A few years ago I came across this article about building a spiritual resume. I loved the concept. In a world that reinforces the idea that you are only worth what you can produce, it’s important to be intentional about giving yourself credit and praise.
Personally, I’m building a new spiritual garden for myself with things that refill and repair my soul. The spiritual resume is a simple but deep self reflection tool that helps increase awareness of the ways you contribute to your own life + life itself.
The point of this isn’t to turn yourself into another list of achievements, but to widen your aperture on what competence actually is. When you start to notice how your qualities, emotions, and inner capacities actively support your aliveness, you begin to see yourself as a contributor to your own life rather than a problem to manage. These questions are invitations to recognize the quiet skills that are already sustaining you.
Self Reflective Questions
What emotions can you now tolerate that used to overwhelm you?
What have you survived that proves your inner capacity?
What triggers can you move through without losing yourself?
What are 3 words that describe the energy of your love?
What kind of inner permission can you give yourself now that you couldn’t before?
What kinds of ideas can you entertain that once felt forbidden or unsafe?
What losses have you lived through without losing your will to live?
What environments did you adapt to that would have broken many people?
How does your ability to feel deeply enrich your life?
What ways has your ability to reflect helped you grow?
Spiritual Skills List
If it’s helpful, I’ve included below a list of examples of what “spiritual skills” can look like. These are simply different expressions of aliveness, maturity, and inner competence that might spark your own thinking or remind you of capacities you already carry.
Feeling your feelings
Staying present
Calming yourself
Trusting your body
Paying attention
Being curious
Seeing clearly
Knowing yourself
Letting things move through you
Resting
Playing
Feeling pleasure
Being honest
Sensing what’s right
Setting boundaries
Noticing your needs
Mourning what’s lost
Staying open
Making meaning
Choosing yourself
Listening deeply
Telling the truth kindly
Sensing other people’s feelings
Staying calm in conflict
Speaking up for yourself
Repairing after mistakes
Staying present with others
Knowing when to walk away
Not taking everything personally
Asking for what you need
Letting others be who they are
Reading the room
Taking space when you need it
Softening after hurt
Staying open in connection
Noticing when something feels off
Being emotionally honest
Returning after a rupture
Holding your ground gently
TL:DR
Don’t let the world convince you that your value is in what you produce. Learn to value your presence + your interiority.
