Roadblocks To Spiritual Growth

The spiritually aware person is by nature more open, attuned and sensitive to everything around them: spiritually, emotionally, and physically. Letting all that additional energy flow in can be empowering, but also exhausting.

You also may find yourself adrift and lacking in purpose when it comes to your spiritual development and growth. Maybe you’re asking what is your life’s mission, or purpose? This kind of confusion and procrastination is common when you are experiencing energetic overload, or not appropriately investing your time and energy. But the good news is, it can be overcome.

Guidance

So many of us struggle with the big questions: why are we here, and what are we meant to do? But there is no right or wrong answer to this question. Asking your spirit guides, a mentor or a community of like-minded people for help on your journey is usually a step in the right direction. Be open and honest when you ask for guidance, and accept that the answers may not always be the ones you are expecting.

Practice

Instead of practicing our spirituality, we often spend a lot of time reading books or watching instructional videos on how to do it. The truth is, you already have all the spiritual skills you need, or you’re able to intuit them. Instead, actively practice your spirituality each day. Don’t be afraid of failure or shortcomings, because there is no such thing spirituality.

Spiritual development is not an accomplishment but a way of life. It is an orientation that brings its own rewards, and what is important is the direction of one’s motives ~ David R. Hawkins

Lifestyle

Healthy eating habits, exercise and other lifestyle habits all support a conscious, spiritually aware lifestyle. But an obsession with self-improvement and creating the perfect lifestyle, can also become a negative aspect if it is not kept separate from your spiritual mission. If you focus too much on self-improvement, you may be missing the bigger spiritual picture. Instead, set time aside specifically for your spiritual practice. When you meditate or journal, visualize your spiritual mission as a separate and worthy entity on its own.

Caffeine

Who doesn’t love a double espresso, or an energy drink? Caffeine can be marvelous as a pick-me-up, but it’s only a temporary boost and its long-term side effects on your energy levels, focus and well-being can be devastating. Instead, switch to a nourishing natural (non-caffeinated) tea or sparkling beverage, or hot liquids like broth.

Overspending

Retail therapy is definitely real! Unfortunately, it’s also a short-term solution, and worse, only causes guilt and worry when the credit card bills start to roll in, which further distracts you from your spiritual practice. Instead, be conscious in practicing gratitude for what you already have. Try giving away things you no longer need or want, especially to someone in need.

Spiritual opening is not a withdrawal to some imagined realm or safe cave. It is not a pulling away, but a touching of all the experience of life with wisdom and with a heart of kindness, without any separation ~ Jack Kornfield

Overworking

We think that if we stay busy, nobody will know we’re not living our best life or fulfilling our life’s purpose. This is false, and it only leads to burnout and fatigue. Instead, set boundaries and time limits for productive working hours. Use the extra time and energy for healthy, spirit-building activities, such as Yoga or meditation

Media

Social media and streaming services have made so much information and entertainment accessible to us, but it can also be a time and energy drain. Watching just one video can quickly turn into several hours on YouTube or Instagram. Instead, set time limits for your media consumption and screen time each day. Then put down that phone, shut down that computer, and invest the time in your spiritual practice. Or simply take a short walk outside, to breathe the fresh air and clear your mind.

Completion

Are you constantly starting things, but never finishing them? You might have a dozen active projects, and think that if you start just one more, this will be ‘the one’ which finally gets done. This is just another form of procrastination and avoidance. Instead, keep a chart, tracker, or app for each project, with a visual representation of each one’s progress. Reward yourself upon completion of each project.