According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary the soul is defined as “The immaterial essence, animating principle, or actuating cause of an individual life.” This is a commonly held understanding for the term although many interpret it in their own ways. Essentially though, the soul is body and mind combined to make up who we are and how we act. (https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/soul).
We need to maintain our soul just as we maintain our bodies and we do this by feeding it with positivity. If we wish to have a happy and prosperous soul, we need to find ways to enrich our lives making us more compassionate and caring people.
1. Meditation
According to Holistic Occupational Therapy.org meditation has the ability to improve our physical, mental, and spiritual health. Regular efficient meditation can help promote positive mental states easing symptoms of conditions such as depression and anxiety. Focusing on positive energies and repeating inspiring phrases during meditation can feed the soul. (https://holisticot.org/the-power-of-meditation/#:~:text=%20The%20Power%20of%20Meditation%20%201%20Sit,caught%20up%20in%20thoughts%20or%20feelings,…%20More).
Practitioners of meditation have found the practice helps to decrease feelings of grief and sadness. At the same time, it can promote self love and acceptance. This practice strengthens us against the hardships in life and helps us become happier, more inspired souls. We strengthen our souls with the focus meditation brings as well as the feelings of calm and serenity.
2. Be a Generous Person
The Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research suggests that studies have shown a correlation between charitable activity and general life satisfaction. Essentially when people make donations, they feel happier and more content knowing they have helped someone else.
Generosity is a boost to our souls especially when we understand the need of the person we are helping. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/evidence-based-living/201711/giving-is-good-you).
When we find a cause that means a great deal to us, perhaps something we have struggled with ourselves, we can enrich our souls. There is no greater feeling than providing help to someone who needs it. The support may be financial or it could be a donation of your time but whatever way you can help will strengthen your soul.
3. Forgive Someone
The Harvard Medical School believes that there is power in forgiveness and this is certainly true when it comes to maintaining our souls. When we hold on to anger against other people for the things, they have done to us we do damage to our own emotions. As anger festers and builds up in us, we can become resentful of others and obsessed by the wrongs done to us. (https://www.health.harvard.edu/mind-and-mood/the-power-of-forgiveness).
The greatest release of these negative feelings of anger and resentment is to find our way to forgiveness. We must learn the importance of releasing negativity so we may enrich our souls with only the positive. When we can forgive, we can leave those hurts behind us and embrace love and happiness.
4. Get Some Natural Beauty
There is nothing so inspiring as the calm and serenity we can find by walking in a place of natural beauty. It is important we find time to locate places where we feel inspired by the natural world. We can breathe in the fresh air and walk around and get exercise. All of this can help soothe our souls and allow us to clear our heads and find peace.
5. Embrace Your Creativity
Deep inside us all there is some level of creativity just waiting to get out. Art experts often speak of the emotion they perceive in an artist’s work and that is because they pour their souls into their work. Make an effort to find some type of creative pursuit that brings you pleasure and happiness to pursue. You don’t even have to be very good at the thing you choose, you merely need to enjoy it.
