5 Tips to a Healthy Spiritual Life
We are all on a journey in this life to do great things. These great things are big and small and can have an effect on millions of people or just one person. It is a lifelong quest to figure out what your life purpose is. Discovering what really motivates you and gives you the energy to be always growing is part of your spiritual path. It doesn’t matter what religion you follow or where your beliefs lie, there are certain elements to focus on to find your place and discover what significance your life plays in the world around you.
Your inner growth is the most important growth in your life, not only because it’s what forms your perspective (which gives you a positive or negative take on your surroundings), but also because it is how you will discover what you were created for. There’s nothing more peaceful than knowing that you’re living your life the way you were designed to. The five points below are what you need to focus on to live a life of purpose and meaning:
1. Have faith in your personal power. This can be related to one’s faith in a specific religion, but faith is not limited to religion. Believe that you have been given special qualities and that there is a universal source that connects one to all. Believe that you are capable of doing great and satisfying things and that you’ll get
through all those ups and downs in life. The most important things have to be believed to be seen. 2. Have patience in your wait for the right things at the right time. Patience is a virtue and not easily come by, which makes for lots of opportunities to grow in this area. We want things right when we think of them. Instant gratification is mainstream in society and it seems that it should be that way in our spiritual life, but unfortunately we’re not here to make the rules, we’re here to discover ‘the good life’ 3. Generate love continuously and about everything. To love under any circumstances really is the greatest achievement of all and it’s really not that hard once you have a few years of practice under your belt. Love does make the world work right and feeling love in difficult situations will make your inner world a much happier place; love for yourself and others. 4. Develop a prayer practice. Don’t worry about all those rules out there about how to pray. You just need to have the intention to connect with your creator and be aware of what you’re thankful for, what you’d like in your life and what you’d like for others. Say it out loud, think it, or even write it down in your very own prayer journal. Just put it out in the universe and take comfort that you’ve been heard. 5. Be aware of creation. Nature is all around us, providing, nurturing, and sharing. Take time to spend quiet moments in natural surroundings and be aware of how perfectly nature lives. You’ll soon strengthen your faith in the gifts and abilities that have been given to you to live a truly blessed life.
Living a happy life has very little to do with what goes on around you and a whole lot to do with how you perceive the world around you. To help your thoughts stay positive grow your faith, patience, love, prayer and belief in a faithful creation. You have been created for great things and it’s up to you to act on those qualities you have been blessed with.
With an inquisitive motivation and a genuine believe in the reality of a healthier you, start off your journey to better health with this checklist of a healthy life. There are various benefits to healthy living, some of which you will likely be aware of and some that you will be comforted to know will be a reward of your step in the right direction.
A Healthy Life Checklist:
A positive attitude about life and living An open mind to new and nurturing activities Less (or no) negative reactions and more control of emotions General benefits of physical activity such as increased energy, better muscle tone, improved metabolism and greater flexibility More productive and effective in personal and professional activities Additional years of living a better quality of life Reduced risk of chronic illness Aspirations to achieve more in all areas of life Reduced occurrence of bone loss associated with ageing Improved mood and self-esteem Better functioning of all body systems
With all that is gained from leading a healthy life you can be assured that it is well worth the initial effort of making the gradual shift to better living. Slowly but surely you can make all the changes necessary in different areas of your life to get the most out each day with a renewed optimism that is sure to infect the people around you. So don’t just make the lifestyle change for yourself – do it for your children, your spouse, your parents, siblings, friends and even those casual acquaintances that will be inspired to take a closer look at their way of living when they see how full of life you are when you choose to put health first.
Below are a few inspiring words to encourage you to live a healthier way:
“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.”
~Paul Dudley White (1886-1973) American physician and cardiologist.
“Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.” ~Edward Smith-Stanley (1752-1834) English statesman and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
He who takes medicine and neglects his diet wastes the skill of his doctors. ~Chinese Proverb
Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy.
