We tend to trust our “sixth sense,” our intuition, when our bodies react to something in our physical environment. Psychologically, this is a cue to something from our unhealed past. It’s something we should investigate because it distracts us from spiritual work. The Cloud of Unknowing says if we describe our experience of God by our senses, it’s not God. God is not experienced through our physical senses. God cannot be described in this way. If we have an experience that is inscrutable, that might be spiritual.

We might demand peace in the world, but how much hostility do we hold in our own hearts? Peace starts within. We can’t wait for the external world to have peace before we take on the work of peace within us. This Prayer of St. Francis recognizes that effort of dropping our sword. We might not have started the fight, but we can be the bigger, stronger person by ending it not by winning, but by loving.

It takes more energy to play a role than just to be ourselves. That’s why so many of us come home from work, shed our “work selves,” and restore our sanity. Be careful, though, not to believe this false self IS you.

So many of us want to be “free,” but we don’t want to let go of the things that keep us in chains. Many of those things are cultural messages of materialism. To live a fruitful life, we must adhere to the universal virtues of a spiritual life. To be truly “free,” we must practice self-control.

The most authentic teachings go against the worldly teachings of power, prosperity, and sensory gratification. Too often we get bombarded with the worldly messages that would have us believe that we don’t have enough. They train us to believe that we lack something, then they try to sell us the solution. Pay attention to the authentic messages that invite us rather than compel us.

American society loves to emphasize success and growth. We’re always looking ahead towards what we want to gain. Are we ready to let go of something to move forward? Many times, we don’t want to accept the season we’re in. Although we’re always growing and moving forward, sometimes growth only occurs when we shed or let go of something.

It’s not easy to take a look at ourselves. It requires a bit of humility, humor, and self-compassion to see where we might be infiltrating our message. Our message might be noble, but our intentions and desires can turn people off the message. It’s not that we should put on an act or a different character when we’re with others. If we’re practicing self-awareness, we can be ourselves no matter the company.

You don’t have to be in your midlife to wonder, “Is this all there is?” So often our expectation of what we hoped for isn’t quite what we get. Even if we achieve success, we might feel unfulfilled or that it’s not enough. What we need to ask is—what new life is yearning to spring within me? What do I need to let go to let this new life take root?

Research shows that our negative thought patterns can keep us stuck there. Our need to vent our frustrations then spread our negativity to others. To keep us in balance, it’s important to look in a different direction to see something positive. It might be something we take for granted. When we keep a steady stream of gratitude, we’re less likely to be thrown off by setbacks.

Personality tests can be fun, particularly when they explain how we’ve interpreted and perceived past situations. However, they don’t give us much insight about how or if we’ve grown over time. They only give us a snapshot of who we are now. Furthermore, they don’t offer much help how we can evolve. This takes a little more time and reflection.