s sometimes relatively easy to simply go through the motions. But if we want to “show up” in our relationships, it takes dedication, focus and effort. Here are a few questions to ponder if you want to be more present and intentional in your relationships:

• When I am with my friends, family members and coworkers, am I focusing on them and our interaction or letting my mind and attention wander to other things?

• What are the most important relationships in my life? What are some practical ways I can show up and be more engaged and intentional in those relationships this week?

• Who do I need to catch up with? How can I do that this week?

• Are there any relationships in my life where I need to set boundaries for my own emotional health?

• Do I feel myself pulling away from those I love most? Do I sense that one of my loved ones is walking through a difficult time, emotionally, physically, professionally? How can I reach out in those relationships?

• Have I created distance in a relationship because I haven’t been intentional or engaged? What steps can I take this week to reconcile that relationship?

Financial

Scripture tells us that the love of money (not money itself) is the root of all evil. Money is necessary in this world, but it can all too easily become an idol if we’re not careful. Being fully present and engaged when it comes to your finances means that you decide where your money goes, rather than letting your finances run your life. Ask yourself:

• What is my attitude toward money? Do I think of it as my money to do what I want or am I a steward of the provision God has given me?

• How would a stewardship mentality change the way I spend my money?

• Do I have a budget that I can follow consistently?

• Am I actively working to pay off debt? If not, what steps can I take this week to identify my outstanding debt or bills so that I can develop a plan to pay it off?

• Do I consistently overspend or do I consistently hoard money? What steps can I take this week to ensure my attitude toward money coincides with God’s?