Good health is not to be taken for granted. Yet, until it’s in jeopardy it’s not regarded as a top priority. A sluggish body and a few extra pounds isn’t a major cause for concern, but it is a sign that improvements could be made. Getting informed by reading this book is an indication that you are aware that health matters and you want to learn about a healthier way to live. Whether you’ve already being working at improving in the area of nutrition and exercise or this is your first real introduction to a healthier way of life you’ll gain lots of knowledge and practical advice.
Developing a Healthy Mindset
While you won’t find too many people saying that they don’t understand why being healthy is better, you will find many people admitting that changing their habits is too hard to do. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid the hard part of altering a way of life that consists of well-ingrained habits. You can find comfort in knowing that anything that is truly worth doing is a struggle, and it is that struggle that will make you improve on the inside and out.
Change is constant. Are you going to have control over some of that change?
Determination, self-motivation, and beginning with the end in mind will get you on your way to a healthier life. It really is all in your head – well… what internalizes the need for change and the motivation to keep on track is all in your head – in your mind to be exact. The power of your mind can make or break your success in anything you aspire to achieve. Achieving a healthier way of life is no different.
Knowledge is Power
The first and most important step to getting in the right mindset is to arm yourself with knowledge and support. There is a wealth of information
available on how and why to lead a healthier life and you need to soak in as much as possible. There are a number of different methods for effective information gathering. Depending on your preferences, you will find some or all of the options helpful on the following list:
Search the internet for any information about: leading a healthier life (search ‘healthy living tips’ ‘making healthy changes’), understanding the resistance to change (search ‘breaking bad habits’ ‘why it’s hard to change’), and connecting with others that are working towards a healthier lifestyle (search “health forums”, “health boards”) Find a couple of books that you can study to be well equipped with facts and tips for a health-focused lifestyle. The best type of book for this method is one that doesn’t necessarily need to be read from beginning to end and has tidbits of information as opposed the pages of paragraphs. Highlight sections and bookmark pages that are of special interest to you and really make the book your own by writing in notes about your thoughts and experience with the content of the book. Some examples of appropriate books are: The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy by Jonny Bowden 500 of the Most Important Health Tips You’ll Ever Need by Hazel Courteney Record your thoughts and motivation to having a healthier life in your personal health journal or in a blog. Posting your healthy living thoughts online provides an added accountability factor and allows
the openness to be able to connect with others on the issue, which will provide you with lots of new insight and information about the many facets of a healthful motivation. Watch documentaries and short videos on health issues. Learning through visual elements provides an opportunity to be effected in a way that allows many people to internalize the facts more effectively. If you’ve got access to Netflix, they have numerous documentaries on health and you can search online for health documentaries and find various films that way. Get connected to people that are living in a much healthier way than yourself. You are influenced by the people that surround you, so talking with, and spending time with people that are making healthy choices will naturally rub off on you even if you don’t have in depth conversations about healthy living. Get yourself an accountability partner that you will check in with regularly to let them know about your health-focused journey. Although this could be someone that is already leading a healthy life as mentioned in the point above, this approach is usually more effective if it’s someone that is in the same situation as you and you can be each other’s accountability partner. It is so much more motivating to be checking in with someone that is in the same boat and you look to each other for support. This could be a great opportunity to assist someone in your life to go for a healthier lifestyle and be supporting them as much as they will support you.
Develop Your Self-Awareness
Getting your mind in health mode should also involve a self-analysis of your pre-conceived notions about food and your body with the purpose of identifying some of the underlying causes of unhealthy habits and ways to replace those harmful habits with good habits. By taking this mental check-in before you really make a lot of changes to your day-to-day activities you can identify potential triggers and problem areas that you will be able to address better when the time comes.
For instance, you may feel that one of your unhealthy food habits is regularly eating at fast food restaurants, which is not the best place to find wholesome food. You identify that it’s an easy source of food and since you are not that great in the kitchen, it substitutes for a full meal. To address your well-established habit of fast food eating you can educate yourself on the poor nutritional value and harmful food-like ingredients that are used in fast food and gain some knowledge about the ‘slow food’ way of eating and how to make some quick meals.
