Spiritual Maturity

When the stresses of modern life start taking a toll on your inner self, cultivating spirituality is one of the best ways to get ahold of your life again. Spiritual maturity is about developing self-awareness and knowing the ultimate truths of life. 

To achieve it, you must be wholly committed to spiritual growth to attain maturity in the long run. You will see how it will help you overcome life’s challenges and grow into a whole and happy person.

According to Cylon George from LifeHack, spiritual maturity is the slow process of creating healthy and life-giving ways of connecting you with yourself, with others, and with the environment.

It is not something you can achieve after a period of time, nor is there a special magic spell that would instantly boost your spiritual development.

He added that make real progress in your spiritual journey.

Here are the 12 most useful tips to help you become spiritually mature.

1. Indulge in mindful activities.

The first step to awakening your inner senses is to indulge in mindful activities that promote spiritual growth.

According to the Greater Good Science Center, mindfulness is about preserving a moment-by-moment awareness of your thoughts, bodily sensations, feelings, and the environment through a gentle and nurturing perspective.

Mindfulness has plenty of benefits. Davis and Hayes from the American Psychological Association state that the theorized benefits of mindfulness are:

  • Self-control
  • Objectivity
  • Enriched flexibility
  • Mental clarity
  • Enhanced concentration
  • Emotional intelligence
  • Strong and meaningful connections
  • And compassion

Since there is a wide range of mindful activities, you can choose based on what suits you best. You may begin your day with meditation to reduce stress and boost your happy hormones. 

Meditating on a daily basis will make you feel more centered and significantly enhance your productivity levels to a great extent. 

Moreover, you should incorporate mindful breathing practices into your daily routine to relax and restore balance. 

If you are seeking a fun-packed spiritual experience, you can listen to music that uplifts your spirits in a flash.

2. Always have an open mindset.

Author Kendra Cherry from VeryWell Mind shared that open-mindedness is about being receptive to various information, ideas, and arguments. We need this trait to be able to think rationally and logically and form meaningful connections with people.

However, open-mindedness is affected by our age. As we age and grow older, our receptiveness to people’s suggestions and ideas tends to decrease. This restricts our perspectives and ultimately leads to our spiritual downfall. 

Embrace the fact that there are many universal truths, and keep your eyes open for signs to understand your real purpose in this universe. 

Remember that your biggest obstacle in attaining spiritual maturity is your ego, which can poison your mind when you are least aware of it. 

Not only can ego make you resistant to learning new things, but it can also sabotage your spirituality. Never let ego get in the way of spirituality, as it can negatively impact personality development to an unimaginable extent.

3. Appreciate and express gratitude.

People who possess spiritual maturity never hesitate to appreciate their life and the people they love the most. 

People looking to invite spirituality into their lives must master the art of expressing gratitude. 

Begin by thanking God the moment you open your eyes in the morning. Also, show appreciation to the people who helped you with daily tasks and during tough situations. 

If you want to build long-lasting relationships, see to it that you value the people in your life and never take anyone for granted.

According to Robert Emons, the world’s leading scientific expert on gratitude, gratitude helps people become more stress resistant, have a higher sense of self-worth, be present-minded, and block toxic emotions.

It is a key component of strong and meaningful relationships and a driving force for a better society.

4. Always reflect on all of your actions.

At times, we get so engrossed in the hustle of life that we tend to forget ourselves. 

It would be best to practice personal responsibility and see whether your actions go against personal principles and beliefs. Reflect on all your actions and identify your flaws.

Abandon harsh attitudes and rectify your actions whenever needed. Also, make it a point to learn from your past mistakes to move further on the road to spiritual maturity.

According to Connie Habash from Thriveworks, self-reflection is a great way to reach self-awareness as it allows you to neutrally examine your thoughts, emotions, feelings, and actions. 

Through it, you can perceive yourself with new curiosity and interest and build a better version of yourself through your past experiences.

5. Practice healthy forgiveness.

Forgiveness is a valuable trait but a hard one to do. This is because it takes time to completely seal our wounds and those of the people we’ve hurt.

When forgiving, see to it that you’re doing it for yourself and not for the ones telling you to do so. Take your time, and only give your forgiveness when you’re ready.

Yes, no one is perfect. But if those who’ve hurt you have the right to correct their mistakes, you also have the right to heal yourself first and wait for your heart and soul to recover.

6. Remember that you cannot change everything.

Often, we are caught up with the past and fail to appreciate the present and look up to the future. However, the reality of life tells us that we can’t do anything but move forward.

Life is full of uncertainties, so you should always hope for the best outcomes. Reminisce on past events but don’t live in them.

Wanting to control everything makes you unhappy, so it would be best to learn to let go of things out of your grasp.

