Spirituality

Spirituality

Life can be scary. There are lots of variables out there that directly interfere with our sense of serenity. Many people are unemployed or underemployed as a result of the present economy. For the first time in history, college graduates are unable to find entry-level positions in their fields. We live in a disposable society. Couples don’t work through the hard work of relationships and as a result there is great fear that people won’t hang in there for the long run. In addition, people are concerned that they will not find enough meaning in their life. They wonder if they are doing the right thing.

Many people feel overwhelmed by life and operate out of fear. They fear that their child will go down the tubes and never graduate. They fear their spouse will choose an affair over them. They fear they will never find meaningful work within their life. Whenever a client comes in and is overly consumed by their fears, I ask them to practice a life skill called “faith”. Oftentimes in my work, I encourage people to find the faith in their situation.

Faith is a concept that is in direct opposition to fear. When you utilize faith to combat fear, you create a belief that whatever’s happening will yield a positive result. It’s the belief that you are not in this alone and that God, or a higher power, or the Universe, will be with you and help you to “gain something positive from the experience”. For many people, it is the belief that things will work out, lessons will be learned, and you will be stronger as a result.

When you strengthen your faith quotient, you are relying on the spiritual part of your being. Spirituality means many things to many people, but ultimately spirituality is “being connected to a belief system that reminds you that every action in this world is important and that your reaction to it invaluable”. When life deals you a challenging situation, it is your opportunity to say, “I will trust that this will work out for the best.” This can be an especially tough concept when you are worrying about someone that you are supposed to protect or direct.

Imagine if every time you felt fear about someone you said assertively and to yourself, “I believe that I can learn from this experience. I can turn my worries over to a higher power and I will experience a ‘knowing’ of what I need to do next.” Sometimes having a strong “faith quotient” requires doing nothing and letting the natural consequences occur. It can be reassuring to rely on a belief that things will work out without a direct intervention.

I guarantee that having a strong “faith quotient” is a formula that will increase your sense of security so that you can deal with issues with rekindled strength and confidence.

It is important to note that people who use their “faith quotient” live longer, healthier lives. They experience less depression and less illness, and the depression or illness they experience is handled differently because of their faith. More importantly, people who have a strong faith quotient trust life.

I always say, “It is not what happens to us but how we use it to our advantage” that counts. Having a strong faith quotient keeps you grounded and aware that you are not alone. You learn that you must TRUST in the process.