Spirituality – connecting up – can mean anything related to religion, but that’s not the meaning here. Values such as honesty, reliability, truthfulness, transparency, service to others, anything bigger-than-self are the kind of spirituality that helps us be more resilient. Religion can be a powerful source of knowledge and wisdom about values, but as everyone knows, there are religious people who seem to lack values – and people who seem to have strong values but are not religious.
The growing ranks of people, especially younger adults, who describe themselves as “spiritual but not religious,” often seek an experience of the divine while rejecting organized religion. For a terrific overview of this trend, take a look at Diana Butler Bass’ Christianity After Religion.
- Reflecting on personal values offers protection from effects of stress (UCLA research).
- Manage stress by knowing what you value (Harvard Business Review).
- Affirmation of personal values buffers neuroendocrine and psychological stress responses (journal article).
