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ertain tools to reduce stress are very tangible:
exercising more, eating healthy foods and
talking with friends. But there is another tool
for helping you manage difficult times that can be
just as beneficial, albeit harder to pin down — em-
bracing your spirituality.
What is spirituality?
Spirituality has many definitions, but at its core
spirituality helps to give our lives context. It's not
necessarily connected to a specific belief system or
even religious worship. Instead, it arises from your
connection with yourself and with others, the devel-
opment of your personal value system, and your
search for meaning in life. For many, this takes the
form of religious observance, prayer, meditation or a
belief in a higher power. For others, it can be found
in nature, music, art or a secular community. Spiri-
tuality is different for everyone.
How can spirituality help you?
Spirituality has many benefits. It can help you:
• Focus on personal goals. Cultivating your spiritual-
ity may help uncover what's most meaningful in
your life. By clarifying what's most important, you
can focus less on the unimportant things and elimi-
nate stress.
• Connect to the world. The more you feel you have a
purpose in the world, the less solitary you feel —
even when you're alone. This can lead to a valuable
inner peace during difficult times.
• Release control. When you feel part of a greater
whole, you realize that you aren't responsible for
everything that happens in life. You can share the
burden of tough times as well as the joys of life's
blessings with those around you.
• Expand your support network. Whether you find
spirituality in a church, mosque or synagogue, in
your family, or in walks with a friend through na-
ture, this sharing of spiritual expression can help
build relationships.
• Lead a healthier life. People who consider them-
selves spiritual may be better able to cope with stress
and heal from illness or addiction faster.
How can you define your spirituality?
The best way to uncover your spirituality is to en-
gage in self-discovery. Here are some questions to
ask yourself to discover what experiences and values
define you:
• What are your important relationships?
• Where have you found comfort?
• What gives you hope?
• What brings you joy?
• What are your three most memorable experiences?
If you have survived losses in your life, how have you
done so?
• What do you believe will happen to you when your
physical life ends, and how do you feel about that?
• Describe a time when you felt comfortable and all
was right with the world.
• Describe a timewhen your lifewas filledwith a sense
of meaning or youwere filledwith a sense of awe.
The answers to such questions help you identify
the most important people and experiences in your
life. With this information, you can focus your
search for spirituality on the relationships and activ-
ities in life that have helped define you as a person
and those that continue to inspire your personal
growth.
Cultivating your spirituality
Spirituality begins with your relationship with
yourself, is nurtured by your relationships with oth-
ers and culminates in a sense of purpose in life. Re-
alizing this, two of the best ways to cultivate your
spirituality are to improve your self-esteem and to
foster relationships with those who are important to
you. This can lead to a deepened sense of your place
in life and in the greater good.
Nurturing relationships with others
• Develop effective listening and communication
skills.
• Make relationships with friends and family a prior-
ity and stay in touch.
• Share your spiritual journey with loved ones and let
them knowwhat's important to you.
• Seek out others with similar spiritual beliefs and
engage in conversation to learn from each other.
• Volunteer within your community.
• See the good in people and in yourself.
Pursuing a spiritual life
Staying connected to your inner spirit and the
lives of those around you can enhance your quality
of life, both mentally and physically. Remember that
spirituality is a dynamic process and a constantly
evolving internal journey. Your personal concept of
spirituality may change with your age and life expe-
riences, but it always forms the basis of your well-
being, helps you maintain a reasonable
stress level and affirms your pur-
pose in life.
Taking the path less traveled by exploring your spirituality can
lead to a clearer life purpose, better personal relationships and
enhanced stress management skills.
Spirituality
Looking
inward...
• Try prayer, meditation and relaxation techniques
to access your inner wisdom and help focus your
thoughts.
• Keep a journal to help you express your feelings
and record your progress.
• Seek out a trusted adviser or friend — preferably
someone who has had similar life experiences —
who can help you discover what's important to
you in life. Sometimes others may have insights
that you haven't been able to discover on your
own.
• Read inspirational stories or essays to help you
evaluate different philosophies of life.
• Talk to others whose spiritual lives you admire.
Ask questions to learn how they found their way
to a fulfilling spiritual life.
• Be open to new experiences. If you're exploring
organized religion, remember to consider a vari-
ety of different faith traditions. If your spirituality
is more secular, you might consider expanding
your horizons with new experiences in the arts.
&stress relief
