Developing Spiritual Wellness

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To develop spiritual wellness, it is important to take time out to think about what gives meaning and purpose to your life and what actions you can take to support your spiritual side.

Explore Your Personal Calling

1.    What are you gifted at doing? What comes naturally to you?

2.    What do you absolutely love to do? What gives you the greatest satisfaction?

3.    What have you been told you are really talented at?

4.    What are you doing when you lose track of time? What can you do for hours and never tire of?

5.    What are you doing when you daydream?

6.    What have you done that has had the biggest impact on others?

7.    What can you not even imagine being unable to do?

Engage in Spiritual "Starters"

Here are some concrete activities that can ignite your spirit. Choose at least three to try this week, and then describe how they made you feel.

Take a long walk.
Write down a list of your dreams.
Give an unexpected gift.
Paint the sky—only the sky.
Paint loneliness; do a sculpture of grief, or a collage of anger.
Ask someone to tell you his or her life story,
Take a roll of film of your favorite things.
Apologize to someone for an old wrong.
Pray, meditate, or do yoga.
Make a meal for your family or friends, and serve it.
Make a gift and deliver it.
List your fears, and then ask yourself how you can overcome them.
Make a new friend.
Give a compliment.
Sing for an hour by yourself.
Take a long bath.
Explore the woods.

Write a poem, a parable, or a prayer.
Float on water and watch the sky.
Canoe or kayak at dawn or dusk in silence.
Swing with your eyes closed.
Read aloud from a sacred text.
Watch the sun rise or set.
Play in the rain.
Do a favor.
Show respect.
Include an outcast.
Stop someone from teasing another.
Read, read, read.
Run into the wind.
Don't keep score.
Define joy, holiness, or friendship.
List your good qualities.
List your areas needing improvement.
Remember your favorite holiday experience.

Which spiritual starters did you try, and how did they make you feel?

Spiritual Assignments

The following are more involved activities designed to promote a spiritual life. Choose one to try, and then describe how the activity affected you.

Keep a journal to record feelings, thoughts, beliefs, and experiences.
If you had a great day, write down why on a card. Call them prescription cards-whenever you get the blues, give yourself one of them.
Keep a scrapbook of favorite memories to help you remember what really matters.
Chase beauty around with a camera.
Write poetry about life's toughest questions and subjects.
Write yourself a letter. Ask a friend to mail it to you in six months.
Write a creed, a concise statement of what you believe.
Write your own personal commandments, not about what not to do, but about what to do and to be.
Write a sermon. Tell the world what you think it needs to hear.
Keep a journal of prayers or favorite quotes.
Read a devotional book, a book of poetry, or writings of the mystics.
Explore an unfamiliar religion; develop an internal dialogue between that religion and the religion you know best.
Interview as many people as you can on what they believe to be the point of life-their lives.
Artistically try to create a symbolic portrayal of what you believe is the point of life.
Attend a variety of worship experiences.
Create a worship experience; invite friends and/or family to participate.

Describe the spiritual assignment you chose and how it made you feel:

SOURCE: Adapted from Grimbol, W. R. 2000. The Complete idiot's Guide to Spirituality for Teens. Indianapolis, IN: Alpha Books.