A Closer Look at Leaving Bad Habits Behind
We all look at ourselves time and again and notice the things that we do and say. When we honestly analyze our actions and words we will identify some bad habits that need to go to be able to function at our best. After
that first step of noticing what bad habits we’d like to be rid of, we need to take action with our heads held high and our pride in check.
With a bit of persistence and determination you can get rid of those useless and sometimes damaging habits for good. Be intentional about your actions and be in tune to your desired outcome…
…a life that you have more control over.
Below are 3 techniques you can use separately or in conjunction with each other to get over your harmful habits that invade every area of your life:
Replace those bad habits with something that is good. For example, if you find you are talking negative about other people then make a note to yourself that every time you talk bad about someone you have to think of something good about them. Actually write down your intention on paper and either have it posted somewhere you’ll see it regularly throughout the day, or carry it around with you in your pocket so you can be reminded of it. There is something good you can say about anyone, even if it’s just about their hairstyle or color of their shoes. The point here is to shift your thinking from negative to positive – a much better mindset for everyone!
Pick one habit that you’d like to be rid of and focus on that one for a week or even a month. Use that power of writing again and write down what you’d like to change, then make small notes every day about your progress. You might have days where you’re noting that you did the bad habit x number of times that day and you’ll have days where you’ll realize that you went through the whole day without giving in to the habit at all. The point of this technique is to increase your awareness every day as you’re spending a few minutes thinking about how you progressed with ‘curbing’ this bad habit. Enlist your accountability partner. It is quite helpful to know that you are going to have to explain to someone how you’re doing with your personal growth. This person that you will be reporting to should not be judging your actions, but merely be a listening ear and a source of encouragement to carry on with your goal. It would be most helpful if you were able to be their source of accountability as well so it evens the level of confidence.
Self-improvement occurs over time and the worst thing you could do is to overwhelm yourself with too much change at once. The most common reason for failure in stopping bad habits is not giving it daily attention. Don’t make it lengthy or judgmental, just be aware of what your intentions are and make a casual plan for change. You also need to take action – not just think about change or just write down your ideas for change. We all pick up bad habits here and there and it is a part of life to be aware of what needs to go. Be persistent, be intentional and be positive in the light of a healthier life.
Know Your Stuff Then Strengthen Your Mind
Most people decide they need to make some changes to their life and have lots of ideas about what they want to stop doing and what they want to start doing but don’t really prepare themselves for the mental and emotional reaction to this new way of living. Usually they can sustain a week or two of their ideal life, but without the mental preparation they slowly step back into their old routine and before they know it, they’ve lost all motivation and all progress has been lost.
Has this happened to you?
The trick is to prepare your mind for the inevitable desire to revert back to the old way. Make your new lifestyle aspirations a permanent shift, not just a temporary fad, and spend the time consuming lots of knowledge that encourages healthy changes, connecting with others for support, and determining the areas that you see as potentially difficult in your progress to a better life. Overall, be committed to the eventual outcome of the decision to be healthy; don’t take any other outcome than that.
We’ll end this chapter with an excerpt from Richard Carlson’s book You Can Feel Good Again:
“Commitment is a powerful tool for change. It takes pressure off of you by removing the uncertainty that often accompanies a lack of commitment. Marriage, for example, is a commitment. When couples marry, there is a reasonable belief that regardless of what might happen, the commitment will carry the couple through. Prior to marriage, people often feel insecure about losing their partner, but the commitment relieves their anxiety and gives them the freedom to “let go” of their concerns; it fosters hope.
Without commitment, success in any venture is difficult. Whether you are dieting, studying for an exam, learning to play tennis, starting a project or deciding to be happy, commitment is an important step.”
