It’s easy to practice spirituality when you’re meditating alone or reading spiritual books by Anne Lamott or C.S. Lewis. More challenging is to know how to be spiritual in your daily life, especially if you always seem to find yourself swept up in schedules, rush hour, errands, work, etc.
We need reminders that there is much more than what we see and hear. A bracelet, ring, or necklace – such as the Faith, Mustard Seed, and Matthew 17:20 Pendant Necklace – is a lovely symbol of spirituality. It’s one thing to know that you want to be spiritual in your daily life, but it may take a visual reminder to help you stay focused on practicing your spirituality.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Buddhist, Muslim, or non-religious: living with a sense of spirituality can bring you peace, joy, and serenity. Being spiritual in your daily life isn’t about following rules of organized religion or praying five times a day. Rather, it’s about being conscious of who you were created to be and what your life in this world really means.
25 Ways to Be Spiritual in Everyday Life
These tips for practicing spirituality are from a variety of books, wise teachers, cliches that are popular for a reason, and life experience. I believe the first one is the most important step to being spiritual in your daily life, because it requires you to be specific.
Decide what “being spiritual” means to you – in practical ways
To me, being spiritual might involve patience when I take my dog for a walk. Georgie could sniff the frond of a fern for a whole hour! I like to jog and work up a good sweat when I walk my dogs, but it’s not possible. One way I’ve been practicing daily spirituality is by cultivating patience and serenity with Georgie, instead of getting upset and frustrated. The most important tip on how to be spiritual in your daily life is to figure out what spirituality means to you in practical ways.
Re-commit to your spirituality
It’s easy to get focused on daily tasks and responsibilities, and lose sight of what’s really important in life. But you know that already; that’s why you’re searching for tips on how to be spiritual in everyday life! If spirituality is something you want as a foundation in your life, use the every morning as an opportunity to reflect on why this is important to you, what it means to be spiritual, and how you would like to honor spirituality in your daily life. You could do this on your own by writing in a journal, or discuss it with a partner or family members, or gather a group of spiritually minded friends together to share insights and ideas. Go to church, temple, mosque.
If you’re hesitant about organized religion or Christianity, read How to Find a Church When You’ve Been Hurt by Church Leaders.
Have compassion for others
“I believe that compassion, a sense of kindness and warm-heartedness toward others is the basic source of all happiness,” says the Dalai Lama. “Therefore, I have no doubt that every individual who attempts to cultivate it contributes to creating a happier, more peaceful world.” Whether you’re Jewish, Christian, Hindu, or Muslim, you will find it easier to be spiritual in everyday life if you remember the Buddhist philosophy that everyone wants to be free of pain and suffering. The next time someone makes a mistake, does something inappropriate or triggers an angry response in you, remember that you too have made mistakes, behaved inappropriately and triggered others. We are all doing the best we can.
Surrender
In my article about dealing with trust issues in relationships, I shared the Parable of the Climb. It’s all about letting go, having faith, and trusting that God knows what He is doing. He loves you, and has good plans for your life. Surrender your fears and concerns to God. See past the surface of your problems and disappointments. Tap into the spiritual strength that lies within you. One of the main ways I’ve learned how to be spiritual in daily life is to accept and surrender to what is, for God is in control.
Rest
In Spiritual Liberation: Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential, Michael Bernard Beckwith says that one of the seven principles of spiritually evolved people know that downtime is one of the most valuable gifts they can give themselves. Constantly doing, rushing from one activity to the next, distracts us from our true nature. It slows down the spiritual growth process. When we take time to simply be instead of do, we open up to our higher selves, to God, and to His flow of divine inspiration.
Develop a daily spiritual practice
Meditation, prayer, chanting and other daily spiritual practices help people become more aware of their true spiritual nature. Spiritual and emotional health comes from the spirit, not the mind and body. Focusing solely on the intellect or what can been seen and touched physically prevents us from seeing and sensing life through the eyes of our heart and soul. The more we operate from our higher, spiritual self, the more we open to our spiritual gifts. I spend time with God every morning – my newest spiritual practice is to write letters to Him in my daily journal. This helps me be spiritual throughout the day.
In Streams in the Desert: 366 Daily Devotional Readings, Lettie Cowman and Jim Reimann share a Christian devotional for every day of the year. I love books like this, because they help make the practice of spirituality more natural.
Choose the spiritual practice that works for you
Writing, praying, and doing a daily devotional works for me, but it may not work for you. If you aren’t sure how to be spiritual everyday, experiment with prayer, meditation, daily devotionals, or a variety of mind/body/soul activities such as yoga, Qigong, and Tai Chi. What has helped you feel connected to God in the past? Notice what you are most drawn to, and commit to doing it for at least a month. If it works, keep at it. If not, experiment with other daily spiritual practices.
See life through your neighbor’s eyes
When was the last time you stepped out of your life perspective and into another’s? This tip on how to be spiritual in daily life is simple in theory, but difficult in practice. It’s easy to judge someone else for not making the same choices and living life the way you would. It’s harder to imagine what life might be like for someone who grew up with different family, cultural and societal beliefs. To be more compassionate and kind, imagine what life would be like if you grew up with your neighbor’s beliefs, experiences and circumstances. This will open your eyes and soften your heart.
