Get spiritual self-care tips to help you improve your spiritual health in no time. Learn how to develop good spiritual wellness with these simple tips!
We see this idea in the movies all the time…
The main character seems to have it all- success, money, love- but something doesn’t feel right.
They end up on a spiritual journey of sorts and discover that they have been looking at life the wrong way all this time.
They return to their life with a renewed passion for living and a deeper sense of purpose.
Is anyone else familiar with this story?
It’s common for us to get so caught up in the busyness of life that we forget the purpose of it all.
We lose passion for the intricacies of daily life and end up simply going through the motions.
Learning to connect with the world on a deeper level and finding that inner purpose is what helps to improve our spiritual wellness and it is absolutely crucial to living a good life.
In this post, I want to teach you a little bit more about spiritual self-care. You will learn about what it is, what it isn’t, and how you can develop a spiritual wellness routine in your own life.
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What is spiritual wellness?
The three aspects of spiritual wellness
Whether you have a firm belief system or not, spiritual health is something that everyone must pay attention to.
Though it can involve religion, it doesn’t have to.
Spiritual wellness is more about how you connect to the world around you and how closely the life you’re living aligns with what you believe your purpose in the world is.
There are three different aspects of spiritual wellness that will determine your overall spiritual health: living a lifestyle that aligns with your beliefs, connecting with the world around you, and feeling peace towards the meaning and purpose of life.
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1. Living a lifestyle that aligns with your beliefs
If you are living a life that you don’t feel is worthwhile or that explicitly contradicts what you believe in, your spiritual health will suffer for it.
The more actions you take to live out a life that feels authentic and valuable will help improve your spiritual wellness.
For example, if you go to a job every day that you hate and you act like someone you aren’t, your spiritual health will decline because you’re not doing anything with your life that you value.
On the other hand, if you choose to do work that you believe in and let your authentic self shine, you will start to feel like your life is in better alignment. In turn, you will feel more peace and purpose on a daily basis.
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2. Connecting with the world around you
As humans, we are naturally inclined to think inwardly. Without some extra effort, everything will start to become about ourselves and we will fail to connect or care for anything but our own person.
This is a problem that can deeply affect your spiritual health, as we are meant to connect and socialize.
The more you reach out and notice the world around you, the better your spiritual health will be.
This connection doesn’t just involve people, either.
It means that you care for all living things, including the world itself.
The more you reach out to care for the wellbeing of the environment, animals, and humans themselves, the better your spiritual health will be.
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3. Feeling peace towards the meaning and purpose of life
This aspect of spiritual health is probably the hardest one to obtain, as it requires you to have a firm belief of why you were put on this earth. And, you know, that’s not the easiest question to answer.
I am a Christian, so my belief is that I was put on this earth to enjoy the wonderful things that God created just for us, worship Him for those blessings, take care of the things that God chooses to put in my care (like pets, children, money, etc.), and produce creative things of my own (like this blog, yummy meals, and good music).
You may feel the same way as I do or you may not but that is not the point.
The point is that you are not borrowing someone else’s belief system and living by what they believe to be their purpose.
You need to determine what you believe your own purpose is.
Once you know that, you need to live in alignment with that belief.
This task is much easier said than done but once you achieve it, you will feel a wonderful peace that infuses everything else in your life with purpose and satisfaction.
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What spiritual wellness is not
When you think of spiritual wellness, many things may come to mind but I want to make it clear what I am not referring to when I talk about spiritual wellness.
Spiritual wellness is not about hitting a set number of tasks each day
When aiming for good spiritual health, you are not going to benefit from simply checking items off of your to-do list each day.
It’s not about how often you volunteer, how many friends you help in a day, or how often you read from a spiritual text.
These things are good but they do not determine your spiritual health- they are byproducts of good spiritual health.
Spiritual wellness is more of a state of mind than a performative ideal.
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Spiritual wellness is not about living a life with moralities set by cultural norms
One of my favourite things that I hear in church is when the pastor explains that you should never take the Bible at face value and that you should wrestle with the ideas you read about.
Regardless of your beliefs, the message is the same:
Life should not be lived blindly with a set of moral standards that you never question.
