One of the tragic effects of original sin is that we tend to hide from God. As soon as Adam and Eve sinned, they felt both naked and ashamed. They covered themselves with fig leaves and hid behind the trees. The more I grow in my relationship with God, the more I have become aware of my own tendency to cover myself with figurative fig leaves and hide. And I venture to say that you, as a person living with the effects of Adam and Eve’s sin, may, with a bit of introspection, find that you have a similar tendency.

Our way of hiding is often much more subtle than putting on extra clothing and ducking behind a tree. We have become masters of it so much so that we can even hide from ourselves the fact that we are hiding!

I’ll give you a couple examples of what my sort of hiding looks like. I discovered a tendency in myself to pray only when I felt “worthy.” I may realize that I am struggling in a certain area and so I don’t feel fit to appear before God. Perhaps I have angry feelings toward a family member or thoughts of pride. Rather than opening my heart as it is to God, I would try to prepare for prayer by fixing my problem on my own–I don’t like the idea of God seeing that anger or pride in my heart so I try shoving those thoughts away with my own strength and then begin my prayer. The trouble is, of course, that without Jesus we can do nothing (John 15:5). He alone is the Divine Physician. My thinking I can fix myself and then appear perfect before the Lord is nothing short of ludicrous!

Another way I find myself hiding is in the vague way in which I apologize to someone I hurt and/or confess my sins. Say, for example, I lost my temper. When I apologize, I may simply say, “I’m sorry I lost my temper,” which is a rather vague statement that can actually serve to hide the ugly things I did during that loss of temper. If I were to say, “I am sorry that I threw something across the room and screamed at the top of my lungs,” I would be revealing the truth about what I did. This same vagueness or honesty can be brought to the confessional. I have learned that the more honestly and fully I expose my sickness to the Divine Physician, the more quickly and easily He heals me.

This one simple word has recently transformed my spiritual life: expose. When I expose everything in me to the Father, He sends His Holy Spirit to heal. When I notice something (e.g. stress, anger, pride, fear) disturbing my heart, I simply turn to Him, and say, “Look, Father, this is what is in my heart right now. I open it up to You.” When I first began this practice, I was almost surprised at the way God worked in me. I had, for example, been hiding my thoughts of pride because I was ashamed of them and afraid of what God would think of them. But when I began exposing them to Him, they just melted away, as an ice cube would on being exposed to the hot summer sun. I also realized that God is not at all shocked by my sinfulness: “For he knows our frame; he remembers that we are dust” (Psalm 103:14). I even sense that we are both laughing a bit as He melts away the disturbances of my heart that I thought I had to fight without end with my own (very weak) power.

In exposing ourselves constantly to God, He sends His healing and peace. The healing may be immediate, as in my example of my pride melting like an ice cube before His gaze, or it may take some time. But the healing certainly begins when we open our hearts as they are to Him. This is a truth that the Evil One tries very hard to hide from us. The Evil One will whisper any lie he can to keep you from exposing your heart to your Father. The lies may sound like this: “You’re not good enough to talk to God;” “You’re so weak, no one can help you;” “You got yourself into this mess, you better figure out how to get yourself out;” “If anyone knew what you were really like, nobody would love you. So you need to just put on a good face.” When you hear these things in your heart, expose them to God! He will reveal them as the lies they are. He may lead you to renounce in Jesus’ name whichever lie is keeping you from Him. And then I pray that, with confidence in God’s great love for you, you will be free to expose your heart to Him continually and receive His healing continually.

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Clare Schiller is a daughter of the Merciful Father, wife, and mother. She is passionate about discovering the truth and living in it. Clare enjoys the outdoors (particularly when the sun is shining), reading aloud with her children, playing the piano, and any sort of good conversation with a cup of tea. She contributes to a blog at flourishyourfaith.com and writes meditations for Pietra Fitness classes. Clare graduated from Ave Maria University in 2012 with a BA in Literature and received her Pietra Fitness Foundations 2 certification in 2019.

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A new year always offers a fresh start, and for many of us, that means re-evaluating our food choices. While we can make positive change any time of year, the turning over of the calendar offers a special boost of motivation. But, truth be told, you may not get very far trying to overhaul your diet with a vague mission statement (like “This year I’ll eat better” or “This year I’ll cut back on sugar”). Trust me, as a nutritionist, I’ve seen enough to know that these nebulous intentions rarely pan out. Instead, it’s usually best to set measurable, attainable goals you can actually reach.

