Spirituality Isn't All 'Spiritual'.

What do you think of when you hear the word ‘spirituality’?

For most of us, it brings us to thoughts of the esoteric, metaphysical and mystical aspects of life. The things that go beyond our universe and connect us to the unseen force that we might call ‘God’ or ‘the universe’ or some other higher power. We think of all of the things that science cannot prove and that we must have faith in to connect with.

And sure… that is absolutely one meaning of the word.

But I think it’s worth noting that - even for those who are not willing or able to believe in that kind of spirituality at all - there is a much more practical, down to earth and very real sense in which spirituality is a part of every one of our lives.

It still refers to the non-physical… but not necessarily the ‘mystical’.

Think of the old, cliched cheerleader chant: “We’ve got spirit, yes we do! We’ve got spirit, how about you?”

Spirit refers to some intangible part of our personality. It’s our overall demeanor coupled with our enthusiasm, our attitude, and even our beliefs and perspective about the world.

Our spirit is that inner part of us that shapes how we interact with ourselves, each other and reality. It shapes how we comport ourselves during challenges and we treat those who irk us or get in our way. It’s the amount of patience, compassion, and determination that we have as we navigate our way through this complicated world.

So… yes… it refers to the non-physical. But you don’t need to believe in ‘God’ or ‘the Universe’ to make sense of this concept, and you’d be foolish to deny the existence of this kind of spirituality.

Your spirit is very real! And there are very real things that you can do that either help your spirit or harm it.

For example, in my course, I teach my clients that we MUST be kind to others for our own benefit. This is because it literally damages our spirit to be cruel to others. But that is NOT some mystical statement about the nature of your undying soul that exists beyond your death. It is merely a statement about how cruelty is corrosive to your own overall well-being… to your demeanor, attitude, and ability to maintain kindness and compassion for your own greatest enjoyment of this life.

So, whether or not you believe in the mystical… it’s very important that you start taking your ‘spirit’ very seriously and making sure that you care for it appropriately.