Advancing Your Personal Growth by Embracing Spirituality

Life after experiencing a global pandemic caused a lot of us to challenge our priorities and the way we take care of ourselves and each other. Many people began a journey of personal growth and for a lot of us, that seeking led to learning more about ourselves by looking within. When we begin to embrace our own spirituality, we get closer to our life’s purpose and grow in unimaginable ways.

What is spirituality?

If you google this question, the first definition from Oxford languages is as follows: “the quality of being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things.” There are many more definitions out there, but this one resonates as a practical definition without bringing us into a religious debate.

Spirituality is a personal endeavor, as every soul is unique. The process of coming back to who you are on a soul level and using that information to live in a way that helps you use your natural gifts for the greater good feels like the epitome of embracing your spirituality.

Re-evaluate your values.

If you are ready to begin your own journey of becoming more spiritual, start by asking yourself the simply-stated but extremely complex question, who am I?

Start by making a list of statements that reflect the way you feel about the following:

• Relationships

• Money

• Work

• Freedom

• Love

When you look at what your immediate thoughts were, start to evaluate them. Do you agree with each statement, or are they the values and opinions of others around you? If they don’t feel true to who you are, take some time to rewrite them.

Getting clear on how you feel helps you get closer to who you are and helps you let go of the influence from outside sources.

Practice the art of being present.

Find some time every day to be present. When having a conversation with a friend or family member, make eye contact and listen to what they’re saying without creating a response in your mind as they talk.

Go outside without your phone. Put your bare feet on the grass. Listen to the birds’ songs and follow the sound to locate where they are and what they’re doing. Watch the leaves dancing in the wind. Every time you intentionally enjoy its beauty, you’ll feel the connection between your soul and nature.

It creates a sense of profound peace when you can enjoy the moment. You can take it a step further and write about your daily experiences in a gratitude journal. When you can embrace the joy in the ordinary, imagine how extraordinary your life can become!

Try meditating.

Meditation doesn’t have to mean that you can sit with yourself for hours on end. And it doesn’t necessarily give you a feeling of inner peace when you begin to really listen deeply to yourself. Many beginners find that listening to their inner voice is challenging.

The more you meditate, the easier it is to face your thoughts during the process. You can get curious about why they’re popping up when they do and how to process them and let them go. As you continue to focus within, you’ll start to hear your intuition more clearly.

Once you can sit in stillness for at least five minutes, create a daily practice and begin each session with an intention to love yourself fully. Having an intention like that helps you reconnect with your heart and live with more love for yourself, which eventually translates to more empathy for those around you.

Find your tribe.

It’s easier to continue your learning when you can meet new people with similar paths in life. Look for community events that resonate with your spiritual journey. When you can make connections with growth-minded people, it helps you build a foundation of friends and accountability partners.

You gain a lot of insight when you have honest conversations with others. It’s amazing when you find your tribe! It’s almost magical when you become a member of a group of individuals who love themselves and understand their gifts and purpose in life.

You suddenly notice that there isn’t a need for envy or comparison, because each person has something amazing to offer. And when everyone has the freedom to be themselves and contribute to the greater good, amazing things begin to happen!

Looking to become more connected with your own spirituality?

We can help! As we mentioned before, every individual's journey to spirituality is very personal. It would be our pleasure to walk beside you on your own path to becoming more connected. We encourage you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation to begin the process.

What is One-on-One Counseling?

One-on-one counseling is a form of therapy that is used as a personal opportunity for individuals to receive guidance and support during various challenging stages in life. This counseling approach can help individuals by working directly with one specific Therapist in a trusting, caring, and safe environment. These sessions can take place in person or in an online setting, depending on the patient and provider's preference. One-on-one counseling can help in many areas, such as:

- Depression

- Anxiety

- Career

- Relationship

- Sexual Abuse

- Parental

- PTSD

- and many more

One-on-One counseling sessions on average last about 45 and 60 minutes in length. Initial sessions normally focus on getting to know the individual, the background of the issue at hand, and setting goals for each counseling session. The frequency and duration of therapy will depend largely on each individual’s needs, treatment goals, and progress.

One-on-one counseling sessions have been known to benefit patients by providing a confidential space where they can freely share emotional information with someone they trust. It also can provide a quicker transformation since each session is customized towards one individual, as opposed to a group therapy session where topics are broader, and time to interact on an individual basis is limited. Lastly, one-on-one counseling is a great way to improve communication skills. During sessions, patients learn how to express their feelings in a healthy way, learn ways to actively listen, and become more confident speaking to others.

4 Ways to Decrease Anxiety at Home

Even though our homes are supposed to feel like our own little sanctuary, so many individuals confess that is where the majority of their stress and anxiety stems from. From the outside looking in, we can understand that. Home is where all the daily responsibilities occur. Such as cleaning, cooking, bathing, caring for children, resting… and the list goes on. It is also where important dynamics of relationships take place. This could be with in-laws that are living with you, blended families learning to live together, marital partners, children, and even your pets! Each person, place, and thing within your home places a part in how you feel inside.

With all those moving pieces in mind, we have put together this helpful blog to give you 4 ways to decrease your anxiety levels while at home.

Learn to Relax

One of the hardest parts of coping with stressful situations is simply relaxing. However, that downtime is needed to create a healthy space of self-care for you. You can choose to read, meditate, journal or exercise. These little habits are dedicated to your sanity and will create an internal peacefulness that is dedicated to your mental health. With consistency, you will be sure to see the difference in your anxiety levels.

Communicate

Simply talking about our feelings can reduce anxiety on multiple levels. Learning to express what is being bottled up inside of us makes us feel better instantly. Reach out to a friend, a loved one, your partner or even a licensed professional can make a big difference with the weight you are wearing on your shoulders.

Get More Sleep

A good night’s sleep has been proven to increase good mental health in individuals. We understand it might be hard to get some quality shut-eye when experiencing stress but making small adjustments to your sleeping space can play an important role in your overall sleep health. Some ways you can make sleep a priority are:

• Set a bedtime and stick to it

• Limit screen time on your phone or computer before going to bed

• Avoid caffeine-filled beverages before bedtime

• Find the right room temperature that works for you

• Minimize the lights or distractions in your room

Breathwork Learning how to breathe can directly decrease our feelings of anxiety. When experiencing stressful situations normally our hearts are beating very fast and so is our breathing. Learning how to take slow, deep breaths can help restore normal breathing patterns and assist in centering you physically and mentally. Try this helpful breathing practice next time you are feeling stressed:

1. Inhale deeply and count to four

2. Hold your breath for 4 seconds

3. Exhale while counting for 4 seconds

4. Repeat until you start to feel more relaxed

BONUS: Peaceful Background Noise

Music is known to set the mood, so take advantage of this quick and easy way to get you out of an anxiety-filled funk. Simply log in to YouTube and search for calming and meditation music, your options will be limitless. You can also download apps right on your phone like Calm, Headspace, and Slumber.