Spearheading Spiritual Principles

Are your values and behavior misaligned? Then this is the ideal time to evaluate and assess your actions and recommit yourself to living in harmony with these four key spiritual principles of honesty, acceptance, hope, and empathy.

When you find you are acting out in ways that do not go hand in hand with your spiritual principles, it can cause distress both internally and in those you interact with. The solution lies in reconnecting with these essential elements to leading a spiritually sound life to enhance your mental freedom and serenity. Here's how.

Honesty

Being forthright, upfront, and honest is not always easy, especially when fear comes into play. If you find yourself being less than candid when faced with stress or potential punishment for your actions, this is the true test of the spiritual principle of honesty.

Since honesty is the best policy, opening up about the facts, even when you are afraid, usually results in rewards and no penalty. Even if you still face negative consequences for your truths, you will not be caught up in a web of lies and deceit, making it easier to look in the mirror and sleep at night.

Acceptance

Struggling against the spiritual principle of acceptance is a losing battle. When having difficulty accepting things and rebelliously railing against it, take stock of life’s uncomfortable realities and accept responsibility, help, and compliance.

Accepting both yourself and others as they are an act of unconditional love. However, acceptance does not have to indicate approval, as everyone can improve themselves daily if they so choose.

Hope

Slipping into hopelessness is a slippery slope that reveals a lack of faith in the future. If you tend to give up hope when the going gets tough and behave as though nothing will help or nothing matters, this can keep you and others around you in a state of negativity.

To combat hopelessness, take action to make your situation improve. Prayer and meditation are two wonderful and effective ways of getting back in touch with the belief that things can and will get better.

Empathy

Selfishness and self-obsession are the enemies of the spiritual principle of empathy. If you are unable to stop thinking only of yourself and behave accordingly, this can cause those you love to feel as though you do not care about them but only about yourself.

Fantastic ways to break free from self-centered thoughts and behaviors are to become a more active listener and to be of service to someone else. Listening and helping are means of giving, which can immensely assist you when caught up in your own life and ego.

By taking time to reflect on the four spiritual principles of honesty, acceptance, hope, and empathy, you are already on the path to increasing your spirituality level. When examining your recent behaviors and feeling bad about them, remember it is okay to make mistakes and temporary lapses in judgment. Learn from them and avoid doing it again by adjusting your actions to match your thinking.