The Gifts of Spiritual Growth: seeking Wisdom Over Physical Comfort
When I was in my undergrad, I took a business leadership course. Most kids enrolled in it because we all knew it would be a bird course. It was about theories, concepts and personalities. It did not involve numbers, calculations or hard thinking.
We did an exercise in class where we were given a stack of cards. On each card was a personal value with a short definition. The cards read like Financial Security: being in a stable financial situation. Relationships: having many close personal relationships.
We were told to read through the stack of cards and select our top five. Then we put our top five in order of how much we valued each one.
When I finished sifting through my stack, I was stunned to see what landed on top:
Wisdom: having deep and meaningful experiences in life.
This activity stuck with me all these years because it was the first time but I was allowed to clarify what I value. It showed me point-blank that this is what was important to me and my soul. I always knew intuitively that I preferred wisdom over safety, wealth and even relationships, but no told ever me that I was allowed to be proud of it.
In this class, I was given permission not just to be me, but to lead as me.
There was no judgment over the fact that I valued certain things and that some classmates may value financial wealth.
(The only thing I remember about my other top five is that Adventure was in there and Financial Security and Financial Wealth were not included. And here I am sitting in business school.)
I did not have permission to judge them. And they did not have permission to judge me. This is the first time I was allowed to own that my top values were unique, and a part of my cellular and imprint.
Since then, I have owned that I love wisdom. I now unapologetically seek deep and meaningful experiences in life. I value these experiences more than financial wealth or security or stability and this is how I'm wired.
But what is this look like in real life?
Living from our Values
It means I regularly and consistently make the choices that will force me to grow, even if it makes me uncomfortable. In the past, this is why I chose to travel. I sensed that I would grow more by pushing myself into Africa, instead of staying safe in Canada. Nowadays, this is why I choose to stay in the city of Toronto, instead of finding a more adventurous and eco-friendly existence. Being an adventurous traveler and content creator is easy and natural to me. Thriving in a city where people seem smothered by commutes, job titles and expectations? That is a new challenge. As much as I knew I would be uncomfortable here, I knew that I would grow more.
And I have.
Deep down, I think we all desire spiritual growth more than physical comfort. We may have this realization when we've already earned $50 million, or we may find it when we’ve made $5000 and realize that it doesn't make us happy.
At some point, the soul jolts, shakes or gently nudges and notifies us that: There is more to life than the accumulation of stuff. WAKE UP!
THe GIfts Of Pursuing Spiritual Growth
Choosing spiritual and soul growth over physical comfort brings many gifts. Most of them are intangible and may not result in job promotions or congratulations but the inner wealth you receive is priceless.
Inner Peace: This is your anchor, your grounding, your sanctuary. No matter happens in my life, you know that all things are working out and you trust in a greater good.
Confidence: I once heard someone call this “Godfidence”, when your confidence comes from God. You are able to move mountains because God is in you, with you, for you and ahead of you.
Financial Serenity: Your financial situation is surrendered to a higher power and is not your sole/soul responsibility. God is your provision. Your internal state of financial serenity also leads you to live in a state of abundance, as you recognize that everything is a gift.
Gratitude: Gratitude turns what you have into an overflowing abundance. It is like instant deposits into your soul bank account, as you remember life’s constant stream of blessings.
Clarity: You are clear on my life purpose. You are clear on why you am here, who you are becoming and what you are here to do. This gives you momentum to continue thriving.
I seek spiritual growth more than I seek physical comfort because I know that physical comfort is a dead end. The soul needs more than a queen-sized bed in an air-conditioned suburban home to be fulfilled, alive and zinging.
P.S. If you’ve never take a look at your core values, I highly recommend it! Just Google “core values” and you’ll find plenty of lists. Sift through them and use your gut to pick your top five. Record them, keep them close to your heart and let them become a part of you.
