Living With Passion and Purpose Is Not Only Good for Your Physical and Mental Health - It's Also Good for Your Spiritual Wellbeing
 
Rev. Dr. Kitty Boitnott, NBCT, RScP
 
Heart-Centered Career Transition & Job Search Coach 
 
 
yoga pose on beach
 
 
Over the past few weeks, I have been sharing with you why I think finding your passion and purpose is so important. In fact, I would say it is essential, frankly, to your mental, emotional, and physical health. Beyond that, however, it is also vital for your spiritual wellbeing.
 
 
We are multidimensional beings. Indeed, we live in a physical world where we have physical experiences. But we process those experiences with our thoughts. And our thoughts drive our emotions (feelings) and our attitudes.
 
 
Often, we act based on those mental attitudes and emotional responses. And those responses and attitudes are critical to your emotional and mental health. But beyond the physical, mental, and psychological aspects of your life, there is one other.
 

Your spiritual life. 

 

spiritual life sign

 
 
Most of us believe in some form of a Higher Power. I know some say they are agnostics or atheists, and that's fine. To each his or her own. But I happen to believe that there is a Higher Power. I sometimes refer to It as "God," but I more often think of It in terms of the Universe, Source, the Creator, etc.
 
 
Regardless of your religious affiliation or belief system, we all want to feel that our lives have meaning. The great mystery is why we are here. What are we to do with the time we have here? Why is there death?
 

What is it all about?

 

No one knows the answers to these questions. We are all always in seeking mode, and each one of us must wrestle with the eternal questions that have arisen for mankind since the beginning of time.
 
 
But with that said, I would offer that getting your spiritual life in order helps to lead to a peaceful heart.

 

And at the end of the day, we all want peaceful hearts, don't we? 

 

peaceful heart

 
 
When the stress of day-to-day life bombards us, it is all too easy to let go of our spiritual grounding. Like being disciplined in watching our diet and getting proper exercise, we need to be intentional in our efforts to keep our spiritual practices going even when life gets complicated. (Especially when life gets complicated.)
 
 
It is a truth that when our spiritual lives get out of whack, it hurts other aspects of our lives, including our physical, mental, and emotional health.

 

A significant component of a healthy spiritual life is to have a sense of purpose.

 
It doesn't matter what your religious practice or belief may be. Having a sense of purpose is essential to our wellbeing. And having it or not impacts our lives in the most fundamental ways.
 
 
We have a primal human need to feel that our lives have a purpose. We need to feel needed, and we want to feel that what we are doing--that our presence on the planet--means something. We need a sense of being needed by someone or something to feel happy and fulfilled.
 
 
Years ago, after getting my first dog, I soon realized that she made me feel needed. I never had children of my own, but I have had dogs because most of my adult life they have given me a reason to get up in the morning beyond meeting my own needs. They need me, and they make me feel needed.
 
 
In the photo below, you can see me snuggling with the fur babies I currently have. The blonde is still a puppy (8 1/2 months). She is a light creme mini-dachshund named Zoey. The red and white boy is Bernie. He has the cutest freckles you've ever seen! He is seven years old.
 
 
They get me up in the morning, and they need me.
 

But I also need them because they make me feel needed.

 
 
me with the dogs
 
 
 
When we have no one in particular in need of us, it can make us feel sad and can even lead to depression. That's one reason the conventional wisdom is that having a pet--a dog or a cat or any other kind of pet--is good therapy for older people. Statistically, pet owners lead longer, healthier, and happier lives.
 

We also need to feel we have meaning in our lives.  

 
As humans, we need to find meaning in our lives. No one wants to feel like they are wasting their time here, after all. Living with purpose gives meaning to each day. That, in turn, makes us feel happier and more fulfilled.
 

And we need to have hope in our lives. 

 

heart zen stone  

 
Hope is what keeps us going even when things don't go our way. There is always "tomorrow." Having a sense of purpose means that we have a plan. We have goals and something to strive towards. That’s hope. We all hope that we’ll make a difference. Even when things aren't going our way, there is always hope that things will turn around and get better.
 

We need to be aware of our core values. 

 

Having core values is essential to living happy and fulfilled lives. Our values are like a compass. They guide us in the right direction.
 
 
compass right way
 
 
 
If you are a parent, you know how important it is to teach your children values. They need to understand the difference between right and wrong. They need to learn to be empathetic and kind. They need to understand the importance of being honest and trustworthy.
 
 
Without core values and a sense of being guided, children can feel lost and insecure. Not being clear about what is truly important can add a lot of stress and unhappiness to everyone's life, including adults.
 
 
Living with purpose is good for the body, mind, and spirit. It allows you to live a more fulfilling and happier life. And it helps you feel that you are making a difference in the world.
 
 
If you would like to hear more about the importance of passion and purpose and spiritual wellbeing, I would like to invite you to the last of my webinar workshops (last until the first of the year that is). 
 
 
The last presentation will be tomorrow, Wednesday, October 16th, at 12:30 PM EST. To register, click here:  https://events.genndi.com/register/169105139238447032/442f9a0ea3.
 
 
And also keep an eye out for the other event that I am promoting right now:  Freedom for Educators: Ready to go from Dreaming to Doing?

 

You will want to sign up to attend this important Virtual Summit to listen to 21 former educators who have found their passion and purpose and are now living very different lives.

 

My friend, Suzanne Klein, has a wonderful round-up of guests, including Roberta Flack and Jack Canfield--and yours truly.

 

--->Register for free here: https://www.suzanneklein.com/freedomforeducators 

 

Until next time.

 

P. S.

 

Hey, did you hear my latest good news?

 

I kind of hate to brag, but I do want you to know that you are in good hands when working with me. I was recently selected to be one of the "Top 20 Female Career Coaches to Follow" by TalentLMS. I was quite surprised when I was asked if I would like to be on that list. And of course, I did!

 

When you see me promoting this logo, that's what it represents.

logo for top 20 female coaches to follow

 


Vanessa Jackson
Phoenix Rising Coaching
1541 Flaming Oak
New Braunfels Texas 78132
United States of America