so. onto Spirit.

i chose this word to represent the intangible, non-physical, eternal facet of my Self.

of the three facets–the other 2 being Mind and Body–I think Spirit is the most substantive, the one I want to be most concerned with. (but don’t get me wrong: I still want that elusive rockin’ bod haha)

what Energies do I emanate?
does my Spirit attract more good than it repels?
how does the way I Live represent the creation onside of me?

over a year ago, I decided to purposefully avoid all semblances of negativity: people, activities, thoughts, ideas. (did i say People?) key word: purposefully.

this decision has, as much as anything, been responsible for a vast change in my Spirit. doing so created an environment where positive energies flourish and the negative asphyxiate. without trying to sound presumptuous, it is what attracted a good man to me, what keeps good people close, and what helps me eventually surmount the inevitable challenges that I face.

let me assure you: this is difficult at best and I am far from perfect at this. (ask those closest to me.) I often fail to hold my tongue. I overreact. I exhibit exasperation. I get stressed-out. I grouse. and, perhaps worst of all, particularly at work, i let negative people and their energies corrode my Spirit.

so as I contemplate my whole Self, I’ve come up with a list of ways to help ensure my Spirit remains strong.

comment your suggestions!

meditation–my ADHD mind fights with this concept so much. I like noise, music, direction, and non-quiet far too much. the 1-minute sequence in “Eat. Love. Pray” where Julia Roberts’ character was trying to meditate was not only hilarious but it’s so true; I’ve tried.

fellowship–this is vital to cultivating a well-rounded, joyful Spirit. I love being around friends…case in point–my going-on-3-years weekly Wine Wednesday gathering. I’m not sure I could survive without it and the camaraderie it provides.

solitude (time for self)–this is also vital and I do not like it. but I need to embrace it from time-to-time.

elimination of all negative self-talk and phrases like “I can’t,” “I’m not good at,” and so on.

relaxation–it is OK to lay in bed and do nothing from time to time. (caveat: this is true as long as you’re generally being productive the majority of the rest of the time.) this one’s a struggle too because I’ve always fel driven to be doing something all the time.

stretching my experience and awareness–related to improving my Mind, this one occurs when I expose myself to new people, ideas, ways of thinking.

lovemaking–not just for pleasure but for connection and…uh yeah pleasure.

laughter–it’s vital to one’s Spirit to laugh often. there have been some periods in my life where very little laugher occurred; those are some of the bleaker times I can remember.
[want a quick laugh? three words: Bobby. Davis. Thong.]

being concerned for others’ spirits–I’ve found that when I attempt to uplift or encourage someone, my own Spirit reaps huge dividends.

I did a lot of some of these over New Year’s weekend and I have to say I sure did feel upbeat and positive.

there just may be something to all this!