Spiritual Stamina

First, what is our spirit? We can think of it as our life force, which we express in the ways we relate to the world through our thoughts, attitudes, and actions.

“Spiritual stamina means having the ability to navigate the highs and lows of life with flexibility, openness, and acceptance,” says Natalie Hirsch, a psychologist based in Melbourne, Australia. “It does not mean that difficult times become absent or nonexistent; spiritual stamina helps us to create space for such challenges and to manage them when they arise.”

How do you build spiritual stamina?

Having self-confidence

Confidence helps us feel ready for the experiences that life throws at us, and it also helps us try again if things don’t work out the first time.

Looking for lessons in tough situations

Instead of focusing on what this event is taking away from you, think about what it can bring: new knowledge about yourself, others around you, or the world we live in, which will help you move with more ease next time.

“I try to focus on the sense that loss can deepen you in beautiful ways,” says Christopher on resilience after loss. “It brings you closer to those around you and the beating heart of the world.”

Finding purpose in challenging times

Working toward a goal can help you to cultivate positive energy. For example, in the years following the loss of his brother, Christopher focused on putting his energy into his climate policy work, which he said gave him a much-needed sense of purpose.

Bringing it in

You can cultivate spiritual stamina in many ways. Firstly, says Hirsch, prioritize self-care and activities that bring you back into balance, such as a daily walk, meditation, maintaining healthy and well-balanced dietary patterns, or sustaining a regular sleep routine.

Positive self-talk can also help you build spiritual strength; a study focused on athletes found that motivational self-talk helped them develop better technique and have less variability in their heart rate while performing.

Physical and mental exercise can also improve mental strength, calmness, and self-confidence. Make time for regular workouts and yoga sessions and consider taking up brain games such as crosswords or Sudoku.

Another great way to increase spiritual stamina is by planning ahead, whether that means work tasks, meals, or childcare: the more organized you feel, the easier it is to stay grounded when challenging situations arise.

Finally, know that you don’t need to go through hard times on your own. If you are feeling overwhelmed, lost, stressed, or scared, talk about your feelings with people you trust. Science shows that it will make you feel better.

For Christopher, an important component of his resilience has been cultivated through therapy, as well as his “sense of place and community in Berlin.” Hirsch also recommends nurturing important relationships in your life and seeking out professional help as needed for further guidance and support.

The benefits of spiritual stamina

“Spiritual stamina increases feelings of calm and reduces stress, which helps to regulate the nervous system,” says Hirsch. Practices to strengthen your spiritual stamina, such as physical exercise, have been shown to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression and improve memory, cognition, and self-esteem, which, in turn, is linked strongly to happiness and initiative-taking.

In this way, we can understand spiritual stamina as a virtuous circle: its various components are mutually reinforcing, helping us live healthier, happier, and more resilient lives. [END]

Isabela Vera is a writer and researcher. She’s the founder of Feminist Food Journal, a magazine dedicated to a feminist food system. Find her on Twitter at @isabelajvera or @femfoodjournal.