Instead, you should wrestle with moral questions and determine what you believe is the right way to live.
Even beyond that, you need to be okay with changing your mind over time and readjusting your life based on those new opinions.
Your spiritual health won’t be determined by how well you meet society’s standards of living.
It is all about how closely you live according to your personal standards and beliefs.
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Spiritual wellness is not about being happy
This is an extremely important thing to understand.
It is a common myth that when you are in good spiritual health, everything in life gets easier and you will always be happy but that’s simply not true.
It is possible to have good spiritual health and still feel sad, angry, or upset.
Life happens regardless of your spiritual wellness and life isn’t always perfect.
So if you are feeling unhappy for a season, you don’t need to feel like your spiritual health is suffering.
Spiritual wellness is more about inner peace and a sense of belonging and connection than about the pursuit of happiness.
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Why is spiritual health important?
Spiritual health is arguably the most important type of self-care (though they are certainly all important in their own way).
No matter how good your life looks on paper, if you aren’t living authentically or doing activities that you believe are valuable, then everything else in your life will feel less satisfying.
You will find yourself chasing things that you believe will make you happy when, in reality, you already have everything you need.
Living authentically and purposefully will have more of an impact on your life than any job, income, or achievement can ever do.
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Activities for Spiritual Self-Care
The activities below are all things that you can do to give you opportunities to improve your spiritual health. It is important to note, however, that these activities are not guaranteed to solve all of your problems. Unlike the other forms of self-care, spiritual self-care requires more time, experience, and understanding to achieve. These activities will at least help encourage spiritual growth, though, and can definitely still help!
Spiritual Activities to quiet your thoughts and encourage self-reflection
1. Practice Yoga
Yoga has a lot of different purposes but one of those purposes can be to quiet your mind and focus on your breathing.
If you are looking for a more meditative experience, my personal favourite practice is Ashtanga yoga.
Because the routine is the same every time and puts a larger priority on breathwork, it is a good routine that can serve to quiet the mind.
2. Meditate
This activity is another great way to clear your mind, readjust your perspective and reflect in a healthy way.
There are lots of different ways to do it, too! You are bound to be able to find a form of meditation that is a good fit for you!
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3. Practice Mindfulness
Adding more mindfulness to your life is a great way to start moving towards a life that feels authentic to you.
When you slow down and take time to really notice what you’re doing, you will likely start to notice what things don’t fit in your life and what things you truly love.
Personally, when I started being more mindful about my activities, I quickly realized that there were a lot of things I was doing on autopilot that didn’t actually add any value to my life.
I slowly started weeding out the activities and material items in my life that were burdening me and I felt so much better for it.
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4. Simplify your space and your life
I am a huge fan of all things simple living and minimalism.
It is amazing what a clean space and an uncluttered life can do for you.
When you take the time to simplify the life you have, both with your belongings and your schedule, it is amazing how much your life can change.
You will likely start to value the things that you chose to keep in your life more than you did before.
You will also have time for the things that truly add value to your life.
There will no longer be that feeling of pointlessness in your life. You can feel more at peace with your daily activities.
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5. Journal and take time for reflection
Ruminating on the past is not an ideal habit to keep. Healthy reflection, however, can be a great thing to add to your regular routine.
Taking time to learn more about yourself, your values and beliefs, and your sense of purpose are all definitely worthwhile activities.
And it doesn’t have to be anything formal, either.
You don’t need to write perfectly or regularly and you don’t need to worry about having all the answers. It’s not even necessary to keep what you write!
Simply set aside a little bit of time to let your mind reflect and see what happens.
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6. Consume inspirational material
No matter what your personal beliefs are, there are always materials that you can consume that will inspire you and encourage you.
Even though I am a Christian, I don’t restrict myself to sermons and primarily Christian books. I also like to consume videos and writing material from Buddhists, Stoics, Taoists, philosophers, and more!
You can always get something inspiring to think about from the stories other people tell.
If you don’t want any religious material at all, you could even read simple autobiographies and biographies to get inspired by other people’s lives.
There is no shortage of things to get inspired by!
7. Do a digital detox
Considering the amount of time spent on technology these days, this activity is all the more important.
