Fruits of the Spirit
About Lesson

As with any goal, to achieve it you must go about it with intention. If you want to nurture your spirit for ultimate freedom and wellbeing, then you have to draw a line in the sand. Dig it because it’s going to be hard work and it will require a measure of sacrifice as well. It’s always easy to make an excuse about how busy we are.

However, if you’re serious you need to intentionally take time to nurture your spirit. That might mean re-evaluating your schedule and shoehorning time in. If that’s what it takes, then that’s what it will make.

It might require you to turn the television off earlier and head to bed so you can rise early for that time. Just as you have to make time for exercise, you have to make time for your spirit. As you embark on this journey, we want to see you succeed, which is why we have hands-on advice to help you nurture your spirit.

Meditation

You don’t start with a marathon; you work your way up to it. It takes time to build up your stamina to maintain speed and distance. That’s what meditation is. Think of meditation as your treadmill of sorts.

The more often you hop on and walk, the easier it will become and the longer you will be able to do it for. Meditation is vital to improving spirit health because the more time you spend with yourself, the better you can understand your needs, wants, and desires. Meditation teaches you to be present and to listen to that still, quiet voice within you that life has drowned out.

Investment

Not a monetary investment, investment in yourself. Think about how you tackle a new self- improvement project. You decide that you’re going to try a new diet so, you kick back with articles, books, and information to read all about it.

Your intention is to achieve the fitness goal you have set for yourself. That’s something we do with many of the projects we embark on, yet it’s not something that we typically consider when it comes to our spirit health.

You should immerse yourself in a plan for spirit health just as you do for any other self- improvement project. So, sit down and create an action plan on how you plan to improve your spirit health. What will you read? What activities will you undertake? When will you do it? Make concrete plans and take action!

Journal

When it comes to journaling, there is an endless list of reasons and benefits that should make you want to do it. A journal also happens to be a great way to keep track of goals and achievements. When it’s weight loss, you make a note of the dropping numbers, the foods you eat, and the struggles you face.

You get excited about flipping back through the pages to see your incredible progress. You can apply that same idea and excitement to your spirit health. Write about the journey that you are on and watch the metamorphosis.

For example, if you are struggling with self-esteem or anger, you have the chance to journal about it. When you reach a certain point, you can look back on the transformation you have undergone. We often don’t realize just how far we’ve come, and a journal is a great way to track progress. It will serve as a reminder, of what you are capable of, in difficult times.

Partner Up

When you try to lose weight, you reach out to a friend to partner up with. It might be someone that is on the same journey or simply someone to hold you accountable. Either way, a partner is exactly what you will need as you embark on the journey to spirit health. It isn’t about judgment; it’s about having someone close to you challenge you to do and be better.

Mentor

Just as a mentor can help you grow in your career, so can a mentor tease spirit growth out of you. Choose someone who displays the wisdom that you yourself wish for. It should be someone who can provide you with a deeper level of knowledge and insight than you hold. They should be someone you trust. This is a person who will serve as your coach. Who brings out the best in you and knows more about spirit health?

Prayer

Perhaps meditation isn’t something that you like or can get into it. In that case, you can instead try prayer. Typically, we think of prayer as something we direct to a higher power. However, prayer is meditative in its own way.

You don’t have to direct your prayers to anything or anyone if you don’t believe in any type of higher power. Sometimes it’s enough just to run through what’s going on in your mind by speaking your worries and anxieties. There is value in prayer, no matter what you believe. Try it.

Yoga

Regularly practicing yoga is known to relieve inflammation, pain, and decrease stress, as well as the symptoms of anxiety and depression. The practice of breathing and moving into stretching, physical postures allows you to remain fully focused on the present.

There is no time or space for you to allow pesky distractions in. Your sole focus is on breathing at the right times and getting into the correct posture. It is deeply rooted in spiritual practice and can help you nurture your spirit health.

Find Your Community

Humans are social creatures and finding a community where they belong is good for spirit health. For you, it could be a church, a yoga group, sport’s team or somewhere else. The point is that you find a community where you feel secure and get a sense of belonging. This won’t just benefit your overall wellbeing and life expectancy; it will serve your spirit health.

Your spirit health plays an important role in shaping your mindset and view of life and the world. It influences your view of different situations and also has a hand in shaping how you respond in difficult circumstances.

You may be fit emotionally and physically, but if you aren’t protecting the health of your spirit, then life will continue to be a struggle for you. The suggestions we provided you with above are going to help you on your journey.

Explore Your Core

Forget your abs, this is about our spiritual core. By exploring it, you are simply asking yourself who you are, what you value, and what brings meaning to your life. These are questions that will tease your truth out and lead you down the right roads. The key to spirit health is getting to know yourself on a deeper level.

