Practicing Spiritual Virtues in Daily Life

Imagine walking down a bustling street, surrounded by people from all walks of life. Living a healthy and moral life relies on developing our spiritual virtues. But what are spiritual virtues, you may ask? Virtue is the disposition to do good no matter what; virtues support our moral compass.

There are several virtues we should all practice on a daily basis regardless of our religious status. Faith, hope, love, kindness, compassion, patience, mindfulness, self-control, among others, are some of the virtues we must practice so we can live a more meaningful life. For example, we can send a thank you note to someone for helping us out when we needed help or simply for just being there for us. We can offer a kind gesture to someone in need. Show appreciation to your loved ones. There are plenty of ways to sprinkle love and kindness, do this, and you'll be surprised how much richer your life can become.

While most of us try to do good deeds most of the time, our busy lives can get in the way. Unfortunately, negativity is the enemy of all good virtues. We need to break through the loop of negativity and turn it into positive. Finding the good in every situation, no matter how difficult it is, will help transform a negative into a positive. I recall a particularly tough morning when my coffee shop barista surprised me with a free cup of coffee and a warm smile, which changed the tone of my day. Learn to catch yourself in that moment where your thoughts are becoming negative, and when you catch yourself, think about something that makes you remember how grateful or how fortunate you are regardless of what is going on. Being kind to ourselves is the first step. We can't be kind to others if we don't start by being compassionate and kind to ourselves. I still remember a time when I was going through a tough phase in my life, and a friend's small gesture of surprise visit lifted my mood and helped me see things from a different perspective. Similarly, I've found that writing down three things I'm thankful for each day before bed helps me stay focused on the good things in my life.

Our lives are strengthened by the practice of these virtues, and they have a positive influence on our actions and choices. For example, virtues like faith and hope help us overcome fears; faith gives us a sense of security because we know God is with us every step of the way, guiding and protecting us.

Let's make our life more meaningful by spreading peace and kindness.

More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope - Romans 5:3-4

May you be happy and healthy, be safe.