7 Exercises for Spiritual Strength

What is spiritual strength?

Like building physical strength when you work out, building spiritual strength is similar but on the inside. Building your “spiritual strength” activates your spirit and connection to the divine from within, giving you the power you need to live a life of purpose and fulfillment.  Even though you already may be living a fulfilling life, your spiritual exercises will make life that much sweeter.  

Just like the feeling after a physical workout, spiritual exercise allows your energy to flow more freely, and the feelings of love and positivity will fill your being. Negative thoughts will be forgotten and negative experiences will diminish.

You immediately feel happier when you give and receive positive energy through these exercises. Here are 7 simple spiritual exercises you can try right now.

7 Exercises for Spiritual Strength

1. Spend more time with loving, encouraging family/friends.

Think of your relationships for a moment, does it paint a picture that you’d like to improve?

Some of your best moments in life can be with family, but some others may not be so memorable.  Don’t hold on to the negative memories – they’re too much of a burden to bear.  Release them and know that they will be taken care of for you.  You are meant to be happy and enjoy life, especially happy times with those who you are close with.  When you’re focused on being spiritually centered, you are always divinely protected.  Some negative thoughts can come up and try to bring you down, but you can be confident in your spiritual strength,  letting it speak for you – kind of like a bodyguard!

Give this time with your family or friends the attention and love it deserves. When your heart opens up to your loved ones this way, new patterns and thoughts develop in you. From these new thoughts, you can build the foundation to healthier relationships.

Take action to show those important to you how much you appreciate them. It can be as simple as a phone call or email to warm someone’s heart.  It could even turn their whole life around.

2. Go outside as much as possible.

Getting outside is vital to building your spiritual strength.  An increased connection to nature and the Earth places you in alignment with the real living energy.  It directly connects you to the divine, allowing positive energy to channel to you and through you.  Enjoy the sunshine and let it shine on your face (your pineal gland is actually light-sensitive)  You can do this more by making it a habit to eat outdoors or even take a walk to watch the sunrise or sunset.

As you spend more time outside, be aware of the sights and sounds of nature.  Feel the energy of the wind as it blows past you and be sure to smell your surroundings.  You were meant to be pleased through your senses, and nature can do that in multiple ways.

3. Reduce distractions (TV, Radio, Internet, Newspaper)

Media can fill your mind with thousands of ads, episodes, and events that are nowhere near vital to living your best life.   When you reduce the absorption of participating in these activities, there is far less manufactured stimuli being fed in, and your brain has a chance to be silent.  These moments of silence gives you an opportunity to strengthen your spiritual connection and those around you.

And if you’re not ready to give these things up or reduce your intake (we understand), just try to sharpen your focus on what you DO want to see (like Power of Positivity), rather than what you don’t.

4. Observe your thoughts about the people around you.

It’s very important to send positive energy to others as well as opening up to receive it yourself.  There’s no room in this life to judge others, as you may be judged by others for your own actions.  Focusing on pain, gossip, fear, or sadness does not serve anyone.

The energy you send others can help them hurdle their challenge, or stumble trip and fall.  Be kind to all people.  See the good (and the God) in them and help try to amplify that voice to help lead them to their best life.  You may have no idea the kind of battle they’re fighting right now – the energy you send them is very important.

5. Step out in faith

Be confident to stand strong in the face of adversity.  Know that the Divine has got your back, and that a bigger breakthrough is in store for you beyond your challenges. There may be forces that have an investment in keeping you from receiving your best life, but when you decide to stand up or speak out, knowing that your faith is bigger than your fear, the illusion of fear that’s trying to hold you down will diminish and eventually disappear.

You become stronger and wiser when you step out in faith.  The lessons brought about by all people and situations we come into contact with are our teachers AND our exams – take this chance to get an A+!

6. Be of service to others

History shows that the most spiritually strong, peaceful, loving people were focused on being of service to others. Jesus, Buddha, Mother Teresa, Gandhi… the list goes on. There is real power and peace in service for its own sake.  Take time to help someone in need, or share a contact with them who can.  You don’t have to be special to be the turning point in someone’s life – every person you encounter is brought to you for a specific reason.  Serve the situation and your spiritual strength will surely grow.

