We live in a cynical world where the publicized news is mostly bad and there is a crisis brewing in nearly every country. But even though we are bombarded with negative messages each day, there are many ways to rise above the doom and gloom and live a more spirit-based existence.

This article outlines a 7-day plan for leading a more spiritual life. Apply these techniques to your life day-by-day, and within one week you should feel happier, more joyful, and enlightened!

Day 1: Perform random acts of kindness. We’re starting out with something easy, because everyone is in a position to share kindness. Whether it’s holding the door open for the elderly woman entering the bank or bringing your co-worker coffee, find little ways throughout your day to be randomly kind.

Day 2: Watch for spiritual signs. Today your assignment is to watch for signs that have a spiritual message. An angel emblem somewhere or the word “Hope” on a billboard are just a couple of ways that spiritual signs will speak to you. When you recognize a spiritual sign, acknowledge it and feel your spirits lift in response.

Day 3: Have an attitude of gratitude. When you wake up on day 3, make the choice to have a have an attitude of gratitude. Look for the good in everyone, everything and every situation and be grateful for every lesson there is to learn today.

Day 4: React from the heart. Your assignment for this day is to make every decision a heartfelt one. Throughout the day, pause before you do something and silently ask, ‘What would my heart like me to do here?’ And then listen quietly for a gentle nudge that points you in a direction. If you don’t receive a clear answer, try closing your eyes and putting your hand over your heart before asking for clarity.

Day 5: Turn routine into ritual. As you’ve noticed by now, your assignments are getting progressively more challenging. But I’m confident that you’re up to the task! Life can be very routine and mundane, which has the ability to drag you down. So today, you are going to turn routine tasks (like showering, washing the dishes, or running errands) into rituals. As you go through each segment of your day, stop for a moment and make sure that your mind is 100% on the task at hand. Instead of planning your grocery list while driving your kids to school, for example, talk to them about their day ahead and be fully present in the conversation.

Day 6: Detach from the drama. It’s so easy to get caught up in the drama of your own life as well as the lives of others, including the artificial lives on T.V. That’s why, today, you are going to detach from all of the drama. If a friend or loved one tries to pull you in, change the subject if possible or walk away if you have to. And don’t forget to turn off the T.V., or at the very least watch something uplifting. You cannot lead a spiritual life if you’re feeding on the negativity of drama!

Day 7: Visualize your desired outcome. Congratulations! You’re almost there. Your final assignment is to visualize your desired spiritual outcome for the weeks ahead. One example would be, ‘I desire to hold on to an attitude of gratitude while spreading kindness and continually being watchful for spiritual signs.’ Whatever you desire in your quest to lead a more spiritual life, hold on to that vision throughout the day.

Learning to lead a more spiritual life takes conscious effort on a daily basis. Although your experience won’t be transformed in a single day - or even a single week - if you continue to practice the techniques outlined in this article, you will experience transforming change.

I recently had dinner with a friend in a quaint, waterfront community. Being portion-conscious, I had part of my dinner boxed up to go. After eating, my friend and I took a long walk up and down the lake’s shore.

It was a beautiful, balmy night. The sun was mostly gone and the lights of the evening reflected brilliantly off the water. Couples snuggled on benches, mothers walked their babies in strollers and joggers pounded by, their skin glistening with sweat. The walk should have been perfect, but was marred by one thing: my box of leftovers.

The Burden of Carrying Stress

As I walked along in conversation with my friend, that box became more and more annoying. I shifted it from hand to hand, lifted it up and down. Nothing I did with it was comfortable.

Our lakefront loop lasted about two miles. We decided to sit for a while and visit some more. Next to our stone perch was a garbage can. Without thinking about what I was doing, I threw my box of leftovers into that can.

Suddenly, I was uplifted, liberated. My hands were free from the burden of that box and so was my mind. I no longer had to think about new ways to hold or position the box to be comfortable.

In reflection, that box of leftovers symbolized the leftover burden I carry every day. The burden of work and family and of feeling less than perfect. The burden of carrying extra weight and constantly trying to find a way to be comfortable in my skin.

Releasing the Stress that Weighs You Down

The simple act of throwing that box away freed me from that particular burden and made me realize that I have the power to release anything that weighs me down.

Now, when my work day is done, I visualize throwing out the excess “trash” before turning my attention to my family. And when I worry excessively about my  weight or some other issue, I stop myself and take those unproductive thoughts off my shoulders and dump them where they belong - with those leftovers.