It can be really easy to ignore our spiritual needs when we have easy access to constant entertainment.
Sometimes all our spirit needs is a moment away from all the noise.
A digital detox, whether it’s done daily, weekly, or monthly, can be a great way to heal spiritually.
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8. Find a mantra for your spiritual needs
There is certainly power in words. Regardless of what beliefs you hold, having a word or phrase that gives you the proper encouragement might be exactly what you need to balance out your spiritual wellbeing.
It could be a Bible verse that inspires you, a word or phrase you like, an ancient proverb, or even a song you like.
Find something that gives you the encouragement you need at that moment. Commit it to memory so that you can turn to it whenever necessary.
Spiritual self-care activities that connect you to something bigger than yourself
9. Read a spiritual text
Instead of just reading something that’s generally inspiring, make a note to read a more official spiritual text.
It will be sure to remind you that you are not the center of the universe and that there is a bigger meaning to life.
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10. Get in nature
I don’t know what it is about nature that makes us respond this way but it definitely makes it easier to get out of our own heads and notice that there are other living things besides ourselves that are being cared for.
Personally, I always feel more connected to God when I’m in nature.
I am reminded that he created me and cares about me the same way he cares for all of the plants and animals of the world.
The thought is able to comfort me when I’m feeling despair or anxiety.
11. Learn more about different belief systems
By interacting with other opinions that are not your own, it opens your eyes to so many possibilities.
Sometimes it serves the purpose of solidifying your current beliefs.
Other times it actually causes you to readjust your thinking or wrestle with new ideas.
Either way, it is connecting you to something bigger than your own personal opinions.
12. Pray
This looks different to everyone so I will just speak to my own experience of this one.
Engaging in conversation with your creator can be a great way to put your life into perspective.
It can be a good reminder that you’re not alone and that you have someone guiding you through your life.
This feeling can provide immense peace and even confidence as you continue to walk your own life path.
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13. Practice silence
One aspect of prayer is to do the talking. Another aspect of connecting with a higher power is to simply be silent.
When you start talking, you need to make sure that you are leaving space for the recipient to respond.
In my own personal life, this is my chance to hear what God has to say to me.
Sometimes I just receive comfort. Other times I’ll receive a nudge in a particular direction or a word that becomes significant a little later on. Whatever it is, I find it to be the most crucial part of my prayer time.
For those who are not religious, this may simply look like sitting in silence and seeing what sort of things pop into your head.
14. Express gratitude
I have personally found this to be one of the most worthwhile spiritual self-care activities to practice, regardless of your beliefs.
Make a habit of expressing gratitude towards other people and towards the things you have in your life. It will help you naturally spot the good things in your life before you see the bad stuff.
Oftentimes, we grow entitled and feel like we deserve a better life than what we have. We habitually notice all the bad stuff in our lives and ignore any of the good.
The moment you make an honest effort to appreciate the good things in your life, you will notice a shift in your mindset, too.
You will likely become more thankful and satisfied with your life.
So every chance you get, try to find reasons to be thankful and express that thankfulness.
Spiritual self-care activities to connect you to a community
15. Attend events run by religious or charity organizations
Spiritual wellness is not something that can be attained alone.
It requires a connection with the world around you- especially with other people.
One way that you can connect with people is through organized events.
This may be a church service, a charity event, or a religious celebration.
Whatever it is, it will help you connect to like-minded individuals that can encourage and inspire you on your journey.
16. Volunteer
You don’t necessarily have to volunteer for an organization in order to reap the spiritual benefits of this activity.
Simply volunteering to help with anything can be beneficial.
Offer to pick up groceries for a family member or babysit your friend’s child for free.
Volunteering to help someone else can help you foster thankfulness for what you have. It can also help you make a connection with someone you care about.
17. Try to do regular acts of kindness
This is an activity similar to volunteering but on an even smaller scale.
More than the action itself, it’s about making an effort to notice things that are happening outside of your own life.
It helps to take you out of any me-centred thinking and encourage compassion.
This might involve things like opening the door for someone, picking up an item a stranger dropped, shovelling the neighbour’s driveway when you shovel yours or putting some extra quarters in a stranger’s parking metre.