7. Make prayer/meditation a habit.

Regular observance of the “unseen” helpers and guides, angels, or whomever you call on that surrounds you, will cause a change in you.  A great exercise for spiritual strength is to pray or meditate (however you prefer) at least two times a day.

Prayer or meditation usually has a formal beginning like “Dear God,” or “Dear Heavenly Father,” or “Oh Great Healing Spirit.” Other faiths have specific rituals, such as the Muslim religion reciting “The Opening” in a specific posture. It can be practiced in a variety of ways and positions, but all will ultimately help build your spiritual strength and lead you to your best life.   As you pray/meditate, sit quietly and allow the divine to come into you to strengthen and illuminate your spirit.  Keep your requests in the positive tense, focusing on healing instead of sickness or disease, abundance instead of scarcity, and so on.  If you acknowledge the negative energy, you claim ownership to it and allow it to stay in your life.  Flood it with the positive!

Make Spiritual Exercise a Daily Priority

Be sure to also set aside specific times for this spiritual exercise and try your best to stick to this schedule.  This discipline shows the divine that you are ready to show up for life.  You can practice prayer and meditation at any time however, you can connect with the divine whenever you like, just by reminding yourself verbally or through thought that you are always one.  Over time, you will see many positive results from this spiritual strength exercise.

Develop a routine from these exercises and remain steadfast in your focus of growing your spiritual strength. As you practice, you’ll see your life improve in front of your eyes. You will also see that there’s far more strength inside you than you could have ever imagined.  Spiritual strength creates beautiful life experiences that cannot be explained in physical terms, gives you confidence, and lets you know that you’re moving in the right direction of life.

What exercises do you practice to increase your spiritual strength?

Life is just like the weather.  You can be feeling the positive flow one moment, and be caught in a rainstorm of negativity the next. Some days you need an optimism umbrella

Even on the clearest, most beautiful day you can have a popup shower or huge storm. You can be like a weather expert and attempt to predict the forecast, but sometimes you just never know.

That’s why it’s important to carry your umbrella. . . your “Optimism Umbrella”.

The “Optimism Umbrella” is just like a traditional umbrella, which protects you from harsh weather, except it protects you from the inside out. It keeps your mind clear and shields your soul. It’s important to consciously remember to carry this around and know how to open it when dark clouds appear.

Here are 3 ways to open your optimism umbrella

Remember to breathe

During any storm of negative energy, the first thing you need to do is see the storm, and realize that even though you may be in the midst of the storm, you’ve got your umbrella with you and can stay dry, calm and collected.  The first step to opening your umbrella however, is delivering oxygen to your brain to think.

Multiple studies have shown that taking time to focus on your breathing can drastically reduce negative energy in many different forms, including pain and stress. Not only does deep breathing in fresh air help reduce negativity, it’s also the most important element to your life. We couldn’t survive more than two minutes without breathing.

So take a few slow, steady, deep breaths in through the nose and out through the mouth.  4 counts in, 8 counts out. Verbally affirm that you are protected.  You deserve to do this for yourself at least 10 times every day!

Don’t be afraid to jump into the puddles

Each sunny day in life brings new opportunities.  But the stormy days bring new challenges.  Luckily, these challenges have the ability to transform into opportunities for knowledge and personal growth.  With the wrong attitude however, a small rain shower can quickly turn into a thunderstorm.

Find the best way to enjoy the moment and be grateful.  Jump in the puddles or do your best Fred Astaire and sing in the rain. Life is not about what happens to you, it’s about what you do when life happens to you.

See the silver lining. After all, you have an optimism umbrella!

As with any storm, realize that it’s going to eventually come to an end. Look for the rays of sunshine and hope. You will be in the light once again, and when you are, you’ll put away your umbrella until you need it next and be grateful for the experience.

There’s never a time your optimism umbrella can’t help you. Just open it up and allow it to aid you wherever you go.

“When it rains, it pours. But that’s what umbrellas are for.” – Kristen Butler

Shine ON!

 

One of the biggest goals in life is to be your best self.  Our friend Chalene Johnson shares 5 of her favorite ways to do just that!

5 Tips to Be Your Best Self

1. Brag (to yourself).

Start with a nice long list of things you like about yourself. To “be better” you have to start with gratitude for all the greatness that is already inside of you. Start with all the wonderful things that you are pretty dang proud of! This might sound bragalicious…but it will honestly help you feel better about yourself and feeling better about who you are will automatically help you to BE BETTER!