Here are six smaller changes to set you on the path toward healthier eating in 2021.

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1. Add fruits and veggies at breakfast

If you’re going to get to the recommended target of five fruits and veggies per day, you’ve gotta start early! Breakfast isn’t where most of us think to load up on produce, but it’s not all that difficult to add fruits and vegetables to many traditional (and nontraditional) breakfasts.

Try a smoothie or oatmeal chock full of berries, sliced banana on peanut butter toast, or a handful of spinach tossed into your morning eggs.

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2. Choose whole grains over refined

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans encourage making at least half our grains whole. Whole grains contain more fiber, B vitamins, and other nutrients than their refined counterparts. Plus, they’re simply more filling!

One idea: Make it a practice to purchase whole grain products for home cooking, and save refined (or “white”) grains for dining out.

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3. Eat more fermented foods

Fermented foods may not sound all that appealing, but they can be surprisingly tasty. Sauerkraut adds a salty tang to sandwiches, kimchi spices up plain Asian noodles, and yogurt, of course, provides a creamy touch to sauces, tacos, or parfaits. These foods are all rich in probiotics, the beneficial bacteria that promote a healthy gut. Including them regularly in your diet will help create a thriving microbiome—which research shows can boost weight loss, reduce risk of diabetes, and even lower rates of depression.

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4. Go meatless one day a week

Eating meat isn’t necessarily bad for your health. It’s eating too much meat that can be a problem. Red meats are high in saturated fat, and both red and processed meats (like hot dogs and deli meats) have been linked to colon cancer. Meanwhile, large-scale cattle farming has a reputation for poor environmental practices. Cut down on your carbon footprint and do your health a favor by opting out of meat one day a week.

Try substituting tofu, beans, or veggies for the meat in casseroles, Mexican dishes, or soups. With the right flavor blend, you may not even miss the meat.

5. Cook with healthier oils

Better eating begins in your home kitchen. When basting, grilling, or firing up a skillet, it’s up to you to choose oils that will help, not harm, your health. You’ve probably heard olive oil touted as a heart-healthy component of a Mediterranean diet—and for good reason. This veggie oil contains high amounts of the monounsaturated oils associated with cardiovascular health.

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Whenever possible, choose olive (or canola, peanut, safflower, or corn) oils in your cooking.

6. Base desserts around fruit

Don’t get me wrong. As a sweets lover, I believe there’s definitely a time and place for rich desserts. But for an everyday ending to a meal, it’s smart to train our taste buds to be content with nature’s candy: fruit! To get more out of fruit as dessert, minimize distractions and give a dish of juicy strawberries or cool melon bites your full attention. Doing so will create a mindful experience of savoring, which leads to increased satisfaction.

Here’s to a happy, healthy 2021!

So, you’ve decided to commit to your fitness goals this new year. Congratulations! You’re at the start of a healthier, happier you.

As exciting as this is, starting your fitness journey can certainly be intimidating. Maybe you’re a total beginner unsure of how to get going, or maybe you’ve struggled to follow through on this resolution in the past.

Keep reading for seven tips on how to start a successful and sustainable fitness journey.

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1. Identify your goals

Why are you committing to this fitness journey? What do you hope to achieve?

Consider setting S.M.A.R.T goals, or goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-focused, and Time-Bound. (For example, “I will work out 5 days a week” or “I will be able to run a 5k by November.”) These will help you clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, and use your time and resources efficiently.

Identifying your goals will help you create a plan to go about achieving them.

2. Start small

You won’t go from sitting on the couch to running a marathon overnight. It’s okay (and in fact, best) to start small.

Starting slow will ensure that you’re not trying to do too much too quickly—a sure recipe for burnout. Physically your body needs time to adjust to your workout routine and avoid injury. Mentally, pacing yourself can help you create a sustainable and lasting fitness habit.

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3. Shift your mindset

One of the biggest obstacles to overcome at the beginning of your journey is unhealthy and limiting ways of thinking about fitness or even about yourself.