Go Deep

Life is littered with patterns that will help you see the deeper meaning of it all. Recognizing these patterns helps highlight the fact that you have more control over your life and destiny than you realize. Don’t be afraid to dig deeper in your journey to uncover your truth and get to know yourself. Ask questions of yourself until there is a conclusion.

Let It Out

It’s important to free your mind of pent up feelings and emotions. It can be difficult to maintain focus when your mind is cluttered with thoughts following a busy day or a significant event. You can let it out by talking it out with someone close to you or by writing it all out. There are other routes available, whether it’s a drum set or some other activity that lets you work through your emotions. Whatever works for you, as long as you aren’t allowing it to build up within you.

Travel

There’s something incredible about traveling, whether it’s to far-flung countries or the county next door. When you are surrounded by the same environment daily it’s easy to let distractions overtake you. It’s the same old thing so your mindset and thought process are the same. The same negative thought pattern is triggered when you are stuck in the same old, same old. When you visit new places it’s an opportunity to reflect, rest, and connect with your inner self.

Positive Thinking

It’s difficult to maintain spirit health and positivity when your mind is beset by negative thinking. Try to change the record by shifting your mindset to a more positive place. Actively refocus your mind to positive thoughts when you feel yourself drifting to the negative. You will feel much more relaxed when you learn to eliminate the negativity and put things in a positive light.

Truth-Training

The truth will set you free, right? It’s easy to let lies and falsehoods carry you away. Propaganda is everywhere, from the people around you to the lies you tell yourself. None of it is good for spirit health. You could get angry at the lies you’ve heard, or you can go about setting the record straight. It’s up to you to seek out the truth and take control of the power over your life.

Let’s take a look at an example. Politicians present their plan to the voting public. They sell it with their charisma and make claims that sound right, but not all of their claims are correct.

They finesse the numbers, add a bit of intrigue and drama. The politician sounds like they know what they’re talking about so, people trust that it’s true and give that politician their vote.

On the other side, there is a person who had enough knowledge on the particular subject to recognize that it will be impossible to put the politician’s plan into action. Yet, you’re waiting for your life to transform because of this plan. You were deceived.

Meanwhile, that knowledgeable person has been busy taking control of their life. They don’t need that politician’s manifesto because they recognize that they’re in control of their destiny. You’re languishing because you bought a lie. As a result, your spirit health has suffered.

Educate yourself! You should know who you are, when you do you know what you want. Know your values, they will determine what you can or can’t do. They will dictate your behavior and are a central part of your existence. Finally, know your priorities.

When you allow lies to overtake your mind, it’s difficult to experience satisfaction. Your view of the world or a situation has been muddied by untruths or half-truths. Searching for the truth in every situation will help you correctly channel your energy.

Hear it in the Silence

Your spirit health demands silence. It’s amazing what you can hear when you spend time in the quiet. It allows you an opportunity to reflect, which is impossible to do when you’re surrounded by noise, chaos, and distractions. There is always something else to do.

You have to disengage and let your inner self take the wheel in the silence. There’s a little voice within you that is constantly trying to communicate with you. The problem is we drown it out – let it speak! More importantly, listen to what it has to say.

Seek Comfort

Everyone should have a comfortable, quiet place to escape to in their home (or garden). It should be a place where you go for that silence we discussed above. It isn’t just for that silence, though, it’s somewhere you should be able to escape to whenever you need it.

If your quiet place is a shared area (that you can lock to enjoy on your own), try and make a comfortable area within it to relax. For example, if you can only find quiet in the bathroom, create a spa atmosphere and soak in a bubble bath. If it’s your bedroom, then a big comfortable chair and candles can do the trick.

Values

Your values are the core of your spirit health. They are powerful enough to go beyond your career and other life pursuits. If you don’t have life values or can’t put your finger on them, then you should take some time to explore what they might be.

Your values provide context and perspective on what’s going on in your life. You can’t achieve goals if you’re not actively pursuing them or even aware of what you want.

Recognizing your values is sending a signal to your mind that they apply to your daily life.

Now ask yourself this – are you faithful to yourself? This is a question that you should ask yourself at least once a week. Do so when you’re in your comfortable, quiet place enjoying silence.

Be Consistent

Now that you have learned what you need to change in order to nurture your spirit, commit to consistency. Learning doesn’t happen overnight, it’s a journey. When you succeed, celebrate it and congratulate yourself. Just don’t stop! Keep at it, no matter what life throws at you.

Gratitude

To cement your progress, show gratitude. In everything, show gratitude. Gratitude keeps you grounded, focused, and appreciative of everything you have. Show gratitude for the things and people who help make all of this possible. You may feel like you’re doing it all by yourself, but there are people all around you that contribute to your success. Recognize that help.