This blog is an overview of the 9 spiritual Principles that have helped me in every area of my life - from love to work.  But by its nature, a blog can only give you a sketch of strategies that will deepen as you make them yours.  I have written a workbook for using The Principles in a practical way but ultimately the path is yours; it is just as valid to take these ideas and explore them in your church or spiritual practices.  Last week, we looked at the first 5 Principles as strategies for happiness; here are the remaining 4.

Let It Go!
Most of us drag around resentments and grudges like a bag of rocks.  We slog through life muttering to ourselves about the people who have wronged us.  Some of these resentments are fresh but others date back to childhood.  I would ask that you consider who these resentments hurt more - you or the person you are holding a grudge against?  A result of using The Principles in your life is that you can start to forgive people.  And, because none of us is perfect, you can start to forgive yourself for your own mistakes.  After all, if I demand perfection from others, I have to hold myself to a rather brutal standard.

Keep It Up!
If you’re like me, I want to fix a problem and move on.  But what I call the broken behaviors that create most of our problems (arrogance, greed, judgment, selfishness, etc.) are like the dandelions in my yard - I can pull them out but they grow back.  This means that we have to persevere and continue to work on ourselves if we are to live happy lives of integrity.  Human nature requires we continue to utilize spiritual tools to clean up the messes we create.

Pray For It!
I know many of you find talk of God irritating but let me remind you that I myself am not a religious person.  I am spiritual, however, and that means that I continue to find new ways to get closer to my God.  My God takes many shapes.  I pray in a formal way in the morning and at night but I also find other activities helpful.  Hikes in nature are a form of prayer and meditation for me, for example.  I seek spiritually while doing yoga.  But if I don’t maintain a connection to what I call my God, I begin to feel lost and inevitably revert back to my old broken behaviors.

Give It Away!
Nothing in the world has brought me as much happiness as helping others.  Nothing.  Whether you work as a volunteer or just help out a friend in need, I predict you are the one who will get the reward of true self-esteem and happiness.  There is a reason that most great religions and spiritual practices emphasize service to others - it is the best antidote to the self-obsession that clouds our lives.

This is only the briefest overview of these ideas and I encourage you to explore them more deeply.  Some of you may have problems that are relatively mild and can informally incorporate some of these ideas into your life.  Others who have experienced deep trauma and pain will have a lifetime of rigorous spiritual work to achieve happiness.  But happiness is available to all of us on some level.  If nothing else, I hope this blog is a forum for you to break out of isolation and begin connecting with others on the same path.

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