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We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.
– Pierre Teilhard de Chardin
If you don’t see yourself as a spiritual or religious person, you might wonder why there is a place for Spiritual needs on the My Inspired Year Planner.
If this is you, hear me out, and be sure to take advantage of this opportunity to nurture your spiritual side.
I believe we are all spiritual beings, in addition to being flesh and blood. And I mean here something that goes beyond the mental or the emotional, although for our purposes it does include them.
Granted, some people are more spiritually sensitive than others, but we all have that certain hunger for beauty, for righteousness, for justice, for more in life, that can be characterized as inherently spiritual.
How you feed this and care for it is up to you.
Christianity makes sense to me. The message of Jesus resonates with me. So prayer, thanksgiving, Bible reading, quiet time, worship, fellowship with others, and service are all part of my plan for good spiritual health.
Maybe you just can’t see that as working for you. But I encourage you to make time in your life for spiritual things. For meditation. For mindfulness. For nature. For stillness.
But also for fellowship. For friendship. For loyalty. For service to others.
I welcome your comments below.
Read the next article: Physical – How am I taking care of my body?
Read the previous article: Spiritual – Am I living a balanced life?
Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed
To keep the body in good health is a duty… otherwise we shall not be able to keep our mind strong and clear.
– Buddha
If your body isn’t getting the foods and nutrients it needs to function properly, then Unfortunately, you can’t expect your brain to respond appropriately either.
Your brain feeds on the foods you feed your body and if you’re constantly eating an unhealthy diet then not only does your body slow down, so does your brain. Often this comes on so slowly it’s not noticed until you’re old enough that the blame falls on aging.
To lead a healthy and productive life, it’s imperative to care for your body and your mind so that both are functioning efficiently.
Of course, you need to exercise, keep your blood pressure in check and get proper rest, at least seven hours of sleep at night. If you smoke, stop. And concentrate on a diet that’s rich in mind and body enhancing nutrients. Supplements can be useful, but it’s best to rely on natural foods for the best results.
Choose to eat foods that are rich in antioxidants such as fruits and berries including grapes, cherries, apples, plums and oranges. Blueberries and cranberries have proven to be especially high in antioxidants that aid in memory retention.
Vegetables high in antioxidants include green and leafy types such as spinach, broccoli, kale and brussels sprouts. Beets, red bell peppers, onions and garlic are also great sources. Chard, turnip and collard greens are also high in antioxidants but not as much as their cousins.
Omega 3 fatty acids must not be forgotten and they can be found in salmon, tuna, herring, mackerel and sardines. Seafood also is packed with B vitamins as are dairy products, eggs, spinach, carrots and various nuts and seeds.
Some spices are also excellent in providing a better memory and healthy body by improving your motor skills and aiding your brain to communicate and regenerate.
Curcumin, found in turmeric and curry blends, has been said to prevent memory loss and reduce inflammation. Rosemary, both fresh and dried, stimulates and enhances the memory while it also calms your nerves and promotes a healthy circulatory system.
Good news for coffee lovers. Recent studies have revealed that caffeinated coffee in moderation helps to prevent memory loss and stimulate brainwave activity. The study showed it to be more effective in helping women than men.
Maintaining a healthy body and mind will give you the physical strength and mental toughness you need to stay focused and motivated as you work toward your dream.
Read the next article in the series: Intellectual- Read Any Good Books Lately?
Read the previous article: Physical – How am I taking care of my body?
Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
– William James
If you’re working through this course, you obviously want to start approaching your work and your life in a more productive and efficient manner.
Once you have defined the goals and habits that will help you most as you work toward your dream, you must list out the tasks that need to be done. These become the items on your weekly to-do list.
How do you make sure that you get through that to-do list and that you aren’t constantly treading water?
You need to set out the tasks you need to do and then work through them in order until they’re all complete.
And there’s a definite art to coming up with a to-do list. Timothy Ferriss, author of The Four Hour Workweek, always talks about having one task that he absolutely must get completed that day and then completing that. Everything else, he considers to be ‘extra’.
This is generally the best attitude to take to any list of objectives. Complete the biggest and most important task first and then move on to the smaller ones.
The reason this is so important is that the biggest task is going to take the most time, the most focus and the most energy. It’s also going to give you the biggest sense of satisfaction once completed.
If you finish all the smaller tasks first, then you risk taking up a lot of time with switching between tasks, answering emails and setting things up.
Small, unimportant tasks can end up taking longer than you think and then you will be left with not enough time to complete that one ‘big task’ that you needed to finish. As a result, the day ends and you’re left feeling stressed.
Instead, work on that one massive task that will make a real difference first. Then start on those smaller jobs and get as many as possible out the way. You can do those after 4 p.m., at the point in the day when you’re starting to feel less productive.
If this is the only thing I accomplish today, will I be satisfied with my day?
― Timothy Ferriss
Read the next article in the series: Spiritual – Am I Living a Balanced Life?
Read the previous article: Necessary
Read the first article in the series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed
The greatest healing therapy is friendship and love.
– Hubert Humphrey
The E stands for External. This is the area of your planner where you would track your social life. If you’re an introvert like me, you might need a little nudge in this department.
How are you reaching out to show care for friends and family? Here you can track how well you’re doing.
Keep track of your volunteer days at the soup kitchen. Record your lunches with the ladies. This is where you can do it. Really, you can put anything you want in these spaces.
Want to track your Twitter posts? You could use this to track your social media postings, if you are into social media. Or record who is coming to your dinner parties.
Just to give you some options, there are four daily checklist spots for you in your MIY Planner.
Read the previous article: Recreational – Are We having Fun Yet?
Read the first article in this series: Internal – Doing the Mental Work in Order to Succeed
Rest when you’re weary; refresh and renew yourself, your body, your mind, your spirit. Then get back to work.
– Ralph Marston
The R in INSPIRE stands for Recreational. This space in your planner is for you to track what you do for restoration and relaxation. These are areas that can sometimes get forgotten in our busy lives. I have included them as a reminder that you need to take time to rest and just restore your soul. Continue reading
The happiness of your life depends upon the quality of your thoughts; therefore guard accordingly, and take care that you entertain no notions unsuitable to virtue and reasonable nature.
– Marcus Aurelius
Can you remember the last book you read? If not, maybe this is an area you want to work on. Do you love reading but can’t remember who wrote that great thriller you read last month? Track it here, so you can look back and find out. You might like another book by the same author. Continue reading
There’s nothing more important than our good health – that’s our principal capital asset.
– Arlen Specter
The P stands for your Physical needs. Depending on the state of your health, you might want to track exercise, how much water you drink, if you’re eating well, or if you’re sleeping well. If you are watching your weight, you can record your weigh-ins. Continue reading
A life is either all spiritual or not spiritual at all. No man can serve two masters. Your life is shaped by the end you live for. You are made in the image of what you desire.
– Thomas Merton
The S in INSPIRE stands for Spiritual. In this area you can track devotional books you’re reading, your daily quiet time, prayer concerns, or anything else that just makes you connect to God or to a higher purpose for your life. Continue reading
It is no use saying, ‘We are doing our best.’ You have got to succeed in doing what is necessary.
– Winston Churchill
Once you have an idea of what you’d like to accomplish, and that habits you’ll need to cultivate, you’ll need to start looking at the tasks you’ll need to accomplish each week. I categorize this as what is Necessary. Continue reading