We have discussed setting goals for nutrition, exercise, sleep, social engagement, and play. We will focus on setting intentional goals for our spirituality and nourishing our souls. Intentional living is a deliberate action that aligns with our values and priorities. It is about taking responsibility for our daily activities.
Well, let’s get intentional. Deep questions in our lives often relate to our soul and spirituality. The Dictionary states that the soul is considered the principle of life, feelings, thoughts, and actions in humans. In essence, our total self. It is often regarded as being separate from our physical bodies. Some believe that the soul survives physical death. The soul is both profound and mysterious.
Spirituality refers to an individual’s quest for ultimate or sacred significance and purpose in life. According to the Dictionary, spirituality is a sensitivity or attachment to religious values. It can also be a search for personal growth and religious experiences. Many non-religious people identify as spiritual. Unlike other subjects covered in this month’s intentional living series, there is little scientific backing regarding spirituality because this comes from within.
Spirituality and the soul hold profound significance across various cultures, religions, and philosophical contexts. It is hard to pin a definition of the concept. Some people believe the soul does not exist, and others embrace the idea of a soul. It also can be connected to spiritual beliefs, our total self, our morals, or our emotional nature. When we come to religion, there are many beliefs, such as Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, and Hinduism. According to research, there are over four thousand different religions or subgroups of religious group. An estimated 85% of the global population identified with a religious group.
Spirituality, by Psychology Today Staff
To prepare for our spiritual goal setting, we must recognize that life isn’t the sum of circumstances. Leading a virtuous life involves intentional choices. Nourishing our soul and spirituality often means we are striving to be a better person. Loving who we are is vital to loving a higher power or others. Spiritual development is often interconnected with acts of service, as well as the cultivation of ethical values and virtues. We design ourselves by the choices we make and by the goals we strive to reach.
“The path of spiritual growth is a path of lifelong learning.
M. Scott Peck
How to be A Better Person by Setting Personal Standards, by Linda L. Pilcher
How to integrate spirituality into your daily routine
Gratitude
We have hit on gratitude several times, which helps you to realize how much you have. It is taking time to look at your life and appreciate where you are. We live in a consumer society where you are being bombarded with ads for what you need, enticing you to acquire more and more stuff. The call to action drives us to want more. Become aware of this vicious cycle and appreciate what you have now.
Gratitude motivates self-growth. And being thankful aligns you with positive intentions. It brings us to the here and now, taking the focus off the past and future. What do we have in this moment that enhances our lives?
Journaling
Journaling is an excellent form of self-reflection. Writing your thoughts and feelings down on paper helps to give perspective, a way to express yourself. You can also come back and review what you wrote. Sometimes, we feel different about our lives on different days. Write about your insights, prayers, or reflections. Journaling can help you process your thoughts and emotions.
Review your day and record moments that felt spiritually significant. What challenges did you face? What deep philosophical questions are you seeking answers to?
The Magic of Journaling – A Guide to Finding Clarity and Maintaining Focus, by Linda L. Pilcher
Music
Spirituality and music share a profound connection. Music is a spiritual expression. Spirituality often inspires the creation of music. Music creates an atmosphere conducive to spiritual experiences. People find connections in music through memories. Through those memories, we can connect emotions and the heightened feeling of the spirit. For example, in church, you feel the power of the message, the power of your fath; you connect to other times when you listened to the hymn.
Music also enhances our physical and mental well-being; it can increase serotonin and endorphins (feel-good hormones), lower blood pressure, and stress chemical cortisol. Music profoundly affect on us, allowing us to communicate through words and emotions. Music moves us and touches us deeply within our souls.
Rituals
Morning or evening routines and rituals provide consistency. They become habits and take less mental energy, which can be used for other important work. Deliberately setting time for thinking and processing your day. Time to connect with your faith and practice your beliefs.
Silence and solitude; spend a few minutes praying or meditating to start your day. Disconnect from distractions such as your phone, TV, and social media. Sit quietly. Or read inspirational texts, spiritual books, and your scriptures, and reflect on their meaning and how they apply to your life. Time for listening to your soul.
Walking can clear your head, and walking is a wonderful way to connect with nature. A walk can help you start your day in a relaxed and pleasant mood. Take time to smell the roses, feel the breeze and sun on your face, and see life’s beauty. A time for self-reflection.
Purpose
Purpose brings depth, direction, and peace to your life. Pause and be mindful of your day, rituals, actions, and behaviors. What really matters? Finding your purpose could be seeking happiness, or it could be seeking God’s will.
Show your spirituality by serving others; small acts of kindness align with spiritual principles. Purpose can come in the form of gifting others, a small act of giving someone a big smile. Good moods can be contagious. Help a neighbor bring in the groceries or hold the door for someone. Share a kind word, as small gestures matter.
Conclusion
Spirituality is not confined to a specific ritual. It is about living consciously, aligning your actions with your beliefs, and seeking a deeper connection to your truth.
The soul has often been dismissed as a human belief. The soul is invisible; therefore, science cannot research physical evidence. But science cannot define many elements of humanity. The concept of the soul remains a mystery. It is the same with religious or spiritual beliefs which are invisible. The fact that science cannot show proof does not mean they do not exist. Our beliefs in soul and spirituality are personal. Although many people follow their culture or family history in terms of their beliefs, others walk a different path. These are decisions we need to make for ourselves.
Setting intentional goals can help you maintain and define spirituality. Deliberate goal setting ensures that the essential things in life stay focused. For me, the most important things in life are the ones we cannot see and touch, love, faith, trust, integrity, and community. Whether you call it your soul or your spirituality, set some goals for this next year.
“You have the potential to transform your world.”
John Maxwell
Recommended Reading
Journey of the Soul: A Practical Guide to Emotional and Spiritual Growth, by Bill Gaultiere, and Kristi Gaultiere
The Clear Light: Spiritual Reflections and Meditations (An Eckhart Tolle Edition), by Steve Taylor and Eckhart Tolle
The Four Agreements: A Practical Guide to Personal Freedom, by Don Miguel Ruiz, and Janet Mills
The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment, by Eckhart Tolle
Citations
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Photo by Sixteen Miles Out on Unsplash
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