You are the only tool you have in life so invest in yourself so that you can deal with life and have the strength to contribute and to reach your goals. To be effective, we must devote the time to renew ourselves physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially. Continuous renewal allows us to increase our ability to practice each habit. You need to make a conscious effort to feel good. To live a life in balance you need to take the necessary time to renew yourself. It’s all up to you so take the time to ““sharpen the saw.” This habit 7 makes all the other habits possible by preserving and enhancing your greatest asset – yourself. See more on “Sharpen the Saw”
There are four dimensions of our nature (physical, spiritual, mental and social/emotional), and each must be exercised regularly, and in balanced ways:
Physical Dimension
The goal of continuous physical improvement is to exercise our body in a way that will enhance our capacity to work, adapt, and enjoy life. To renew ourselves physically, we must:
- Eat the right kinds of foods
- Get sufficient rest and relaxation
- Exercise on a regular basis to build your body in three areas: endurance, flexibility, and strength.
Focusing on the physical dimension helps us develop habit 1 and be proactive and take responsibility.
Spiritual Dimension
The spiritual dimension is your core, your center, your commitment to your value system. The goal of renewing our spiritual self is to provide leadership to our life and reinforce your commitment to our value system.
To renew ourselves spiritually, we can:
- Practice daily meditation or prayer
- Renew yourself through relaxation. Don’t burn yourself out by overdoing everything.
- Communicate with nature
- Immerse yourself in great literature or music
Focusing on the spiritual dimension helps us develop habit 2 by continuously committing ourselves to our values so that we can begin with the end in mind.
Mental Dimension
The goal of renewing our mental health is to continue expanding our mind. To renew ourselves mentally, we can:
- Read good literature
- Keep a journal of your thoughts, experiences, and insights
- Limit screen time and only watch TV when a program enriches your life and mind
Focusing on our mental dimension helps us practice Habit 3 (put first things first) by managing ourselves effectively to maximize the use of our time and resources.
Social / Emotional Dimension
The goal of renewing ourselves socially is to develop meaningful relationships. To renew ourselves emotionally, we can:
- Seek to deeply understand other people
- Make contributions to meaningful projects that improve the lives of others
- Maintain an Abundance Mentality, and seek to help others find success
Renewing our social and emotional dimension helps us practice Habits 4, 5, and 6 by recognizing that Win-Win solutions do exist, seeking to understand others, and finding mutually beneficial third alternatives through synergy.
To get a quality life, you have to plan and work for the results. Determine which activities will renew yourself. Ensure you do these activities by prioritizing them in your daily planner and weekly planner. Stephen Covey suggested you spend one hour a day making this happen. Be flexible. If you set a plan and it doesn’t work for you then make another plan that does. Just make sure that it happens and that it works. Your activities need to make you feel good. Address your physical, spiritual, mental, social, and emotional needs.
As we focus on renewing ourselves along these four dimensions as described above, we must also seek to be a positive scripter for other people. We must look to inspire others to a higher path by showing them we believe in them, by listening to them empathically, by encouraging them to be proactive.