The right mindset for your fitness journey is the one that chooses growth over negativity.

It’s easy to critique your body or physical abilities early in your journey, but having a growth mindset will help you see challenges that arise as opportunities to grow.

You’ll also need to ditch the “all or nothing” mentality when it comes to exercise. There may be days where a 15-minute walk around your block, or a few sit-ups before work might be all you can manage.

Getting a small workout in instead of your usual full routine is always better than not moving your body in a meaningful way.

4. Find a coach

Having a coach walk alongside you, especially at the start of your fitness journey, can greatly help your motivation and confidence to help you on your way to success. Taking an in-person or online fitness class is an excellent way to learn, grow, and stay motivated.

Pietra Fitness classes guide you through exercises designed to increase your flexibility, develop your muscle and core strength, and increase your range of motion, posture, and stability.

5. Develop healthy habits

Your fitness journey is more than about exercising; it’s about improving the overall health of your body and committing to making the choices that most align with these goals.

Developing healthy habits in your already established daily routines—like getting enough sleep each night, eating well, and staying hydrated—will aid you in your fitness goals by making sure your body is happy and healthy.

6. Ask for the necessary grace

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.–Philippians 4:13

If you’re looking to more perfectly glorify God with your body, seek His help at the beginning of your fitness journey. Ask for the graces of perseverance, strength, patience, and diligence. You can even invoke the intercession of some fitness-loving saints to help you too.

7. Make time for Rest

This tip may seem counterproductive; you want to get fit! How would rest help you do that? However, rest days are a necessary component of fitness training.

Exercise creates microscopic tears in your muscle tissue that are repaired by cells called fibroblasts during periods of rest. Fibroblasts help the tissue heal, grow, and strengthen.

Rest also helps restore your body’s energy, reduces the risk of injury, and ultimately improves your performance.1

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Ah, the start of a new year-- bright and shiny with the promise and hope of good things to come.

But is January 1st really any different from December 31st? Will this next year be the best yet? Well, a lot of that is up to you.

Start the New Year off right with these five tips.

Revisit your why

Take time at the beginning of the new year to revisit and reevaluate your priorities as an individual or with your family. What do you value? What is the driving force behind your actions and decision making? What is your why?

There’s the old saying “He who has a why can overcome any how.” Maybe you want to develop healthier habits so you can be more present to your children, or so that you can better glorify God through your body.

Understanding (or remembering) where you place your value can help you determine your goals for these next 12 months and give you the motivation you need to accomplish them.

Get S.M.A.R.T.

When making your resolutions or goals for the new year, make sure you’re setting S.M.A.R.T goals.

A S.M.A.R.T. goal is something that is Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Results-focused, and Time-Bound.

For example, instead of making your goal for the new year “get healthy,” consider saying: “I will work out 5 days a week” or “I will be able to run a 5k by November.” In doing so, you can help clarify your ideas, focus your efforts, and use your time and resources wisely to actually help you keep your New Year’s resolutions.

Declutter

While it’s not really the season for “spring cleaning,” ridding yourself of clutter can help you get the fresh start you need this January.

Identify the biggest sources of clutter in your life and get to work. These sources could be physical, but they also might be technological, mental, or spiritual.

Perhaps, you need to take time to organize the papers covering your desk, or cleaning out your garage. Or maybe you need to unsubscribe from a few email lists, unfollow certain accounts on Instagram, or set a screen limit on your phone.

Removing the clutter from your life can help make space for more important things (remember your why!)

Cultivate gratitude

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement and anticipation for new changes at the start of the new year, but a huge way to start the year right is by cultivating gratitude for what you already have.

Studies have shown that gratitude “helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”1

Cultivating gratitude in your daily life takes only a few short minutes a day, and is well-worth the effort.

Feed your body, mind, and spirit

God, in His infinite Wisdom, created human beings as a composite of body and soul. This beautiful truth means that the integration of body, mind, and spirit is necessary to become the person God created you to be.

When setting your goals this new year, make sure you are making time to nourish your body, mind, and spirit.

And when you take a Pietra Fitness class, either with a live instructor or in the online studio, you can do just that. Pietra Fitness combines stretching and strengthening exercises with Christian prayer and meditation to help you enrich your body, mind, and soul.

