The Glow Up - A Little Night No. 18
I hope you're having a great day. As you wind down for the evening take a minute to reflect.
I was scrolling on TikTok and saw this video with the tag line "How to plan your glow up...". She started with a disclaimer that she didn't like the term glow up, but couldn't find another phrase. In 60 seconds, she broke down her goal-setting into nine (or so) topics, ultimately working towards a holistic change. Goals ranged from having healthy skin and creating a skincare routine to financial and spiritual goals. A few days later, I stumbled upon a video by one of my favorite Christian YouTubers. She gave her perspective on how to "glow up" with God's vision. Her main point was to emphasize the importance of staying focused on your vision and resisting the temptation that will distract you. She encouraged setting healthy boundaries with oneself and taking immediate action.
The term glow-up has always been a popular one. Aside from the new year, I think spring is when people revive fitness goals to have a "glow up" by the time summer rolls around. Many people attribute a glow-up with a physical transformation centered around a beauty standard. Obviously, not everyone uses it in that way, but that's what first comes to mind.
Proverbs 29:18 from The Message translation says "If people can’t see what God is doing, they stumble all over themselves; But when they attend to what He reveals, they are most blessed." The King James Version says, "Where there is no vision, the people perish".
Here are a few questions to consider:
What vision do you have for your life? What standard is it based on? Do you have a dream shaped by what others are doing and what you constantly see? What are ways you can practically show up for yourself every day?
Before watching any of these videos, I was feeling a need to make some sort of change. I felt like my current routine is not moving me forward. I'm learning that's not necessarily a bad thing, it just means an adjustment is needed right now. This is very much still a work in progress, but I'll start by answering my own questions.
The overall vision is to live a healthy and happy life in accordance with God's will. I don't want to base my standards on what others are doing, though sometimes I am easily influenced. It's always hard because I am inundated with images from advertising, social media, and tv shows showing me how life "should" be lived. I have to actively discern what is right for me. I have to listen to myself daily and not brush off simple emotions of discomfort, fatigue, stress, hunger, fun, happiness, and peace. Showing up for myself looks like sitting with my emotions and starting my day with devotion.
Take this with you:
Take a moment today or tomorrow to answer those questions. Find God's vision for your life and work towards it. I challenge you to show up for yourself every day even if it's a small action. I would be happy to be your accountability buddy.
Love you,
Lauren
Comment below if you have any thoughts or any answers to the questions I've asked. Please share with a friend! If you aren’t already subscribed to receive this message in your email, you can do so using this link!