We are all on a journey in this life to do great things. These great things are big and small and can have an effect on millions of people or just one person. It is a lifelong quest to figure out what your life purpose is. Discovering what really motivates you and gives you the energy to be always growing is part of your spiritual path. It doesn’t matter what religion you follow or where your beliefs lie, there are certain elements to focus on to find your place and discover what significance your life plays in the world around you.
Your inner growth is the most important growth in your life, not only because it’s what forms your perspective (which gives you a positive or negative take on your surroundings), but also because it is how you will discover what you were created for. There’s nothing more peaceful than knowing that you’re living your life the way you were designed to. The five points below are what you need to focus on to live a life of purpose and meaning:
1. Have faith in your personal power. This can be related to one’s faith in a specific religion, but faith is not limited to religion. Believe that you have been given special qualities and that there is a universal source that connects one to all. Believe that you are capable of doing great and satisfying things and that you’ll get
through all those ups and downs in life. The most important things have to be believed to be seen. 2. Have patience in your wait for the right things at the right time. Patience is a virtue and not easily come by, which makes for lots of opportunities to grow in this area. We want things right when we think of them. Instant gratification is mainstream in society and it seems that it should be that way in our spiritual life, but unfortunately we’re not here to make the rules, we’re here to discover ‘the good life’ 3. Generate love continuously and about everything. To love under any circumstances really is the greatest achievement of all and it’s really not that hard once you have a few years of practice under your belt. Love does make the world work right and feeling love in difficult situations will make your inner world a much happier place; love for yourself and others. 4. Develop a prayer practice. Don’t worry about all those rules out there about how to pray. You just need to have the intention to connect with your creator and be aware of what you’re thankful for, what you’d like in your life and what you’d like for others. Say it out loud, think it, or even write it down in your very own prayer journal. Just put it out in the universe and take comfort that you’ve been heard. 5. Be aware of creation. Nature is all around us, providing, nurturing, and sharing. Take time to spend quiet moments in natural surroundings and be aware of how perfectly nature lives. You’ll soon strengthen your faith in the gifts and abilities that have been given to you to live a truly blessed life.
Living a happy life has very little to do with what goes on around you and a whole lot to do with how you perceive the world around you. To help your thoughts stay positive grow your faith, patience, love, prayer and belief in a faithful creation. You have been created for great things and it’s up to you to act on those qualities you have been blessed with.
With an inquisitive motivation and a genuine believe in the reality of a healthier you, start off your journey to better health with this checklist of a healthy life. There are various benefits to healthy living, some of which you will likely be aware of and some that you will be comforted to know will be a reward of your step in the right direction.
A Healthy Life Checklist:
A positive attitude about life and living An open mind to new and nurturing activities Less (or no) negative reactions and more control of emotions General benefits of physical activity such as increased energy, better muscle tone, improved metabolism and greater flexibility More productive and effective in personal and professional activities Additional years of living a better quality of life Reduced risk of chronic illness Aspirations to achieve more in all areas of life Reduced occurrence of bone loss associated with ageing Improved mood and self-esteem Better functioning of all body systems
With all that is gained from leading a healthy life you can be assured that it is well worth the initial effort of making the gradual shift to better living. Slowly but surely you can make all the changes necessary in different areas of your life to get the most out each day with a renewed optimism that is sure to infect the people around you. So don’t just make the lifestyle change for yourself – do it for your children, your spouse, your parents, siblings, friends and even those casual acquaintances that will be inspired to take a closer look at their way of living when they see how full of life you are when you choose to put health first.
Below are a few inspiring words to encourage you to live a healthier way:
“A vigorous five-mile walk will do more good for an unhappy but otherwise healthy adult than all the medicine and psychology in the world.”
~Paul Dudley White (1886-1973) American physician and cardiologist.
“Those who do not find time for exercise will have to find time for illness.” ~Edward Smith-Stanley (1752-1834) English statesman and Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
He who takes medicine and neglects his diet wastes the skill of his doctors. ~Chinese Proverb
Just because you're not sick doesn't mean you're healthy.