Social distancing. Canceled events. Little (if any) time with extended family. After nine months of the many precautions that have accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic, we’re all probably pretty weary. 2020 has been a rough road, to say the least. Now, with Christmas on the horizon, the idea of celebrating the season with limits and restrictions may seem awfully discouraging.

This year’s commemoration of Jesus’ birth definitely won’t be the holiday we’re used to. But with a bit of perspective and positivity, it just might be possible to see a silver lining in the difficulties we’re facing. Here are three ways to have yourself a surprisingly merry (and wonderfully holy) little Christmas, even in the midst of the pandemic.

Let go of holiday excesses

In the months leading up to Christmases past, we’ve probably all made promises to ourselves. Maybe you told yourself you wouldn’t let your spending get out of hand, wouldn’t let stress levels rise too high, or wouldn’t overcommit yourself to too many events.

And now, here we are in a year that might just allow us to do all of these things.

A pared-down Christmas, though painful in some ways, could be the relief your spirit has longed for in years gone by. Letting go of the need (or even the ability) to “do it all” this year offers the hidden blessings of peace and quiet. Less time spent running around shopping or cooking for a crowd means more quality time with your inner circle—or more opportunity to simply contemplate the real reason we celebrate: the coming of our Lord as the infant in the manger.

Meanwhile, if shipping delays or hoarding have left stores with limited supplies of the gifts you’re looking for, try simpler local or handmade presents. The time you put into something homemade brings a unique touch to your gift-giving, while buying close to home supports your local economy.

Find value in suffering

We live in a world that doesn’t value suffering—but as Catholic Christians, we know there is great redemptive power in bearing with hard times. During the Advent season at the end of this challenging year, perhaps we can tune in to the emotional weight Jesus’ human parents carried leading up to his birth. Imagine Mary’s discomfort traveling on a donkey at the end of her pregnancy, or Joseph’s anxiety for his wife and child. In spite of their uncertainties, Christ’s mother and father remained faithful to God’s calling on their lives. Could their steadfastness inspire more long-suffering and patience in us?

Jesus, too, is always intimate with our struggles. In taking on human flesh, He experienced what it meant to live the frustrations, sorrows, and disappointments of the human life. Even now, He knows our hearts’ every concern, whether a job loss, a relative fighting Covid-19, or our loneliness for the friends and family we’d normally celebrate with.

In the words of St. Padre Pio, “The more you are afflicted, the more you ought to rejoice, because in the fire of tribulation, the soul will become pure gold.” We’ve been offered a unique gift in 2020: the ability to offer our suffering to Jesus as a gateway to joy and deeper union with Him.

Remember the good in a tough year

The end of the year is all about perspective. In the extra quiet moments of this more subdued Christmas season, we can all reflect on the 12 months past. (There’s probably plenty of fodder for reflection!) What did you learn? What did you realize was really important? What would you have done differently? Where do you see God was at work in your life, even if you didn’t realize it at the time?

With the slowed pace of a Covid-19 Christmas, allow these reflections to provide an emotional and spiritual reset. Then rest in the knowledge that, no matter what lies ahead, you can look to the future with clarity and peace.

Advent is the liturgical (and traditionally, penitential) season of expectant waiting and preparation for the coming of Jesus at Christmas, but it is easy for the significance of Advent to be lost amidst the chaos surrounding the holidays.

So how can we reclaim this holy season? How can we enter into and allow it to make our hearts a suitable dwelling place for Christ?

Keep reading for some uniquely Catholic suggestions.

Prayer

Advent Wreath

Perhaps the most popular Advent tradition, an Advent Wreath is a beautiful (and easy) way to bring prayer into your home. Light a new candle each Sunday and recite the special prayers for each one with your family. Each candle has a special meaning that can help you prepare spiritually for the birth of Jesus.

Jesse Tree

The Jesse Tree is another traditional Advent activity and one that is particularly good to do with young children. Each day of Advent, you will read about someone on Jesus’s family tree in the Bible and hang an ornament symbolizing the story on your Jesse Tree.

It illustrates the Story of Salvation and shows how God prepared for Jesus to be born through many generations.

