The Spirituality and Change Connection

We can all benefit from integrating more spirituality into our lives. After interviewing thousands of people for my new book: The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change, I found that doing so can help you get through any transition (whether it's a change you are facing or one you hope to make).

What do I mean when I say spirituality? I mean reconnecting with that part of ourselves that doesn't change, that is calm, centered, grounded, when everything around us seems to be changing. I mean going inside, listening to our intuition, turning our inner microphone on, finding our own inner wisdom. Remember who you are. You are much stronger, more powerful, more intuitive and more resilient that you have ever been told. You are better at change than you think. There is a part of inside of you that will always help you get through any change, even the most difficult change you can imagine.

You may already practice yoga and meditate. Or the language of spirituality may scare you off—either way, creating a stronger, deeper relationship with the real you—the calm, centered secure part of you—while letting your tired and scared mind take a rest, is essential in helping you move through change with hope and optimism. When you tap into this side of yourself you connect with an army of invisible forces that are just waiting to help you. You can tune into this resource every day— without changing any of your personal beliefs around faith, religion, or traditions—simply by focusing inward and noticing how things feel.

You can access your spiritual side by taking some time to be silent, to be alone, to pray, to take a quiet walk, write a journal, and not be afraid of what your inner guide might reveal. Ask your body what the fear is really about, the doubt, the feeling- what is it there to teach you? Your spiritual side is always present. Once you become attuned to it, you can feel its stability, guidance, and gentle suggestions.

From: The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Any Change (and Loving Your Life More)

Every great leader, athlete, and hero has believed in something greater than himself or herself. Nelson Mandela, Gandhi, Mother Theresa, and JFK are among the many who referred to a connection with something greater: their soul, their source, or their relationship to God or the Divine. They acknowledged the presence of the Divine in every difficult situation and they allowed it to be a helping presence in their lives. During the first 30 days of moving through a change and throughout your whole life it's important to ask yourself what you are willing to trust. Really, ask yourself. Where is my trust these days?

Some of us believe that there is something bigger going on. We look at nature, at the miracle of birth, a sunrise, the stars above, and contemplate a bigger sense of power, a feeling that we are not alone, that something—or someone—is present. This something is the sanctuary that can help us get centered in times of crisis and change. We may not know this for sure, but maybe there is some sort of energy, a power we can tap into, an army of invisible forces just waiting to help us. Perhaps they exist solely to assist us, to prepare the way, and to be on our side. I call them my friends upstairs.

We all have things we turn to. Perhaps it's meditation, prayer, a belief in the law of attraction, or visualization. Or maybe it's a connection to nature, a certain type of calming music or a creative outlet like writing or painting. Whatever it is, it will help you during times of change by helping you connect to who you really are.

Even during the most dramatic change, there is always a place within us that is calm, collected, and comfortable, that knows how to cope with change. This part of ourselves doesn't fluctuate when outside circumstances are changing all around us. For most of us, it's something we call our Higher self, our soul, or our connection to the Divine or God.

Learn more about making change easier in The First 30 Days: Your Guide to Change (and Loving Your Life More) available from Amazon.com.