Good health is not to be taken for granted. Yet, until it’s in jeopardy it’s not regarded as a top priority. A sluggish body and a few extra pounds isn’t a major cause for concern, but it is a sign that improvements could be made. Getting informed by reading this book is an indication that you are aware that health matters and you want to learn about a healthier way to live. Whether you’ve already being working at improving in the area of nutrition and exercise or this is your first real introduction to a healthier way of life you’ll gain lots of knowledge and practical advice.
Developing a Healthy Mindset
While you won’t find too many people saying that they don’t understand why being healthy is better, you will find many people admitting that changing their habits is too hard to do. Unfortunately, you can’t avoid the hard part of altering a way of life that consists of well-ingrained habits. You can find comfort in knowing that anything that is truly worth doing is a struggle, and it is that struggle that will make you improve on the inside and out.
Change is constant. Are you going to have control over some of that change?
Determination, self-motivation, and beginning with the end in mind will get you on your way to a healthier life. It really is all in your head – well… what internalizes the need for change and the motivation to keep on track is all in your head – in your mind to be exact. The power of your mind can make or break your success in anything you aspire to achieve. Achieving a healthier way of life is no different.
Knowledge is Power
The first and most important step to getting in the right mindset is to arm yourself with knowledge and support. There is a wealth of information
available on how and why to lead a healthier life and you need to soak in as much as possible. There are a number of different methods for effective information gathering. Depending on your preferences, you will find some or all of the options helpful on the following list:
Search the internet for any information about: leading a healthier life (search ‘healthy living tips’ ‘making healthy changes’), understanding the resistance to change (search ‘breaking bad habits’ ‘why it’s hard to change’), and connecting with others that are working towards a healthier lifestyle (search “health forums”, “health boards”) Find a couple of books that you can study to be well equipped with facts and tips for a health-focused lifestyle. The best type of book for this method is one that doesn’t necessarily need to be read from beginning to end and has tidbits of information as opposed the pages of paragraphs. Highlight sections and bookmark pages that are of special interest to you and really make the book your own by writing in notes about your thoughts and experience with the content of the book. Some examples of appropriate books are: The 150 Most Effective Ways to Boost Your Energy by Jonny Bowden 500 of the Most Important Health Tips You’ll Ever Need by Hazel Courteney Record your thoughts and motivation to having a healthier life in your personal health journal or in a blog. Posting your healthy living thoughts online provides an added accountability factor and allows
the openness to be able to connect with others on the issue, which will provide you with lots of new insight and information about the many facets of a healthful motivation. Watch documentaries and short videos on health issues. Learning through visual elements provides an opportunity to be effected in a way that allows many people to internalize the facts more effectively. If you’ve got access to Netflix, they have numerous documentaries on health and you can search online for health documentaries and find various films that way. Get connected to people that are living in a much healthier way than yourself. You are influenced by the people that surround you, so talking with, and spending time with people that are making healthy choices will naturally rub off on you even if you don’t have in depth conversations about healthy living. Get yourself an accountability partner that you will check in with regularly to let them know about your health-focused journey. Although this could be someone that is already leading a healthy life as mentioned in the point above, this approach is usually more effective if it’s someone that is in the same situation as you and you can be each other’s accountability partner. It is so much more motivating to be checking in with someone that is in the same boat and you look to each other for support. This could be a great opportunity to assist someone in your life to go for a healthier lifestyle and be supporting them as much as they will support you.
Develop Your Self-Awareness
Getting your mind in health mode should also involve a self-analysis of your pre-conceived notions about food and your body with the purpose of identifying some of the underlying causes of unhealthy habits and ways to replace those harmful habits with good habits. By taking this mental check-in before you really make a lot of changes to your day-to-day activities you can identify potential triggers and problem areas that you will be able to address better when the time comes.
