From Susan K. Wehrley’s book “The Power To Believe,” here are 18 spiritual practices to claim your life: Dare to be different, passionate, love with your heart wide open, open to possibilities, disciplined, listen, take action, be powerless, humble, surrender, suffer and sacrifice, forgive, persevere, be patient, have faith, believe in a power bigger than yourself, be redeemed, and receive with gratitude.  Write down your own beliefs and practices that you value in your life and try to live your life based on those things.

I recently read one of Organization Development Expert Susan K. Wehrley’s books “The Power to Believe.” I truly connected with it. Susan shares her years of experience in a relate-able and meaningful way.

I particularly enjoyed Susan’s 18 Spiritual Practices to Claim Your Life:

• Dare to Be Different
• Dare to Be Passionate
• Dare to Love with Your Heart Wide Open
• Dare to Be Open to Possibilities
• Dare to Be Disciplined
• Dare to Listen
• Dare to Take Action
• Dare to Be Powerless
• Dare to Be Humble
• Dare to Surrender
• Dare to Suffer and Sacrifice
• Dare to Forgive
• Dare to Persevere
• Dare to Be Patient
• Dare to Have Faith
• Dare to Believe in a Power Bigger Than Yourself
• Dare to Be Redeemed
• Dare to Receive with Gratitude

I try to live these principles in my daily life. Even though I categorize them differently, they are very much the same in practice:

• Choose to be honest.
• Choose to find hope.
• Choose to have faith.
• Choose to possess courage.
• Choose to live in integrity.
• Choose to be willing.
• Choose to be humble.
• Choose to feel compassion.
• Choose to seek justice.
• Choose to persevere.
• Choose to be aware.
• Choose to be of service.

I often speak and write of the need for people to fully define, for themselves only, the values, beliefs, and principles that they cherish the most. These help all of us to design and live lives in support of those values.

The coolest part for me, especially in this day and age of the thin-skinned and constantly-offended, is that these life’s principles are faith neutral. In addition, they form the foundation of a person’s spiritual self-esteem: one needn’t be public about practicing these principles to enjoy the benefits of them.

What principles do you employ in your life?