We’re constantly reminded of the importance of physical health—oatmeal, running, sleep, and so on. Tracking our steps, monitoring our heart rates, and counting calories have turned into a lifestyle aimed at achieving that perfect physical body. Yet, despite this obsession with fitness, major public health problems related to unhealthy lifestyles persist. Meanwhile, our understanding and commitment to spiritual and mental health are often terribly overlooked.
Think about it: Skipping a workout is often seen as a failure. Society tells us it’s lazy or weak to miss a workout, and many of us feel guilty if we don’t meet our fitness goals. We invest time and money in gym memberships, fitness classes, and health gadgets, all in the pursuit of a strong body. But what about our spiritual health? How many of us dedicate the same effort to nurturing our inner lives?
When we face emotional struggles or mental health challenges, we might turn to a psychiatrist or therapist, which is crucial. However, we often overlook the rich practices that can support our spiritual well-being on a daily basis.
Research is clear
Mindfulness meditation can reduce stress, and practicing gratitude can lift our mood, but these activities don’t carry the same urgency or social pressure as hitting the gym. Try telling someone you’re going to a prayer session after work, and you might be met with raised eyebrows. Secular society doesn’t expect us to work on our spiritual health the way it does our physical fitness.
Despite knowing that mindfulness meditation has been scientifically proven to reduce stress and improve emotional balance, many still see it as an optional extra rather than a vital part of a healthy lifestyle. No wonder we are stressed out.
Similarly, Stoic philosophy offers practical tools for managing anxiety by teaching us to focus on what we can control and let go of what we can’t. It’s a powerful approach to building mental resilience, yet it’s far less popular than physical fitness routines.
This disconnect exists because physical health improvements are visible and measurable—like losing weight or building muscle—while spiritual and mental health benefits are more subtle and harder to quantify. We love tracking our workouts and measuring progress through numbers, whether it’s the miles we’ve run or the weights we’ve lifted. But when was the last time we measured our spiritual health?
So, what are we doing wrong?
There’s clearly an interest in self-help and spiritual books, even though publishers often say these books don’t sell as much as other genres. However, there’s a problem in the spiritual field: Many people consume content but don’t practice what they learn. This is known as spiritual materialism—a large spiritual library at home signals interest but doesn’t automatically translate into a spiritual practice.
To truly care for ourselves, we need to give our spiritual and mental health the same attention we give our bodies. Just as we plan our meals and workouts, we should carve out time for practices that nurture our inner life—whether that’s meditation, reflection, prayer, or simply spending time in nature.
Here’s a Way Forward
To start nurturing your spiritual health, ask yourself a profound question inspired by the philosopher Socrates:
“What is truly important to me, and am I living in alignment with it?”
It’s a straightforward question, easy to remember, and it invites deep reflection on your values and whether your daily actions honor them. We don’t necessarily have to carve out a daily spiritual practice to develop as a person, but exploring yourself with this question now and then will lead to increased self-awareness.