For instance, you may feel that one of your unhealthy food habits is regularly eating at fast food restaurants, which is not the best place to find wholesome food. You identify that it’s an easy source of food and since you are not that great in the kitchen, it substitutes for a full meal. To address your well-established habit of fast food eating you can educate yourself on the poor nutritional value and harmful food-like ingredients that are used in fast food and gain some knowledge about the ‘slow food’ way of eating and how to make some quick meals.
A Closer Look at Leaving Bad Habits Behind
We all look at ourselves time and again and notice the things that we do and say. When we honestly analyze our actions and words we will identify some bad habits that need to go to be able to function at our best. After
that first step of noticing what bad habits we’d like to be rid of, we need to take action with our heads held high and our pride in check.
With a bit of persistence and determination you can get rid of those useless and sometimes damaging habits for good. Be intentional about your actions and be in tune to your desired outcome…
…a life that you have more control over.
Below are 3 techniques you can use separately or in conjunction with each other to get over your harmful habits that invade every area of your life:
Replace those bad habits with something that is good. For example, if you find you are talking negative about other people then make a note to yourself that every time you talk bad about someone you have to think of something good about them. Actually write down your intention on paper and either have it posted somewhere you’ll see it regularly throughout the day, or carry it around with you in your pocket so you can be reminded of it. There is something good you can say about anyone, even if it’s just about their hairstyle or color of their shoes. The point here is to shift your thinking from negative to positive – a much better mindset for everyone!
Pick one habit that you’d like to be rid of and focus on that one for a week or even a month. Use that power of writing again and write down what you’d like to change, then make small notes every day about your progress. You might have days where you’re noting that you did the bad habit x number of times that day and you’ll have days where you’ll realize that you went through the whole day without giving in to the habit at all. The point of this technique is to increase your awareness every day as you’re spending a few minutes thinking about how you progressed with ‘curbing’ this bad habit. Enlist your accountability partner. It is quite helpful to know that you are going to have to explain to someone how you’re doing with your personal growth. This person that you will be reporting to should not be judging your actions, but merely be a listening ear and a source of encouragement to carry on with your goal. It would be most helpful if you were able to be their source of accountability as well so it evens the level of confidence.
Self-improvement occurs over time and the worst thing you could do is to overwhelm yourself with too much change at once. The most common reason for failure in stopping bad habits is not giving it daily attention. Don’t make it lengthy or judgmental, just be aware of what your intentions are and make a casual plan for change. You also need to take action – not just think about change or just write down your ideas for change. We all pick up bad habits here and there and it is a part of life to be aware of what needs to go. Be persistent, be intentional and be positive in the light of a healthier life.
Know Your Stuff Then Strengthen Your Mind
Most people decide they need to make some changes to their life and have lots of ideas about what they want to stop doing and what they want to start doing but don’t really prepare themselves for the mental and emotional reaction to this new way of living. Usually they can sustain a week or two of their ideal life, but without the mental preparation they slowly step back into their old routine and before they know it, they’ve lost all motivation and all progress has been lost.
Has this happened to you?
The trick is to prepare your mind for the inevitable desire to revert back to the old way. Make your new lifestyle aspirations a permanent shift, not just a temporary fad, and spend the time consuming lots of knowledge that encourages healthy changes, connecting with others for support, and determining the areas that you see as potentially difficult in your progress to a better life. Overall, be committed to the eventual outcome of the decision to be healthy; don’t take any other outcome than that.
We’ll end this chapter with an excerpt from Richard Carlson’s book You Can Feel Good Again:
“Commitment is a powerful tool for change. It takes pressure off of you by removing the uncertainty that often accompanies a lack of commitment. Marriage, for example, is a commitment. When couples marry, there is a reasonable belief that regardless of what might happen, the commitment will carry the couple through. Prior to marriage, people often feel insecure about losing their partner, but the commitment relieves their anxiety and gives them the freedom to “let go” of their concerns; it fosters hope.
Without commitment, success in any venture is difficult. Whether you are dieting, studying for an exam, learning to play tennis, starting a project or deciding to be happy, commitment is an important step.”
