Start Your Day with Spiritual Exercise, Not Social Media

Are you waking up and immediately looking at your phone and checking out social media and the drama of daily news? If so, we have a different set of habits to suggest: start your day with gratitude—focusing on the good (big and small) in your life; pray for someone who needs it; read a daily devotional. Here are a few ideas to implement this new approach:

• Keep a gratitude journal on your kitchen table and write down a blessing in the morning and more in the evening—do it with your kids, spouse, or friend.

• Enjoy a daily scripture verse or inspirational message by reading it out loud.

• Devote thought and prayer to your goals in life.

• Pray for guidance whenever a worry pops up in your day.

• Thank God for the small blessings that appear throughout the day— of a smile from a stranger or that of a warm meal in front of you. Build intentional spiritual exercise into your day, the same way you would physical exercise.

What to avoid? Limit the amount of time you’re spending in front of a screen—phone, computer, television—by setting a timer so that you have more precious minutes of your life with the people you love. To keep caught up, schedule times during the day to check and respond to messages; stop when the time is up.

And finally, devote yourself to a higher purpose. Build more meaning in your life by identifying a passion inside of you to help others, animals, or the environment. Start small and go from there. Volunteer at a local SPCA. Bake muffins and drop them off at local soup kitchen. Read to the elderly. Figure out what you love to do and then give it away in the spirit of lifting others.