Muscles grow when they’re stressed past normal.  Can we strengthen our souls the same way?

Breaking the Spiritual Homeostasis

Dr. Hans Seyle, in his “General Adaptation Syndrome Model,” explains that our bodies become stronger when forced to respond and adapt to physical stressors. Crossfit talks about this a lot in regards to programming for fitness.  Essentially, the theory as I understand it, goes something like this:  we lift a one-hundred pound weight overhead 5 times.  We’ve never done this before.  Our body is forced to adapt because of the stress.  We get stronger. We lift the same weight again;  this time it’s easier (because we’re stronger!) so there’s less stress and no need for our bodies to adapt (i.e. get stronger).  We lift it again and again there’s less stress so less need to adapt.  If we continue to lift this same weight for the same number of repetitions we will maintain that particular level of strength, we’ll be at a state of physical homeostasis. Unless we do something to disrupt that status we don’t grow.

The question for me is two-fold:

1. Do our souls “grow” the same way? and
2. What exercises should we do to break out of our spiritual homeostasis?

My theory for question #1 is yes. Call it what you like – soul/spirit/presence/character/self – there’s something that is in us that is us that is not the physical, mental or emotional.

So, if our souls can grow, they can workout. They can get stronger; interestingly, that should mean that they can get weaker as well.

Question #2 is really what the blog is supposed to be about.  Workouts for our soul.  If you click on the category called “Workouts” you should be able to at least stretch out a little bit.

If you have some ideas for workouts please leave your thoughts in the comments below or contact me directly.

Be strong (er)!

Workout: Make Someone Thankful
Do. Share. Give. Listen. Talk. Help. Support. Release. Forgive. Rebuke. Correct. Trust.

Usually, my Thanksgiving thoughts are focused on counting my blessings, being aware of the things I have to be thankful for. I easily could’ve put up a workout that was “Spend 15 minutes listing all the things you have to be thankful for.” This season I’d like to contribute more, consider others more.

I understand that we are not responsible for other’s feelings. I’m totally down with each of us being responsible for our own feelings. No one can change my attitude; they can influence it though. So, the idea of making someone thankful is not one of forcing them to “be happy, damn it! Or else…” It is more to work on making possible, or helping to create an environment of, thankfulness.

What can I do to make that happen?

My list of verbs at the top include some words to get started. What can I do? What can I share or give? Is there someone that would benefit, not from me talking or advising, but just straight up listening to them?

Some things we do might lead to thankfulness – later. Correcting or rebuking someone who is going astray, needing an intervention, is not usually an action that leads to them gushing with praise and thanksgiving for your true love. BUT, in the long run, if you do care, if you do love, you will say the hard things.

Think about the people who are meaningful for you and run that list of verbs through the names. Pray. You’ll know what to do.