Article: Spiritual Wellness

This month, we challenge you to consider ways to pursue spiritual wellness. At CEEK, we believe that a healthy workforce is necessary for a growing and successful organization. The past two months we’ve unpacked how to support mental and physical wellness in the organizations you’re entrusted to lead. Spiritual wellness, often a taboo in a business context, is the third facet we’re exploring in this challenge series.

Typical definition may reference a faith foundation, guiding beliefs, principles, values, or standards of morality. Brené Brown defines spirituality as “recognizing and celebrating that we are all inextricably connected to each other by a power greater than all of us.” She contends that “practicing spirituality brings a sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose to our lives.” In an effort to promote spiritual wellness, leaders can hold space for individuals to practice their sense of perspective, meaning, and purpose.

At CEEK, our mission provides a shared foundation of meaning and purpose through our work. Though spirituality means different things to us as individuals, our agreed values give us a common means to approach our mission through how we serve our clients, colleagues, and community. We can pursue spiritual wellness—however we define it as individuals—through the individual and collective application of shared values.

Spirituality is very personal. Leaders need to recognize the ability you have to enhance, and subtract from, the spiritual wellness of the teams you are entrusted to lead. This month, we encourage you to hold space, individually and collectively, to define and pursue spiritual wellness.

How to Hold Space

1. Frame Values to Support Spiritual Wellness – If mission informs what we do, values inform how we do it. Define, promote, and demonstrate a set of core values to reflect the shared spirit of the organization.

• Prioritize Actions Before Words – Prioritize demonstrated application of associated values over professions of faith. Let your actions and demonstrated values spur conversation that creates and highlights connection.

• Empower the Conversation – Provide a safe forum where your colleagues can openly share their backgrounds and perspectives if conversations arise regarding spiritual beliefs and faith. Get curious to learn more about the heart and soul of your colleagues. Discover what’s most important and where you might connect around shared values. Listen first to understand, and if you are comfortable, share your own background. Encourage continued learning and discovery of and about each other to promote spiritual wellness.

• Model Spiritual Humility – Practice the humility to accept that others may have a different path and perspective in pursuit of spiritual wellness. Recognize that spirituality, as well as faith, does not require certainty. Demonstrating spiritual humility eases tension surrounding conversations and initiatives to promote spiritual wellness.

A healthy workforce is good for business. Be the leader who inspires and supports a healthy mind, body, and spirit among your colleagues and organization. CEEK a Better Way^Ò.