2. Make a list of three character traits you want to work on in the next 30 days.

For example, being on time, doing a better job of recognizing co-workers for their efforts, being more romantic with your partner, etc. (When you put your goals on paper, you have a MUCH greater chance of seeing it come to pass!)

3. Invest in personal or business development.

Studies show that the average person receives a $7 return on every dollar spent on personal development. Keep in mind that statistics take into consideration all the people who invest in personal development and then do nothing with it. Make investing in yourself a habit. By taking good notes and applying what you learn I’m certain you can double, triple or even quadruple your return on investment.

4. Focus on being a student.

Be a better student of the people you meet and the people around you. Learn to love learning. Be curious. Read. Study and apply. Studies show that one of the easiest ways to boost self-esteem is by learning something new. Knowledge makes us stronger. Wisdom makes us kinder!

5. Give genuine praise and compliments.

Give genuine praise and compliments to those who deserve it and especially to those who you think already know how you feel about them. Nothing feels better than making another person’s day. Get in the habit of starting each day by sending 5 people a text of sincere appreciation.

Please feel free to share or tag someone who you’d like to publicly acknowledge how much you appreciate them!

Here’s to being your best self!  Add to these tips in the discussion below and always shine ON!

Friendships are wonderful parts of life, but they’re only a part of the total experience that makes up who you are.  Many friendships are very positive, but some can become toxic. When toxicity occurs in your life, it’s important to see the signals and let it go.

Here are 3 Signs It’s Time to Release a Toxic Friendship:

1. It’s consistently a one-sided friendship.

Everything in this world works in perfect balance. When something is off you can feel it; you can see it. Positive relationships work the same way. It takes effort from both people to make a great friendship. If you feel like things have changed and you go out of your way often to keep in touch or arrange meet-ups it’s time to find out why. Keep in mind, opposite personalities usually attract and it’s normal for one person to be more forward.

However, we’re talking about a substantial shift, where the other person shows less interest and availability. And, when you do get together it doesn’t feel the same.

A great relationship is always able to pick right up where it left off. Time and distance make no difference. If your meetings feel forced than perhaps you’re souls journeys are taking different paths and that’s okay. Friendship should never feel forced.

2. You don’t feel good after you talk to or see this person.

After speaking with a good friend you should feel uplifted. A friend should bring value to your life and celebrate your journey with you. Good friends laugh with you. The mood is lighthearted and fun. On the contrary, if you feel drained its time to consider why you are still friends with this person.

People can have bad days or trying times and need to vent. That’s okay. They need encouragement, love, and patience. During this time you can harness inner strength. But, if the relationship continues to deplete you in such a way that it affects your life significantly, and is not enjoyable anymore, it’s time to set limits. Perhaps even part ways depending on how detrimental they are to your well being.

3. Your lifestyle paths have dramatically changed.

Good friends don’t have everything in common, but enough that allows them to relate to each other and have fun. When paths start going in such opposite directions where each person no longer feel like they know others, it may be time to evaluate the relationship. Especially if it’s in such a way that is not in alignment with your morals and beliefs.

In life, many people come and go. Only a few stay. The ones that stay always have a special place in our hearts and you may only see them once in a while. The dramatic changes we are talking about here are substantial enough that they create toxic energy and influence in your life.

When it begins to affect you negatively, it’s time to get out.

The best thing to remember is that no relationship is a waste. Every person we meet teaches us something new.

With the big surge in popularity of the Law of Attraction, some people are assuming they can visualize whatever they want without action and it will just happen. However, action is a must in the “attr-action”. Our energy is, in fact, a powerful driving force, but we drive that force. Challenges and mistakes are what create the opportunities to put positive momentum, growth and success into place.

Struggle brings progress whether you succeed or fail.  You either advance or learn from it. If you learn from it, remember that mistakes are proof that you are trying. You’re working on growth. Life is not stagnant and does not wait, so doing something now, even if it seems you’re in the face of an unbeatable adversary, is still better than nothing. If it’s worth it, it’s not easy.

If you need the motivation to get started or to keep going, here are our favorite motivational quotes.

Motivational Quotes on Hard Work & Success: