A few months ago I went to Las Vegas to meet up with a good friend. During a lively lunch discussion, she asked me what my spiritual practice was. The question caused me to pause. My answer is so simple that those seeking to be more “spiritual” often overlook it as they search for that perfect yoga position, meditation technique or mindfulness exercise.

I no longer make a distinction between my “regular” life and my spiritual life. For me being spiritual means turning within and asking the still, small voice for guidance. Not sometimes, and not for just the hard things, but for all of it. Everyone I meet, everything I experience is an opportunity to practice letting the Love inside of me take the lead. My spiritual practice is ongoing. It doesn’t stop or start. It’s a way of living. 24/7. Simple? Yes. Easy? Hell no!

The difficulty lies in that we must change our entire thought process, literally let go of all the beliefs that we’ve come to cherish, all the things we think we “know,” and show up with “unknowingness” so we can be shown. Fortunately we’ve got plenty of people and situations to practice on over our lifetime. If we mess up we know it right away. How do we know? We’re not happy; we’re not at peace. Something is off.

I’m a big fan of practicality, getting to root cause, and results. My chosen spiritual path, A Course in Miracles, has all of these elements. Emphasis is on actual application as opposed to theories or rituals. I set my goal to turn within for Guidance, and work to put it into action throughout the day. This practice has the benefit of instant feedback (how am I feeling?), so I can course correct as needed. This simple, singular focus puts my life in context to something bigger, and provides me with meaning and purpose that transcends all aspects of my life.

I didn’t get to this point overnight, and I still have a long way to go. But I’m on a roll. Practicing hasn’t made me perfect. It’s given me results that motivate me to keep on keeping on. What is the critical success factor? Fall down seven times and get up eight. That’s it. Keep practicing. I’ve learned that I’ll fall yet I’ll always be given another chance to get back on my feet. You just have to want it bad enough.

As with anything you want to achieve it’s important to set yourself up for success. You must create the habits that assist you in reaching your goal and surround yourself with the people that will support your efforts. Getting to your desired outcome is hard enough, why put unnecessary obstacles in your way?

The support system I developed for myself over many years consists of lots of little, and not so little, habits and go-to resources. None of them are an end in themself; they assist me in stopping the war within my mind so I can remember to turn within and surrender everything over to That which knows. However, over the many years I’ve pursued my spiritual path, I also nurtured and strengthened a number of internal characteristics. Actions need internal fortitude to help sustain them over the long haul, so they can become effective habits working cohesively together in support of the overall goal.

Below are some quick bullets to give you a sense of what works for me:

Essentials that enable an effective spiritual practice – Clarity of purpose; prioritizing love and truth above all else; willingness to learn; strong internal motivation and drive; vigilance in monitoring results; honesty; being a detached “observer”; a spiritual teaching that resonates (for me it’s A Course in Miracles); comfortable with marching to your own drummer.

Habits that sustain me and get me back on my feet – Gratitude; morning contemplation; questioning and changing my beliefs as necessary; feeding my mind with books that reinforce what I want to learn; avoiding the news; being open to everyone and everything; journal writing; surrounding myself with images, cards, posters that reflect the thinking I want to reinforce in myself; having “go-to” confidants that maintain a safe space for me to process; accepting “what is”; staying in the present moment.

So I guess it’s fair to say that my spiritual practice has evolved to one single overriding focus –my willingness to consistently turn within and ask for guidance. The results, as with anything, correlate directly to the amount of time and energy I devote. I’m willing to bet my life on it. Are you?