They are small actions but they make a big difference in how you view the world and your role in it.
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18. Talk to a spiritual advisor or mentor
This is a great activity that I have certainly found helpful over the years.
The meeting doesn’t have to be anything formal. You don’t have to request an audience with someone in a religious organization or someone who is trained to advise people.
It could simply be someone who has a similar approach to life as you.
Just make sure it’s someone whose opinion you value and who you feel has wisdom to offer that you feel is helpful to your life.
In my life, I have often turned to people like this when I need to make a big decision or when I am feeling a little lost spiritually.
They always have something helpful to say and they get me back on track without making me feel judged or disliked.
Having someone to hold you accountable in this way can be extremely helpful for your spiritual health.
19. Take a class that is relevant to your spiritual health
At church, this is often called a “small group” or a “study group”. It is a more low-key event that involves a range of people who meet to discuss a book or a sermon together.
The goal is to discuss things in a more philosophical setting so that people can explore ideas and create a deeper understanding of the content.
Classes and study groups like these are a great way to improve your spiritual well-being. It keeps you from stagnating in your ideas and opinions.
It is the best way to challenge your thinking and deepen your personal understanding of the world around you.
Journals and books for spiritual self-care
The following books and journals are all things that I’ve read or used in the past that I have found particularly helpful for my own spiritual health. A few items are things that are on my wish list. I’d highly recommend you check them out!
This Bible is unique in its design. It is built specifically for people who like to mark up their Bible with drawings, quotes, stickers, and loads of highlighter. It also comes with artistically drawn verses directly on the pages. For those of you who love to journal in your Bibles, this is a great purchase!
NIV, Beautiful Word Bible, Updated Edition, Peel/Stick Bible Tabs, Cloth over Board, Floral, Red Letter, Comfort Print: 600+ Full-Color Illustrated Verses
I joined a small group to study this book and it was an absolute game-changer! It is a book all about how to enjoy your relationship with God in any season of your life. I loved that it was all about creating that authentic connection with God instead of treating him like an item on your to-do list.
Enjoying God: Experience the power and love of God in everyday life
Max Lucado is one of my favourite Christian authors and this book has been one of the most inspiring ones to me. It’s all about how to “live in your sweet spot”, which simply means to live the life that God intended for you. I’m all about living authentically, so this book was right in my wheelhouse.
Cure for the Common Life
This book is not a Christian book. It is written by a man who didn’t follow any religion and it outlines his conversations with an old priest. It is a beautiful story that leaves you inspired and thinking much more deeply about the purpose of life. Most of Mitch Albom’s books are good but this was by far my favourite!
Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life’s Greatest Lesson, 20th Anniversary Edition
This one has no religious connotations whatsoever. I found it to be incredibly relevant to people from all walks of life, especially for those who struggle with depression. It is about a woman who struggles with depression and finds herself deeply unhappy with her life. When she loses the will to live, she ends up in a library that is full of books outlining her infinite alternate lives. She gets to experience each of those lives and decide which one she wants to live. In the process, she discovers the true purpose of living and it was so inspiring. I would highly recommend you give this a read!
The Midnight Library: A Novel
Just as the title states, this book is a great one for people who tend to ignore their spiritual health for the sake of getting more done in a day. It’s one that I will want to read more than once as it is a great reminder of how to set priorities to pray.
Too Busy Not to Pray
This book is amazing for anyone who wants to better understand why they are here on earth. It covers multiple aspects of the purpose of life, using the Bible as its cornerstone. I found it extremely helpful when I was struggling to understand my purpose and would highly recommend you give it a chance.
The Purpose Driven Life
The last item is a free one. It is a television show called “The Chosen” and it is nothing short of inspirational. The show follows the life of Jesus in a way you’ve never seen before. It is a crowd-funded resource so that they can continue to offer this amazing series for free. You can watch it here if you’re interested!
I hope that these spiritual self-care tips are able to help strengthen you on your spiritual journey.
Spiritual wellness is definitely not an easy thing to have but it is incredibly worthwhile.
No matter what season of life you’re in, strive to continuously prioritize your spiritual health and you will be sure to learn some amazing stuff!
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