by David Bohl
Do you ever notice that your life seems to run on automatic? You have routines, you have habits, and you have expectations? After a while, your life lacks vibrance, as you settle into dull routines. Day in and day out, the same things–work, home and family chores, and if there’s any time left over, a little personal time.
My observation is that the majority of people spend so much time on getting their material needs met, that they’re burned out and have lost their sense of wonder in life. True, it does take time to make money, run a business, and handle home and family needs. But these are all outer needs, and the time they take leaves little time to handle our inner needs–for fulfilling our purpose and taking quiet time to reflect.
“Spirit” is often described as essence or energy. I’ve also seen it defined as peace, love, connection, unity, and truth. The word “spirited” means full of life and energy, dynamic and determined. But what do I mean by bringing more Spirit into your life?
When life becomes routine, I think at that point what it’s lacking is meaning. We all want to feel like our work has meaning, that we’re making a difference. We all want to feel that our personal life has space in it for meaningful pursuits like developing a hobby or contributing time to a worthy cause.
If you’re finding you’re busy all the time yet are experiencing less and less satisfaction in your work or personal life, you may want to bring more Spirit into your life. Your busyness may not leave time for meaningful activities, yet I believe if you bring more Spirit into everything you do, you wouldn’t need more time–you just make the most of the time you have.
When you lack Spirit in your life, you may find everything takes more effort. Have you ever bought something from a salesperson because they were so excited about the product they were selling? They were full of Spirit! Have you ever had a waiter or waitress who had a cheerful disposition, no matter how busy the restaurant was? They were full of Spirit and found meaning in their work.
If you were to bring more Spirit to your work, you’ll attract greater success. If you were to bring more Spirit into your life, you would experience greater satisfaction in all you do.
Here are some ideas to bring Spirit into your life:
Play hooky!
Stop your routine for a day and see what awaits you when you are unplanned. Get in touch with what feeds your soul, what you truly love to do. When you remove daily routines and stresses, your true Spirit emerges. You will feel mentally and physically renewed and energized. Lie in your backyard and do nothing, or spend the day at a botanical garden or at the beach. Just break your regular routine and slow down. Start creating new routines that allow you more opportunity to experience your aliveness and excitement with life.
Keep good company.
In our busy lives, I think we miss out on the chance to have close encounters with those we really care about. Take a long lunch or a walk with someone whose company you enjoy but rarely get together with. Call someone you’ve been meaning to connect with, but haven’t had time. Talk about what’s important to you. I think our lives would be a lot more Spirited if we spend quality time with special people. By that, I mean those who are uplifting rather than those who drag us down. Send thank you notes, surprise gifts, and other treats to show people you care. The act of gratitude and acknowledging others lifts their Spirits as well as yours!
Pursue whatever brings you joy.
When I play a favorite sport or indulge in a creative pastime, I’m always energized. If you love to play tennis, dance, or make jewelry but rarely take the time to do so, set aside time weekly to engage in fun pursuits. Also, consider signing up for a class in something you’ve always wanted to pursue but for which you never had the time. Do you want to learn how to cook, or sail, or make baskets? You’ll see your Spirit emerge as you engage in activities that bring you joy.
Whether bringing Spirit into your life means finding deeper meaning or injecting more aliveness and energy into everything you do, you’ll find greater peace and satisfaction in your life.
NEWSFLASH: I’ve added another chapter to my life by joining C.A.S.T. Recovery, a Los Angeles based outpatient drug rehab program which specializes in designing highly individualized recovery plans with appropriate professionals to support a client’s health, accountability, and success.