Recognize abundance
Learning how to be spiritual in your daily life is about enjoying abundance. If you want to have more abundance in your life, you need to embody the feeling of it. Abundance in the physical world is connected with a feeling of prosperity from within. Take time each day to meditate and touch into the energy of abundance. Let this feeling flow throughout your whole body, down into the cells. Overtime it will become a normal way of being and you will naturally attract all that you want into your life.
Be grateful for the little things
When something magnificent happens – a miracle, perhaps – or someone does us a huge favour, it’s easy to be grateful. But miracles and huge favors don’t happen every day! To be more spiritual in daily life, we need a positive attitude. We need to be thankful for the small blessings as well as the big ones. Feel gratitude for everything in your life. Be thankful for having a roof over your head, for the electricity that brings heat and light into your home, for the milk, bread, fruit, and vegetables in your fridge. Show appreciation to everyone who makes your life easier: the cashier at the store, the bank teller, the postal carrier, the gas attendant. Keep a gratitude journal. As you express your appreciation, it will grow in your heart. And you will learn how to be more spiritual.
If you want to try a gratitude journal, consider Gratitude: A Daily Journal. It’s a year-long, two-part journal that provides a simple framework for your personal expressions of gratitude and acknowledgment. This journal can help you stay focused and grateful, and increase your awareness of the beauty and synchronicity that surround you each day.
Get outside and sweat
This may seem like an odd tip on how to be spiritual in daily life – until you remember how you feel when you don’t go outside all day. Lack of movement and exercise can create stagnant energy in your body. Notice how much more joyful you feel when you stretch, dance, or hike outside! Tune into your body to see what form of movement or exercise you need to feel energized and happy.
Know your personality
Are you extroverted, introverted, highly sensitive? In Whose Stuff Is This? Finding Freedom from the Negative Thoughts, Feelings, and Energy of Those Around You, Yvonne Perry describes what it’s like to be an empath – someone who feels energy more easily and intensely than the average person. Have people accused you of being too sensitive? You may be an empath. Empaths are highly sensitive to the energy, emotions and suffering of others. They are often kind and caring people who want to heal others’ pain and suffering. This can be an obstacle on the journey to becoming more spiritual.
To learn more about your personality, read Are You Introverted? A Personality Test.
Find your spiritual gifts
We all have unique natural abilities that stem from our hearts, souls, and spirits. Have you taken time to explore your spiritual gifts and abilities? “The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; to another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another diverse kinds of tongues.” ~ I Corinthians 12: 7-10.
Dare to dream
What desires and dreams has God planted in your heart? Part of learning how to be spiritual in daily life is opening up to your loftiest wishes and yearnings. Take time to daydream about the longings of your heart and soul. Don’t let nagging doubts interfere with your imagination. Rise above. What would your ideal life be like in five years time? Write down your heart’s desires, take time every day to envision your dreams in all their glory. Make this part of your daily spirituality and practice.
Litter your environment with spiritual signs
How to Be Spiritual in Your Daily Life
Look around the room you’re in. How does it make you feel – are there signs of spirituality, faith, peace, joy, love? One of the signs in the loft where I write says “Surrender and Find Flow” in bright colours, with glitter. I painted it myself! I love it, and it helps me be spiritual in daily life because it reminds me that God is the source of my …. everything.
Even something as simple as a Desert Angel Tea Light Candleholder can help you be more deliberate about practicing spirituality. You don’t need a big loud sign or spiritual music or a faith bracelet – but it’s lovely to look up and be reminded of your spiritual connection to God.
Set short-term spiritual goals
In Spiritual Liberation – Fulfilling Your Soul’s Potential, Michael Bernard Beckwith encourages us to think differently about goal setting. Think about all the things you’d like to achieve in your life. What will achieving each goal give you? Why do you really want it? How will you feel when you have it? With each goal, what wants to emerge in you, what’s waiting to blossom? What qualities do you value most – i.e. love, amusement, creativity, adventure? How can you turn these into goals? What spiritual qualities would you like to develop, strengthen or deepen (eg, learning how to be spiritual in your daily life, practicing unconditional love, forgiveness, patience, faith). How can you embrace these in your everyday life?
Practice generosity as a daily spiritual practice
How many ways are there to be generous? Practical, emotional, spiritual – generosity isn’t just about sharing your money. What can you offer to your neighbor, a coworker, a charitable organization? It could be anything from taking a colleague out for lunch to helping an elderly neighbor with groceries to organizing a fundraising event. Let your imagination guide you. Connect with your spiritual side, and move forward with no expectations.
A Quick List of Tips on How to Be Spiritual in Everyday Life
- Learn how others practice spirituality
- Stay connected to God
- Don’t compare yourself to others
- Never invalidate yourself
- Accept where you’re at right now
- Remember who you are – you are a child of God
- Stay in the present moment
- Love yourself and others with all your heart
- Connect with other spiritual people, and talk about practicing spirituality in your life
Another tip on how to be spiritual in everyday life is to think about organizing a Goddess Party. It’s not about worshiping women – a Goddess party is acknowledging and honoring the sacred feminine power that exists in all of us.
Here’s one of my favorite quotes – it’s not about practicing spirituality, but I love it nonetheless…
“In my dream, the angel shrugged and said, if we fail this time, it will be a failure of imagination
and then she placed the world gently in the palm of my hand.”
― Brian Andreas
What do you think? I welcome your comments on how to be more spiritual in daily life.
