The Radical Self-Care Free Online Course - Step 6: Connect

Connect.

Connect with your spirituality and a higher power. If you don't believe in God, connect with nature or with the people you care about. Connecting is very important and is the key to a deep sense of inner well-being.

Connection is a very important part of our sense of greater well-being. We are all social animals. Even though we have heard of gurus on the mountain who fast and meditate for years and years, most of us mere mortals require the companionship and touch of other living beings to feel happy and complete.

Consider, though, what makes the guru on the mountaintop able to survive alone in that state of meditation: It is, in fact, another kind of connection: That direct connection with spirit.

Connecting With Spirit
A direct connection with spirit - whatever you want to call it, God, nature, your heart - is one of the best ways to experience a deep sense of peace and fulfillment in life. There are many ways to experience this connection:

1. In a group worship setting, such as church.
2. Privately, in meditation.
3. Out in nature.
4. By expressing creativity (art, painting, music, dance).

Since we are all individual, we all find different ways to experience this connection. If we do not experience this connection in a positive way, we are likely to try to experience it through negative means such as drugs, alcohol, or adrenaline rushes.

Connecting With Others
Connection with others is important as well, but make sure it's the kind of connection that nourishes instead of drains you. Make sure it's the kind of connection that comes from unconditional love and not need.

For example, being in love with someone can feel wonderful, but if you are so tied to the idea of being with that person that you think you might die without them, then this is not a nurturing type of "connection." What happens if the beloved leaves? You end up feeling worse, not better.

Consider alternate ways to experience connection with others that serves to uplift you and the other person. Volunteering can be a wonderful way to give to others in a way that is not draining. That's because when you give to strangers, you are not as likely to "expect" something (love, attention) in return.

Connecting to a Deeper Purpose
Finding a deep purpose to your life is the ultimate connection with both spirit and those around you. By finding your purpose, you gain a solid and lasting sense of meaning in your life that fulfills you and makes the world a better place.

YOUR HOMEWORK – CONNECT

If you are reading this and already feeling connected, then good for you! Perhaps you can find a few ways to deepen that connection even more.

If your connection is feeling a little faint, then these exercises can help.

1. Identify one way you can create a deeper connection with spirit. Schedule it in this week (and once a week if possible).

2. Identify one way you can connect with others in an unconditional manner. Then take action to do that, if not today, then this week or this month.

Please share your homework and observations in the forums.