Yes, it’s easier to say to stop regretting and keep wanting to change the things you want to change, but life works that way. 

You can’t do anything about the past, but you can learn from it and work yourself out of your situation. After all, there’s no season that is permanent.

7. Live your life and let others live theirs.

Sandra Rochelle from Paired Life shared that people often misunderstand the phrase Live and Let Live!

We thought it was telling us to live freely and stop worrying about the future, but in reality, Live and Let Live! means we should respect others’ lives and let them create their paths according to their wishes.

Bear in mind that living and letting others live is key to achieving spiritual maturity in less time. 

Instead of bothering yourself and other people by intruding into their lives, focusing on things that matter to you is best. 

You can’t take everything in, so set your attention to what will help you grow externally and internally.

Following this mantra will not only make you a more productive person but will also positively impact both your physical and mental health. 

If you have always wanted to live life to the fullest, it is about time you transform your dream into action. So, partake in fun-filled activities, be mindful of your behavior, and stop chasing people who do not know your worth.

8. Practice compassion and self-compassion at all times.

According to Heather S. Lonczak of Positive Psychology, compassion is fundamental to life, similar to the air we breathe. Genuine compassion takes courage, sincerity, and empathy.

Without it, the world will be a bottomless pit of despair and misery. Everything will be dark, and we’ll live in greed and hatred.

Lonczak added that practicing compassion works best for the giver and the receiver. When you shed light on others, you alleviate and share some of their pains; in return, you get to know yourself more.

And, of course, as you reach out to others, remember to reach out to yourself too. 

Humans always tend to be soft on others but so hard on themselves. We can easily accept a stranger despite their flaws, yet when it comes to ourselves, making mistakes seems to be the gravest of sins. 

Before anyone else, you only have yourself first, so slowly befriend yourself and be the savior you need.

9. Spend some time in nature.

Surviving in the modern world can be exhausting. That’s why it’s important to set aside time, remove yourself from the superficial and materialistic society, and find solace in nature.

Cut some time from your jam-packed schedule and strengthen your spiritual relationship with the natural world. 

There is nothing better than spending time in green spaces and enjoying a breath of fresh air. You can bask in the sight of picturesque skies and appreciate nature’s charming grandeur to unwrap your inner cheer.

10. Pursue your lifelong passion.

Joao Alhanati from Investopedia explained that people become more resilient against obstacles when passion and enthusiasm are present.

According to him, when you are passionate about what you do, rather than just doing something for material gains, you become more positive and can overcome difficulties through problem-solving.

Walk the path you have always wanted to follow and never give up on your dreams, regardless of the circumstances. If you ever fail at any point in life, remember that good things don’t come easy, and keep working hard towards your goals.

It’s okay if you still haven’t achieved it now or if you still don’t know what your passion is about. Take your time, and remember that everyone has different time frames. You’ll have your highlight reel too.

11. Don’t neglect your physical well-being.

It has often been seen that people neglect their physical health in pursuit of spiritual wellness. Spirituality can help you find deeper meaning in life, but that does not mean you should stop taking care of yourself. 

Keep in mind that your physical health is as important as your spiritual health. Not taking good care of your health can affect your spiritual and mental well-being. 

So, make sure you create a good diet plan and consume protein-rich meals to stay energized throughout the day. 

It will also help if you exercise regularly to remain fit and healthy. And above all, eliminate bad lifestyle habits to enhance your overall spiritual wellness.

12. Be socially selective.

If you want to avoid conflict and enjoy a peaceful life, be selective of the people who will enter your circle.

Being socially selective will allow you to keep toxic people away from your life, make loyal friends with whom you can share your deepest secrets without worries, and be true to yourself when interacting with them.

Writer Mary Wright, from the Power of Silence, explained that being selective of the people we allow into our lives is one of the most overlooked forms of self-care.

In our excessive fear of hurting others, we continuously accept people even if it compromises our inner peace and mental well-being.

Wright added that the people you choose to be with would be a significant part of your life and will have something to do with how your life will turn out ( be it positive or negative).

There’s nothing wrong with making a lot of friends. Just ensure that they are helping you row your boat, not create holes in it.  Life is too short to live with plenty of bad energies.

Wrapping It Up!

Spiritual maturity is the slow process of creating healthy and life-giving ways of connecting with yourself, others, and the environment. It is also about developing strong self-awareness to know the ultimate truth.

Attaining it is not something you can achieve overnight; that’s why commitment and sheer effort are needed.

It’s important to note that there is no definite method to achieve spiritual maturity, but some common ways are: being mindful, open-minded, grateful, self-reflective, accepting of life’s flaws, compassionate, and hopeful.

Always keep in mind that your journey toward spiritual maturity will not be a straight path, but you must still persevere to reap its benefits.

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