When we encounter something, we often seek the opinions of others before we form our own. I did the same when I encountered the crowdfunded series, “The Chosen.” Of course, I didn’t find much opinion about it. This allowed me to fully experience the series without the bias of others to color my experience. With any experience, we can use this simple criterion: Does this nurture my becoming a better servant for others?

We all get stuck in routines. They make us feel comfortable, but they also lure us into complacency. This keeps us from realizing where our path might be changing. We must do something different, even though our stuck mindset doesn’t want to move. Yet there’s a part of you deep within that says, “Shut up and do it!” You’d be surprised at what you missed.

When times in our lives are rough, we often wonder, “Where is God?” Or we become so consumed with fixing things ourselves that we forget about God. During these times, we’re called to make a shift—to do something different. If you take off the blinders of your habits or routines, you might find God is exactly where you are.

When life feels so heavy, we must pause for a moment and find one small thing for which to be grateful. Just one small degree towards gratitude can set your day along a better course. Nature can help, whether it’s a cool breeze in a heatwave or a little diddy from a robin.

Mathieu Van der Poel’s epic finish at Stage 2 of the Tour de France gives us motivation. While “climbing” the Mur-de-Bretagne—the wall of Brittany—he had to reach deep within to find the strength to break away from the other cyclists. It would be the memory of his grandfather, the late Raymond Poulidor, that would push him beyond his limit and toward his finish. We can do it, too. It’s just a matter of gritting our teeth and focusing.

We live so much of our lives seeking approval from others, but what about our own dreams? Did we drop them somewhere along the way? If so, we must go back to the place we left them and take a good look.

A lot of pop psychology likes to overly simplify the two hemispheres of the brain. We hear that left brain is concerned with details and right brain integrates the details into the big picture. Although it’s more complicated than that, what’s important is that they need one another. One isn’t better than the other, and they must keep the communication channels open. This is a good metaphor for living.

We get so caught up in ridiculous arguments, creating unnecessary stress about things that really don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. When something grave in our lives does occur, such as a parent being diagnosed with dementia, the stress can overwhelm us. These trials force us into simplicity, where we no longer concern ourselves with petty arguments. Instead, we find peace in something as precious as a cool summer morning.

Many of us engage in a search for our “authentic” or “true” self, but what does that mean? Is it a personality, essence, or purpose? Or is an illusion? What’s more important is identifying patterns and routines that bring harm to ourselves and others. It’s about seeing clearly and responding to the present moment authentically.

It’s important for us to look closely at what gives us a rise of anger or shame. Those emotions can point at something that can bring about wholeness. What’s key is changing the way you see the situation and how you behave as a result. Choose a response that brings about wisdom and unity rather than division.