I go to the early service at church on Sundays at 8:30 every week. It helps me refocus and I try to keep the message of the week in mind every day. Some days are easier than others. I like to sit outside after work. I started meditating last year in the mornings after getting ready for the day. I do this standing up and closing my eyes taking deep breaths and clearing my mind. It's not what you would consider traditional meditation but it helps me center myself and then be more focused for the day. I listen to audiobooks in the car in the morning. These are motivational, spiritual or about self improvement. They have helped me to have different perspectives about all sorts of things.

I work in my garden in the summer. In the winter, it becomes more challenging. This year I'm hoping to have my greenhouse up and running. This helps me feel grounded and present. Working in the medical field, I have the opportunity to work with all different faiths and backgrounds in terms of religion. However, what I find missing or more taboo still to talk about is those of us who don't identify as religious. Not to say I don't have faith in God, but I don't adhere to a doctrine or go to church. I think having places like this to discuss topics is important because there's many of us who don't go to a church but find God all around us in nature or at home. Who pray but might do it in a different way. I also like talking with people who have different beliefs or even those who don't believe in God or a higher power and have a more scientific take. I think being able to listen and hear what others say and value their opinions no matter if I agree or not, not looking to argue but to understand has helped with my perspective taking. I'm still working on my awareness and spiritual practices. Right now I try and journal at least once a week and reflect. I think this is an area I want to grow in because I find it helps to adjust and decompress emotionally and to think things through logically. I'd also like to have more of a routine in place weekly and daily with devoted time to developing more spiritual practices like taking walks and meditating or other practices I haven't learned to do yet. I enjoy learning new ways of doing things. A moment I had that was life changing in seeing things from another's perspective was going to college in itself. I was surrounded by people with different backgrounds. I learned quickly that my background was very different and it gave me the opportunity to learn more about what's out there in the world instead of only where I had been exposed to in life. I think we see a lot on TV or online but until we experience it in person, it is still very abstract.