Six-Part Health Series (Part 4): 10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your *Spiritual* Health (from the Avidity Medical Design Blog)
Your spiritual health is connected to your physical, mental, and social health. It is about having a connection with yourself, others, nature, and God (if you are religious). The results of spiritual health help people to live positive lives with purpose. Negative emotions like anxiety and sadness are reduced. It is important to work on improving your spiritual health in 2020 because it is essential to total body health, and you owe it to yourself to experience its positive effects as soon as possible.
10 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Spiritual Health
1. Write.
Practice free-writing or introspective journaling to find out exactly who you are and what you value. Make a list of things that make you happy or people who are important to you. Focus on the positive. Instead of thinking about past mistakes or focusing on negative emotions, list the things you have learned from those mistakes and activities that help you to overcome negativity. It is easy to get stuck in our own heads, and a pen and paper is a perfect way to get it out and experience some self-realization.
2. Meditate.
Focusing on the present while removing the past and future is an exercise in freedom from worry and expectation. Mindfulness gives your mind a break from responsibilities and limitations. It allows you to focus on the most important thing a person can experience – inhaling and exhaling. Your mind can relax when it knows it is accomplishing its primary purpose of maintaining life. Once a person has meditated, he or she is more able to identify and appreciate spirituality.
3. Do Yoga.
Any sort of exercise can lead to improved spirituality because of stress reduction, but yoga is particularly effective because of the focus on the self. It is not something you do with headphones or other distractions. Instead, it is a complete focus on the connection you have with your own body.
4. Volunteer.
Helping others is a focused pathway to spirituality because it prioritizes community connections and a willingness to work for others without expectation of anything in return. The positive notion of this feels good because it elevates your capabilities beyond caring for only yourself and the people you love.
5. Travel.
Seeing and interacting with people around the world makes one realize how each person on the Earth is important and how wonderful our diversity is. It makes the world a little smaller and less overwhelming. Depending on your travels, it is also possible to develop deep caring for people in less-fortunate areas of the world. You’ll find yourself connected to everyone in a collective humanity that makes you feel part of a greater whole.
6. Socialize.
Spend time with your friends and family or people who make you feel happy. Don’t neglect your social activities. You are a part of society, and the benefit is reciprocal. Spending time with your friends reinforces your sense of community connection, which is essential for spiritual health.
7. Pray.
Prayer is a recognition of your spirituality and a positive way to spread happy thoughts. It is typically religious, but it doesn’t have to be. If you are having trouble with prayer because you aren’t religious, practice self-talk (silent or verbal) about your thankfulness, and send wishes to those who you hope will experience better times. If you are religious, communication with God establishes solidarity in your convictions.
8. Walk.
Experiencing nature is a very spiritual activity, so going for a walk or a hike is an excellent way to improve your connection with life on this planet. It also gives you time with your own thoughts, which can have a meditative effect.
9. Unplug.
You don’t have to turn off your Facebook account or literally unplug your television. However, taking a break from these items gives you some peace and quiet. Occasional silence is calming, and it disconnects you from the worries and influence of media platforms.
10. Make Something.
Lastly, creating something new is a great way to improve spirituality because it reaffirms your capabilities and your worth. You may choose to create a table or a tool, or you may choose to create something artistic like a painting or a composition. Your spirituality will be heightened by the act of creation, and you will bask in its glow.
The new decade is a perfect impetus for improved spiritual health, and the effects of this health will extend to your mental and physical health. You’ll feel affirmation about your place and purpose in this world, which will reduce negativity and leave you with more happiness.
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