By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
5 signs you are out of touch with your spirituality
032608a34c0d1e204d686f8f327e7e65c69beacd18aec82e83c8a48b6c904b80
Are you feeling alone even though you are surrounded by loved ones? - photo by Mayra Coln
You could be in a crowded room filled with family and friends, and yet you feel lonely and disconnected. You pull away from the people who care about you and from the things that bring you joy. And you struggle against those negative feelings. But unfortunately, ignoring this can affect your well-being, your relationships and how you function.

There was a period during my early adulthood when I isolated myself. I was physically present, but not mentally or emotionally. I wanted to be alone. My thoughts were built on frustration and grudges. I didnt see the bright side of things. I refused to listen to family when they said God would take care of things. How was that possible? I prayed to Him, but I didnt see change. I was upset with God.

It took a lot of family support and the drive to want help before I understood God wasnt ignoring me. He was listening, but He was waiting for me to draw closer to Him. He needed me to embrace my spirituality. When I finally did, I was able to let go of what weighed me down. I gained back control of my life and strengthened my emotional and mental stability. Once I accepted God, I never looked back.

Below are five signs you are not in touch with your spirituality:

1. You don't have trust in prayer

Maybe you say you believe and have faith. When life is not going as planned, you may even pray for positive change and enlightenment. But when time passes with no change, you begin to lose hope. You doubt God is listening. The truth is He is listening to every word in our minds and hearts. Gods timing and plans are usually different from ours. But He will answer and give us what we need at the right time. Praying to God is believing without seeing that is faith.

2. You refuse to forgive

Its hard to forgive at least right away. Many believe its better to stay angry at someone or at life. But its not. Not forgiving creates bitterness, destroys our inner peace and pulls us farther away from God. People will hurt us and we will suffer rough patches. But part of our spirituality is knowing God will carry us through. We are never alone. God is with us through good and bad.

3. You're judgmental

Judging people negatively is used to take attention from ourselves. It is a way to make ourselves feel better if weve done something wrong. Unfortunately, pinpointing someone elses faults is not Gods way. He doesnt want us to judge one another. He wants us to love each other as He loves us.

4. You never assume responsibility

Blaming others for our mistakes will make life more empty. God created us to support one another, not destroy one another. We all have imperfections; so when we make a mistake, admit it, ask for forgiveness and be better moving forward.

5. You lack spiritual understanding

Its difficult to understand the meaning of spirituality and what it entails. Its more than just prayer. Its believing in God without always seeing, accepting others for who they truly are, genuinely wanting the best for others, and so much more. Our spiritual journey should include building a relationship with God so we can understand more fully that and how He loves and guides us.

Getting in touch with our spirituality is vital for our soul. It helps us gain and keep a healthier outlook on life. The process doesnt happen overnight; its gradual. But there is so much satisfaction once we embrace it. Theres no better feeling than that of knowing we have a relationship with a father in heaven who loves us.
Sign up for our E-Newsletters
How to avoid 'sharenting' and other paparazzi parenting habits
ce406c66b9871a104ac24256a687e4821d75680dcfc89d9e5398939543f7f88f
A recent study revealed parents often spend up to two hours staging a single photo of his or her child to post online. - photo by Amy Iverson
Before having kids, some people just dont appreciate their friends baby posts. But after having a child of their own, three fourths of new parents jump right on the parental social media bandwagon. If you have become a member of this group, there are some rules to follow for posting responsibly.

Much of a parents worry is how to teach their children to use social media responsibly. We talk with our kids about privacy, oversharing, and setting restrictions on their devices to keep them safe. But parents themselves need to look in the digital mirror once in a while. Before having children, it doesnt take as much effort to think about what to post online. Its up to us to decide what we share about our own lives. But once you become a parent, there are many questions to think about regarding what is appropriate to post about your kids on social media.

In a recent survey, kids clothing subscription company Mac and Mia surveyed 2000 new parents to find out how they are documenting their kids lives on social media, and what concerns they may have.

First of all, people without children seem to feel a bit differently about the onslaught of baby pictures online than those who are parents. 18 percent of people say before they had kids, they were annoyed by their friends baby posts. But after having children of their own, 73 percent admit they post progress pictures of their little ones every single month.

Not only are new parents letting the world know each time their baby is a month older, but they are posting about their kids every few days or so. Men and women report they post 6-7 times per month about their baby.

And while 70 percent of new parents say the benefit of using social media is how easy it is to help family and friends feel involved, there are some downsides. Here are a few tips to avoid the pitfall of becoming paparazzi parents.

Dont miss the moment

In the Mac and Mia survey, some parents admitted to spending up to two hours to get the perfect shot of their baby. That seems a little extreme. New and old parents alike should be careful about spending so much time taking pictures and videos that they dont enjoy the moment. Years ago, I decided to never live an experience through my phone. A study by Linda Henkel, a psychology professor at Fairfield University in Connecticut, found that when people took pictures of objects in an art museum, they didnt remember the objects as well as if they simply observed them.

This photo-taking impairment effect can happen to parents as well. If we are so consumed by getting the perfect photo, we can miss out on the moment all together, and our memory of it will suffer.

Dont forget about privacy

60 percent of couples say they have discussed rules and boundaries for posting their babys photos, according to the Mac and Mia survey. Even so, men are 34 percent more likely to publish baby posts on public accounts. If parents are concerned about their childrens privacy, keeping photos off of public accounts is a given.

In the Washington Post, Stacey Steinberg, a legal skills professor at the University of Florida, and Bahareh Keith, a Portland pediatrician, wrote that sharing too much information about kids online puts them at risk. They write that all that sharenting can make it easier for data thieves to target out kids for identity theft. Check that your privacy settings are where they should be and never share identifying information like full names and birth dates.

Dont be paparazzi parents

36 percent of parents say they take issue when their childs photo is posted online by someone else. Responsible social media users will always ask permission before posting a photo of another child. But parents should also think about whether their own children will take issue with their own posted photos a few years down the road.

When parents are constantly snapping pictures and throwing them on social media, it can be easy to forget to pause and make sure the post is appropriate. I always use the billboard example with my kids. I ask them to picture whatever they are posting going up on a billboard in our neighborhood. If they are okay with that, then their post is probably fine. Parents should ask themselves this same question when posting about their children. But they should also ask themselves if their child would be OK with this post on a billboard in 15 years. If it would cause embarrassment or humiliation, it might be best to keep it private.

Once children reach an appropriate age, parents should include them in the process of deciding what pictures are OK to post. Researchers at the University of Michigan surveyed 10- to 17-year-olds and found children believe their parents should ask permission more than parents think they should. The kids in the survey said sharing happy family moments, or accomplishments in sports, school and hobbies is fine. But when the post is negative (like when a child is disciplined) or embarrassing (think naked baby pictures or messy hair), kids say to keep it off social media.
Latest Obituaries