How to Achieve Spiritual Health and Balance in Your Life

Life can certainly seem off-balance and out of control at times. In fact, sometimes it seems like harmony is forever out of reach. It seems that we are always juggling too many things, and trying to keep them all in order is an impossible task. There are some things you can incorporate into your life, however, that can help you achieve spiritual health and balance. Here are some suggestions to consider to bring balance back into your life.

* Control - Identify what you can control, and what you can't. Once you recognize that you don't have to be solely in charge of keeping every ball in the air in your daily juggling act, you can let some of them go and focus on the ones that you can control. Diet, exercise, and learning new things are all activities and lifestyle choices you can influence and control.

Fresh vegetables are important components of a healthy diet. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Diet - Instead of obsessing over weight loss and what the latest superfood is, take an honest look at your diet and make some healthy adjustments. Start small, incorporating real, whole, fresh foods and work toward a balanced diet. It's amazing how much more balanced your life can feel when your diet is.

* Exercise - Any exercise is good as long as it is regular, but if you really want to enhance your spiritual health and achieve balance, engage in exercise that promotes that. Martial arts, Yoga, Pilates, Qigong, and other meditative, stretching exercises benefit the mind, body and spirit.

* A higher power - Engage in prayer and/or meditation on a daily basis. It helps shift your focus off of your problems and onto the spiritual world. It puts things in perspective.

* Herbal tea - Drinking herbal teas can help you toward your healthful goals. Perhaps you need a relaxing blend, or maybe a stimulating one. Tea drinking is actually part of the religious ceremonies in some countries. It connects you to nature and promotes a peaceful spirit.

* Gratitude - Try to cultivate a sense of gratitude in your life. When you are grateful for what you have, it makes what you don't have much less of a concern.

* Sleep - Getting adequate sleep is important for mental, physical, and emotional health. It is a key component of achieving balance in your life.

* Mantras - Internalize a wise saying, verse of scripture, philosophical phrase, or whatever inspires you. Write it down and put it on your bathroom mirror, coffee maker, by your computer monitor, or wherever you will see it every day.

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

* Nature - Get out into nature. Many of us suffer from an inadequate "dose" of the outdoors, making our lives an imbalanced experience of indoor-only living. Connection with nature helps the spirit, too, and enhances spiritual health. When you can, incorporate elements of nature into your indoor living space too - such as potted plants, flowers, and more. (See Thursday's post for some ideas for incorporating nature into your indoor decor.)


And for more on balanced, holistic living, visit www.newholisticliving.com. 

No More Excuses: If You Want Organic Living, You Can Have It

We’ve covered a lot over the past month, that’s for sure. If you’re feeling any information overload or are concerned about the choices you’ll make from here, just keep this in mind…

Just one small step to more healthy living is an important one. And as you make each new step, the next one becomes even easier. You don’t have to have all the answers before you start because you’re going to learn as you go along. And besides, only you can decide what is right for you.

A small home vegetable garden. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Whether you start a vegetable garden, decide to raise chickens or rework your budget so you can start eating more organic foods, these are all steps in the right direction.

Start by looking at local resources in your neighborhood. Look for farms, you-picks, seed banks and even educational opportunities available to improve your lifestyle. Some of the resources I’ve mentioned in the past few posts that might help you include:

- The EWG Dirty Dozen - find out which fruits and vegetables are most likely to have the highest and lowest use of pesticides.

- Find farmer’s markets, restaurants and grocery stores that sell organic food.

- Look for you-pick opportunities – just check if they’re organic.

The next step is up to you. I know you’ll be glad you took it.

And be sure to stay tuned to this blog every week for more tips, articles, and resources on healthy, holistic living!

Going Organic - Introducing Our Guest Post Series

I'm sure you've noticed the organic movement has really taken off over the past few years. Obviously we're big on the organic thing, as it's an integral part of avoiding and reducing toxins in your environment and in your body. So this month we're doing a little series on going organic, which I think you'll really enjoy.

The National Organic Program administers the Organic Seal to products that meet the requirements. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

If you’ve ever thought about going organic, you’ve probably had a few questions on your mind. What does organic really mean? How can it benefit you? And can it really be done on a budget? Well, I’ve enlisted a special guest to help shed some light on the topic for you this month, and her name is Grace Simpson. She’s very educated about organic food and the organic lifestyle in general, and is great at helping people get started with a more natural way of eating. Her philosophy is right in line with ours, so we're happy to have her!

Here is a brief intro to the series from Grace - I’ll let her introduce herself…

Hi, I’m Grace. I’ve been studying organic living since the USDA introduced national standards in 2002 and my family has been eating fully organic since about 2006. This subject means a lot to me because I want my family to have the healthiest meals possible.  A few other related subjects that I feel are important are our nation’s health, our wildlife and the sustainability of food production.

Even though certified organics have been around for a decade, I know there are still a lot of questions surrounding organic food. That’s why I am so happy to be here to talk about many of those concerns people have.

Here’s what you can expect in the next few posts:

- Why eating organic is important…to you and the world around you.
- How to introduce organics, even if you’re on a budget.
- What does organic really mean and are you really eating organic?
- We’ll also discuss issues surrounding meats and produce in more detail.
- Being your own source of organic foods.
- Do you need supplements?
We’re going to cover a lot, but remember, as you start consider the organic lifestyle; you don’t have to do this all at once. Just take it one step at a time adding healthier options slowly and keeping this great earth of ours in harmony.


Be sure to stay tuned for more in this series coming later this week!

Video - Fair Trade: The Movie

This short video explains the benefits of fair trade for the farmer, the economy, the environment, and the consumer, showing how each piece of the economic system is improved upon through fair trade practices. The successful use of a fair trade system serves as a positive model for change, and demonstrates that it truly is possible, economically feasible, and even preferable for all parties involved to evolve to a fair-trade model.

Check it out to be inspired and motivated to get involved in supporting fair trade, even if it's just through making small changes in your purchasing habits for products you already buy!

Fair Trade - The Movie. An eq.tv original.
Fair Trade is about helping small family farmers in developing countries get organized and develop their business skills in order to tap into the world market directly.


We hope you've enjoyed our articles, videos, and resources for living a cleaner, greener, healthier, and more sustainable lifestyle throughout the year! We will be taking a break next week for the holidays, but be sure to check back at the start of 2013 for more green living news, tips and ideas, and we're planning some great changes to benefit all of our readers in the year ahead.

From your friends at New Holistic Living, have a wonderful, safe, fun, and healthy Christmas and a Happy New Year!