By Olayinka Opaleye
Spiritual well-being is believed to be the ability to find and fulfil a purpose in life. Contrary to the general belief of adulting, which means working to make ends meet, so much more is expected from us all. It is understandable to find ourselves on career paths we accidentally stumbled upon, never prepared for, and did not love or understand their workings. However, there will be a point when the nudge of finding oneself comes on so strongly. This yearning or nudge is often linked to an aspect of our spiritual well-being or is sometimes used to describe spiritual wellness. Although the journey of finding ourselves may be somewhat uncomfortable momentarily, it has its way of whipping us into the shape of fulfilling purpose.
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This reawakening, which often happens at the age of forty and is hence referred to as a mid-life crisis, brings us to the realisation that there is so much more to life and living than just working to make money. Living a life full of positive impacts beyond our immediate environment becomes paramount here. This could mean volunteering for a charity, mentoring a younger colleague, or advocating for a cause we believe in. So, if whatever we are doing right now is still about us and our immediate families, we have yet to find purpose. Three things will happen once you crack the high spiritual well-being score code.
(i) You will understand your role and its importance in the grand scheme of things, knowing that you are here for the greater good, which is humanity.
(ii) You will never work a day in your life again as every day as work becomes effortlessly easy. You will begin to enjoy every bit of what you do, to the point that you are willing and happy to serve unpaid.
(iii) Money will inundate you. This is the most exciting part. You will be doing what you enjoy most and getting paid for it, or at least all your needs will be met.
So, here are the remaining four tips for maintaining your spiritual well-being. These are not just theoretical concepts, but practical steps that you can take to enhance your spiritual wellbeing and live a more fulfilling life. They include: fulfilling your purpose; a sense of right and wrong; practising forgiveness and compassion; and a life-after-death perspective.
“Although the journey of finding ourselves may be somewhat uncomfortable momentarily, it has its way of whipping us into the shape of fulfilling purpose.”
Fulfilling your purpose: Whether our days’ work takes us to a workplace or marketplace, the crux is finding and fulfilling our purpose. This quest is achievable by identifying our innate abilities and talents and putting them to good use through enhancement, empowerment, and distribution. This act of self-discovery may spur self-reflection habits like journaling, creativity, quiet time, and mindfulness to achieve personal growth and development that lead to a more balanced, meaningful, and fulfilled life.
Sense of right and wrong: Although chaos is the absence of order, it’s intriguing that some people can’t tell chaos apart from orderliness because they have no sense of right and wrong. Our spirituality has a great way of reining us in through discernment, contentment, and patience.
Read also: Spiritual head advocates for selfless governance and people-centered policies
Practice forgiveness and compassion. Love, through forgiveness and compassion, is the most prominent tenet of spiritual well-being. Harry Emerson Fosdick states, “No one can get inner peace by pouncing on it.” Taking offence, unforgiveness, and a lack of compassion will rob us of inner peace and subject us to deafening noises that are distracting, draining, and destructive.
Life after death perspective: Although there are various beliefs about life after death, your spiritual well-being helps you make sense of it all. Whether it is reincarnation or judgement followed by eternity, our perspectives have a way of bringing this consciousness to how we live. Moreover, perspectives on death and what happens after that have a way of helping with how to cope with loss and grief. Acknowledging and accepting the universality of death, its finality, and the possibility of miraculous intervention stir up the quest for an in-depth understanding of one’s spirituality and wellbeing. Therefore, this belief in something greater than oneself can be comforting while giving a broader outlook on life’s challenges.
Call to Action:
George Saunders, a New York Times bestselling writer, once shared that his life’s regret was not being poor or working awful jobs but his failures at being kind. He regretted every opportunity he lost to be kind to someone else. This is a powerful reminder of the importance of kindness in our spiritual wellbeing. Even though we may not always realise it, our actions, or lack thereof, can have a profound impact on others. Let’s keep in mind these opportunities to make a difference.
So, I invite you to share with me what this article has stirred up within you concerning your spiritual well-being. Kindly send your experiences, comments, and insights to [email protected].
Olayinka Opaleye is a Wellbeing Specialist and Corporate Wellness Strategist from Lagos. With over eleven years of experience in the field, she has helped numerous individuals and organisations improve their wellbeing and achieve their goals. She can also be reached on 09091131150 or via www.linkedin.com/in/olayinkaopaleye.
