The One Where Lisa Gets Preachy...

Do you consider yourself to be religious or spiritual?

For many years I considered them to be mutually exclusive.  If you weren't religious, how could you possibly experience spirituality?  How did you categorize it? To whom did you attribute the moment?

My religion defined God--it gave him a face, a body, a personality, and from that I knew who looked down upon me at night as I uttered my evening prayers.  When I had a spiritual moment, I could see who had blessed me with that opportunity.  It was clear, so very clear.

And then one day it wasn't anymore.  

After a lifetime of being a devout christian I became disillusioned with organized religion and God and I separated myself from both.   

And that was hard, so very hard. 

It was then that I began to consider whether or not religion and spirituality were in fact mutually exclusive.  Could I still feel indescribable joy, or a burning in my soul, if I was no longer a member of a certain faith?  What if I no longer had someone to whom I would attribute that joy, would I still be a recipient of it?

It didn't take long before I had my answer.  One day I went for a hike in the mountains alone (yes I realize that was stupid) and throughout the walk I could hear the trickle of a meandering stream...a little sound here and a little sound there. Eventually the stream made itself known to me and my tears began to flow with complete joy and love.  The moment will forever be in my soul because it was the first time I had experienced spirituality apart from religion.

I now find the spiritual moments everywhere--I see them in the waves, I feel them in the wind, and I hear them in the evening rain.  They bring clarity and gratitude to my life.  

If you don't know this joy, I want you to experience it.  Right now as our world gets smaller and our fears get bigger make a commitment to yourself to seek out and experience spiritual moments.

Here are some things you can do:

1. Write down three things you're grateful for each day. 

• If you think they'll bring someone light and love then share them on social media.

2.  Thank a front line worker.

• Text, or email, someone you know who is out there saving our lives at the risk of their own. 
• Express your heart to them. 

3.  Call on a neighbour and make sure they're okay.

4.  Look outside and appreciate the weather.  

• Sunshine is great but so is the rain and the snow. 
• Find the beauty and share it with others with a photo. 

5.  Get 30 minutes of walking in every day. 

•  Get that heart pumping!!

6.  Positive affirmations. 

•  Don't let your brain be a drain--convince it to be positive! 

7.  Share your spiritual moments with others--bring them joy and inspiration.  

8.  Make positive comments on 5 of your friend's social media pages.  

• Nothing judgmental, critical or fear mongering. Only positive.  

9.  Love on your family.  

• Hold your teenager's hand for a moment or two 
• Grab a quick hug as you shuffle around the island getting dinner together.  
• Share a joke
• Let someone else have the last cookie

10.  Read a motivational/inspiration book. Some of my favourites:

• When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalinthi
• Daily Love by Mastin Kipp
• You Are a Badass by Jen Sincero
• Adrift by Stephen Callahan
• The Magnolia Story by Chip and Joanna Gaines

With love, 

Lisa