Personal Development, Spirituality and Mental Health Intertwine in Your Life

The path we take as we learn to heal our souls

Photo by Austin Distel on Unsplash

Many times, those of us with mental health struggles first begin a personal development journey in attempt to heal our mental health. We may do so at the urging of a therapist, or through reading self help books.

As we begin to heal, we learn coping skills that can help us manage our mental health conditions.

Some of these may include:

• Mindfulness, meditation and yoga

• Journaling

• Gratitude

• Self-Care

• Spending time in nature

• Deep breathing

As we begin to incorporate this type of practice on a daily basis, we will likely begin to see some mental health benefits. We can reduce anxiety and depression, improve our sleep, manage stress, and feel happier. Seeing these benefits can inspire us to go deeper on a personal development journey.

There is a huge overlap between mental health and personal development, as many of the same habits will help with each one.

Some practices that we may engage in as we move forward into the personal development space include:

• Working with our inner critic

• Challenging limiting beliefs

• Exercise regularly

• Go for walks in nature

• Say affirmations

• Reparent ourselves

These practices, when you do them long enough, can lead you to the ideas about the nature of your true self which is deeply spiritual. Learning to understand yourself leads to an understanding of your place in the world, and the way you relate to others.

If you have continued with some of the earlier practices, they may start to deepen your inner sense of connection as well. Although I began practicing yoga to help with my anxiety, I have developed a deeply spiritual sense of self through yoga as well.

Also, reading about personal development can lead you to reading about spirituality too. As we ask ourselves questions about our highest good, we may also begin to ask questions about the meaning of life.

According to Hans India,

The moment we start understanding the depth of our life better it becomes easier to achieve our purpose. Be mindful that the purpose of our life is to gain experiences and develop qualities for personal growth. Our personal qualities, which are to be developed further are difficult to understand with our logical intellect. The qualities include unconditional love, joy, cooperation, generosity, self-honesty, modesty, and humility. The spirituality is the ultimate guide and support in our life.

Spirituality helps us to deepen our understanding of ourselves, our lives, and how we relate to others. It can help us uncover our true nature of pure, perfect love. This is a love that connects all beings in this world. Finding this sense of spiritual understanding can come as we progress along our personal development journey.

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In my experience, our flow of healing leads us from managing mental health symptoms, to personal development, to spirituality.

All of the three are intertwined, because they all have to do with our understanding of ourselves and how we relate to others and the world. The more we learn to understand the nuance of interpersonal relationships, we deepen our personal development and spirituality.

We may begin to do things like:

• Doing shadow work

• Practicing the Law of Attraction

• Using meditation mantras

• Practicing compassion and kindness

• Reading about spirituality

• Learning to forgive

• Setting boundaries

All of these are things that can greatly enrich our lives as we incorporate them into our daily routines. Caring for ourselves in a more compassionate way can lead us to caring for others in a similar way. Forgiving ourselves can help us to forgive others.

Getting all of these benefits from personal development and spirituality often begins to happen after we try to learn coping skills for a mental illness. We learn that to truly heal, we don’t just want to manage symptoms, we want to cultivate wellness in all aspects of our lives.

If you are struggling with your mental health, as so many of us do, having a support system is critical. You can lean on family and friends if they are supportive, join a support group, or visit a coach or therapist. Professional support through times of struggle can help to provide a new perspective on life, and give you new coping skills.

Read more on how to Find a Therapist, and check with your PCP or health insurance for a referral. Having someone in your corner rooting for you through the hard times can make a huge difference!

Let me know in the comments what you are working on in your life this year, and how I can support you on your own journey!

Be well, my lovelies!

Nicole Dake