Pray the O Antiphons

The antiphons accompanying the Magnificat in Evening Prayer from December 17-23 are commonly referred to as the “O Antiphons.” (You may recognize them as the verses of the popular Advent hymn, O Come, O Come Emmanuel).

These short prayers highlight the names of the Messiah and use ancient biblical imagery to proclaim Christ as the fulfillment of the Old Testament hopes for a Savior.

Make Room for Silence

With all the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, silence is not easy to come by. But it is in the silence of our hearts that God speaks to us, so it is extra important to carve out times for interior quiet during Advent.

Maybe wake up a few minutes earlier to spend some time journaling or turn off your phone for an hour a day. Visit Jesus in the adoration chapel or keep the music off in the car while driving to do your Christmas shopping.

Make room for silence in your day to help you more clearly hear the voice of God.

Add a Daily Devotional

There are so many Advent devotionals available that can help you focus your prayers on the holiness of the season. You could add the St. Andrew Christmas Novena to your daily prayer or pick up a spiritual (and seasonally appropriate) book. Pietra Fitness’ Advent Series even offers seasonal meditations, so you can pray with your body, mind, and soul.

Penance

Observe Advent Embertide

Consider observing Ember Days, three days set apart by the Church for fasting and prayer around the changing of the seasons. During Advent, the winter Ember Days fall on the Wednesday, Friday, and Saturday after the Feast of St. Lucy (December 13).

Go to Confession

Confession is one of the most powerful sacraments given to us by the Church, especially during Advent. Confession will help you prepare for both of Christ’s comings: the coming at Christmas and at the end of time.

It is an encounter with God’s loving mercy and provides the faithful with graces necessary for holiness.

Give Up Christmas Music

We know it’s been on the radio since the day after Halloween, but consider giving up listening to Christmas music during Advent. Besides, Christmas goes until the feast of the Baptism of the Lord so you’ve got plenty of time to listen to your favorite tunes then.

Instead, listen to traditional Advent hymns like Come, Thou Long Expected Jesus, or Let All Mortal Flesh Keep Silence.

Music can really help us more fully enter into each season, and allowing yourself to experience Advent can make for a more joyous Christmas season.

Almsgiving

Giving Tree

Brighten up someone’s Christmas by buying a gift for a local child who may not have received a present otherwise. Many parishes offer a Giving or Angel tree, making it easy for you to donate toys or clothing for families in need.

Organize a Food/Clothing Drive

Love your neighbors who might be going without food or shelter this winter by collecting items that meet a physical need.

Collect canned goods for your community’s food pantry, gather up coats, hats, and toiletries for the homeless in your city, or donate diapers to the crisis pregnancy center.

Make a Monetary Donation to Charity

Or instead of donating physical items, you can choose to support nonprofits that work with and care for others by making a monetary donation. Your donation will allow these organizations to continue to serve others and is a beautiful way to help the poor.

It’s the most wonderful time of the year, full of feasting, shopping, gift-giving, party-going, and not a lot of exercise.

With all the hustle and bustle surrounding the holiday season, it’s easy to forget about your fitness goals until the new year rolls around.

Don’t let your workouts become like the Ghost of Christmas Past, instead try these 7 tips to help you keep up with exercise during the holidays.

1. Plan for it

Are you traveling for Thanksgiving? Going to visit family for Christmas? Set yourself up for success in your workout routine by planning ahead.

Book a hotel with an indoor pool or fitness center. Find a park near your parents’ home for daily walks. Make sure you pack your running shoes and workout clothes in your luggage.

Considering how you can incorporate fitness into your vacation plans can give you a headstart on actualizing your desire for consistent exercise.

2. Prioritize your Health

It’s easy to excuse certain (re: unhealthy) behaviors during the holidays, so this time of the year has the potential to be hard on your overall health.

Enjoy relaxing and celebrating with family (and that slice of apple pie after Thanksgiving dinner), but don’t throw out all of the healthy habits you’ve worked to cultivate during the rest of the year.

Get a good night’s sleep. Minimize stress. Eat your veggies. Stay hydrated. Taking care of yourself will help you get the most enjoyment out of the season and your body will thank you.

3. Wake up early

Many people, especially when visiting family for the holidays, find that mornings are the best time of the day to workout. Exercising in the morning eliminates the possibility of getting distracted later in the day (and letting your workout fall to the wayside).

