10 Reasons to Develop Your Spiritual Muscle

What is it in your life that you worry about? The future? Your health? Your kids? Your job? The stock market? Everytime we turn around there is some other disaster, crisis, or mass shooting that wrenches our heart strings. It's easy to feel hopeless and fearful but who wants to live like that? There is always something in life to stress over and there is a solution to help ease the anxiety that pervades society.

These days there is a lot of poo-pooing the idea of faith and belief in God. Many people have been turned off from "organized religion" and think of God as some strict punishing entity. Perhaps you are one of them. Others believe God is some distant heavenly body out there somewhere yet have no earthly idea how to connect with him. Still others doubt the existence of God as if this intricate created world of ours somehow was blown together by happenstance millions of years ago. I don't think so.

The fact is there is a God and it is up to us to get to know him. One way to do this is by developing the power of Faith. I like to think of Faith as my spiritual muscle. Just as we need to strengthen our physical muscles, we need to strengthen our spiritual muscle as well. Many of us work out and we wouldn't think of missing a yoga class, a run, or a bike ride, yet how often do we attend to the spiritual part of ourselves?

As some of you know, as a single mom of two boys,  I have been through many difficult and painful circumstances. If not for the grace of God and my Faith, I would not be on this earth today. In fact, I used to work with a beautiful single mom who had one son. We used to compare notes and talk about our kids. Often, she looked down and depressed. I tried to encourage her and talk to her about God.

One day, I heard she had died from an overdose of drugs. I attended her funeral. Her son was devastated. This is what hopelessness and despair can do. I did not want to end up like her and I certainly did not want to leave my sons without a mother. When we go through the darkest valleys, there is a better way.

It is the way of Faith.

Faith is what gives us hope to hold on, to keep on, and to stay strong. Life is tough and we were not made to go it alone. God is real and he wants to help us make it through the tough times we inevitably will face. Only God can make our crooked paths straight. Only God can fix the unfixable. Only God.

Here are 10 things Faith in God can do for you:

1) Give us strength to get through the challenges of life

2) Reduce anxiety when we don't know the outcome of events

3) Give us hope when relationships go awry

4) Give us power to achieve our goals and see our dreams come true

5) Give us victory over addictions and bad habits

6) Bring healing to sick minds and bodies despite the medical reports

7) Make miracles happen

8) Move obstacles we cannot move ourselves

9) Protect our children

10) Give us peace in times of crisis

Which of these do you need right now? If you need help developing your spiritual muscle, stay tuned for my upcoming posts. There are simple and doable steps you can take today to get stronger, have less anxiety, and more peace.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive my bi-weekly emails plus a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  We are all on a unique journey and this e-guide gives a step by step process to follow to find yours.

Stay tuned for more on igniting the power within and until next time,

Keep looking up!

Ariel 

Ignite the Power Within Step 5: How Faith Helps Your Realize Your Dreams

As the song from Mama Mia goes, "I have a dream, a song to sing." We all have a dream, don't we? Dreams come in all sorts of sizes and shapes. Some dream big dreams like becoming president, CEO, or making it to the Olympic team.

Your dream might be to own your own home, learn to fly a plane, ride a motorcycle, ballroom dance. Or maybe write that book you've always wanted to write or own your own business.

Life is made of dreams. Dreams make life worth living because they give us something to live for and something to get excited about. They put the passion and spice into life.

What is it that you dream of doing, having, becoming? Have you forgotten or given up on it? You're never too old and it's never too late to dream a new dream. Don't let anyone discourage you. It is truly possible to live the life of your dreams at any stage of life.

Begin by taking the first step. Then another and another. You will be amazed at how doors open and your dream will become a reality sooner than you think. Don't make excuses such as "I'm too old," "I'll never get married," or "I'm not smart enough". Faith opens doors and makes the path clear for God to work. Believe in yourself and in the power of God. Together you will go further than you ever imagined.

I speak from personal experience because many of my dreams have come true already and I am in awe of what God has done in and through me.

Who would have thought that a timid, overweight child of an alchoholic father would graduate from the prestigious Johns Hopkins University with a Masters degree? Who would have thought that this same person would survive an abusive marriage, a devastating divorce and financial ruin? Who would have dreamed of being an author and go on to write and publish a book and create her own blog? Who would have thought that I would have visited the many countries I've been to? Who would have thought that a single mom would be able to see her two sons graduate from college and one earn his Masters Degree? Who would have thought a single mom would be able to sponsor a child in a third-world country all the way through college?

These are truly dreams - miracles really- that have come true. All by the grace of God and with the power of Faith. When we believe we give God permission to work in our lives. What's even more exciting is that when we begin to believe and see the smaller dreams come to fruition, we will be even more motivated to dream bigger dreams the next time. As they say "the sky is the limit". Dare to dream big!

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided and you'll also receive a copy of my free e-guide "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path". 

Until we meet again, follow your dreams, keep the faith and keep looking up!

Ariel 

Ignite the Power Within Step 4: 5 Ways to Overcome Overwhelm

"I've just got too much to do and I'm exhausted." "I don't have time for...." Have you heard yourself make comments like these lately? Do you feel like you are never caught up? Always on the go and never have time to relax, exercise, or do something nice for yourself? If so, you are not alone. We all struggle with overwhelm at times, but there are ways to manage it and make life more relaxed and stress-free.

The feeling of being overwhelmed is a problem many struggle with, especially women who are usually taking care of the family, the house, the meals, the spouse or boyfriend, all the while holding down a full-time career AND trying to stay thin, fit, and beautiful. Just thinking about all this is exhausting.

I know because I've been there myself. As a single mom raising two sons, working at a demanding high-pressure job and going to night school, it was quite a juggling act to keep everything together. But I survived, and you will too and today I am sharing 5 tips on how to deal with overwhelm and not turn into the wicked witch of the west.

1. Take time to breath.
When we start feeling anxious, rushed, or stressed, that means it's time to take a break, sit down, and take a few deep calming breaths. Repeat a phrase that will calm you down such as "I can do this", "I am calm", or any prayer or meditation that you choose.

2. Prioritize.
Reevaluate what is really important in your life. Most women have a hard time relaxing. We need to remind ourselves to just "Chill out" and move relaxation higher up on the priority list. I know I do. Most men do not seem to have this problem, I have observed. We could learn from them.

3. Just say NO.
 I used to carry a yellow laminated card in my purse with the word 'NO' written in big red letters. I would whip it out when someone asked me to do something I was not crazy about doing. Picture the referee at a soccer game giving a yellow card to one of the players. You get the idea.

4. Stay present.
 Focus on the task at hand. Don't spend precious energy thinking about what all you have to do that day or that week. Take one thing at a time. Then rest. Then do the next thing. When we spend time complaining or ruminating about everything we have to do, we waste precious time and energy.

5. Be thankful.
Look for the positive side of the situation. Instead of complaining about cleaning the house, say "I am thankful I have the energy and the health to clean my house."  "I am thankful I have a house to clean." Rather than bemoan your job, your boss, your coworkers, say "I am thankful I have a job and a steady income." There is always another way to look at things.

These are a few tips to help us all stay calm, cool, and collected despite the many demands and responsibilities of life. There will always be stuff to do. We cannot change that. But we can change our attitude on how we think about the stuff we have to do.

If you enjoyed this post and would like to join our community, enter your email address in the box provided. You'll receive a copy of my free e-guide entitled "7 Steps to Finding Your Spiritual Path".  Share this post with your friends too.

Until next time, remember to take time to rest and as always, keep looking up!

Ariel