12 Ways to Change Your Day by Caring for Your Soul

We had the perfunctory conversation this morning. You know the one; “How are you? I’m fine. How are you?”

Except I knew she wasn’t fine.

We bumped into each other in a crowded gym, too crowded to really talk. I walked away sad that I couldn’t do more than say stupid empty words which did nothing to soothe her wounded soul.

Which made me think of you.

So…how’s your soul today? No really. How is your soul?

I’m guessing no one’s asked you about your soul recently. It’s not exactly a question we get asked often- if ever. It’s not even a question we pause to consider ourselves, except on rare occasions when we’re aware that our soul lies in a state of despair.

But on normal days–days like today when most of us are consumed with cramming five days of work into four, or finalizing the endless details involved in getting the kid’s school year off to a good start, or just trying to figure out what to make for dinner–we usually don’t pause long enough to evaluate the state of our soul.

But today I’m asking you to.

Jesus said it was a pretty important thing to consider. “Is anything worth more than your soul?” (Mark 8:37)

Here’s why: Everything about me flows out of the state of my soul. How I treat my husband and kids; how I feel about myself; how I relate to God; how I view my life’s purpose. How I think, act and feel all stem from the innermost part of who I am–my soul.

Yeah. I know this is deep. But stay with me.

Tending to your soul is the single most important thing you can do to change your day. This day. Tending to your soul as a habit is the single most influential factor in changing your life.

Here’s why:

Your soul affects your relationships and your relationships affect your soul.
Your soul affects your contentment and your contentment affects your soul.
Your soul affects your priorities and your priorities affects your soul.
Your soul affects your patience and your patience (or lack of it) affects your soul.
Your soul affects your willingness to forgive and your willingness to forgive affects your soul
Your soul affects your perspective and your perspective affects your soul.

Are you starting to see why taking care of your soul is so important? The state of your soul affects the state of your life. Here. Now. Forever.

Is anything worth more than your soul?

The human soul is both fragile and precious. It must be treated with care. If you’re wondering how to tend to your soul (or how to help someone else care for their’s) Here are a few suggestions:

1. Take time to let God speak life into your soul by reading a simple passage of scripture, allowing it to sink in. (Try Psalm 23 or Psalm 139)
2. Pause. Breathe. Look up or out. Notice what’s going on around you rather than blowing through the events of your day.
3. Say the Lord’s Prayer. Out loud. Slowly.
4. Take a nap or go to bed early (OK..this one is personal)
5. Don’t let the sun go down on your anger. Work through any unresolved conflict that’s eating away at your soul. With humility.
6. Smile (a big one). Laugh (a great big one).
7. Practice gratitude.
8. Tackle the project that’s been weighing on your mind for waaaaaaay too long.
9. Enjoy something simple. The breeze on your face; the sun on your skin; a child’s laugh, the taste of something really yummy.
10. Sing a praise song out loud.
11. Sign up for a Bible study.
12. Talk to someone and be fully present. A friend, your husband, your neighbor, your child or a total stranger. Engage. Listen. Don’t rush. Enjoy. Every person you encounter today is just like you–a fragile and precious soul housed in humanity.

Pick one of these “soul tending” ideas and try it. Really.

Have other ideas for how to care for your soul? I would love to hear them! And when you try one of these, I’d love to know how it affected your soul.