Your morning also sets the tone for the day, so prioritizing fitness and wellness will motivate you to foster healthy habits all day and all season long.

4. Simplify your workout

With travel plans and packed schedules, you might not have time for a full workout every day, and that is okay!

Eliminate the “all or nothing” mindset when it comes to exercising during the craziness of the holiday season. Set reasonable goals for your fitness during this time. Choose one or two exercises that you want to focus on and work to fit those into your day.

5. Get Creative

There’s a lot of ways to fit in exercise without having to go to the gym. Park further from the post office, take an extra lap around the mall or airport terminal, offer to walk your in-laws’ dog, or do squats while waiting for the oven to heat up. Get creative and find natural ways to work exercise into your daily life during this season.

6. Involve the family

You don’t have to sacrifice time with family to keep up with your fitness goals. Find ways to make your workout time quality family time.

Invite a family member to join you at the gym or on a run. Play a game of tag football before Thanksgiving dinner or take a walk before opening gifts on Christmas morning. Who knows? You might even start a new family tradition.

7. Embrace the season

Get into the holiday spirit while staying fit! The upcoming holidays offer a lot of festive opportunities to stay active, like participating in a local (or virtual) Turkey Trot or a Jingle Bell Run.

With Advent just days away, you can also enter into the new liturgical season and get in shape at the same time with Pietra Fitness’s Advent series.

Gratitude, as the philosopher Cicero said is “...the parent of all the [other virtues]” but certainly one of the most difficult to cultivate.

It’s difficult at times to find things to be thankful for or to feel gratefulness rather than dissatisfaction. But Gratitude can not only positively affect our lives (and health) but also deepen our relationship with God and the people around us.

How can we foster the virtue of gratitude in our own lives? Give these suggestions a try!

Cultivate Humility

Gratitude flows from humility. “If souls are humble, they will be moved to give thanks,” St. Teresa of Ávila said.

Humility is knowing who we are before God. It helps us clearly see our faults as well as our strengths, and in doing so, it helps us recognize our need for God and His presence in our life, as well as all the gifts and graces He has poured out on us.

Change your language

Do you find yourself complaining a lot? Changing the way you talk about your life, especially the challenges, can help the seeds of gratitude grow in your heart.

Dan Baker writes in What Happy People Know: “Just as changing your life can change your language, changing your language can change your life. It can alter your perceptions and thought processes.”

By simply changing the way you speak, you can see the world through a more grateful lens.

Keep a Gratitude Journal

Taking a little time every day to write down what you are thankful for is a great practice for cultivating this virtue. It can help you begin to more easily approach your life with a spirit of thankfulness, helping you see everything as a gift.

This small exercise in gratitude also offers some amazing health benefits including better sleep, less stress, and may possibly even lower your risk of heart disease and lessen symptoms of depression.1

Unplug

While social media can be a fabulous tool for connecting with friends and family, the almost unlimited access we have to the [curated] lives of other people can also sow seeds of comparison and discontentment.

If you find yourself scrolling endlessly on your phone and social apps (and find yourself unsatisfied with your own life after doing so), it might be time for a break. Take a few days to unplug from the online world and reconnect to loved ones IRL (in real life).

Write a Thank You Note

Thank someone who has blessed your life in some way, big or small. Write a thank-you note to God, your spouse, your parents, or your best friend. Taking just a few minutes to intentionally show gratitude, either in writing or in person, can not only help you avoid taking the people in your life for granted but might even brighten someone’s day.

Say Grace

“You say grace before meals...But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in the ink,” Catholic writer G.K. Chesterton once said.

Incorporating prayers of thanksgiving, or even a simple “Glory Be” into your activities (including your workout!) is a great way to thank God for the gift of your life, but also can help you approach your daily tasks with a heart of gratitude.

In each of our Pietra Fitness classes, we even take time to show gratitude toward God through prayers of thanksgiving.

Go to Mass

Did you know that the word “Eucharist” means “Thanksgiving?” Jesus gave us His whole self in the gift of the Eucharist and the greatest act of gratitude we can do is to receive Him with a loving heart.

Attending Mass regularly gives you a multitude of graces to help you grow in this great virtue of gratitude.