Polly Campbell: The Perfect, Imperfect Spirituality

Polly: Take a breath. Laugh. Trigger your faith or a positive emotion so that might be turning up a cool song on the radio or pausing to look at a beautiful scene in nature. A lot of times, if I feel like someone has not seen me, or I’m feeling disrespected, I put a big smile on my face and I wave at them in a kind and compassionate way. If they are that upset they need the kindness more than me and it also cracks me up because I imagine it ticks them off more.

Omtimes: What is a spiritual practice?

Polly: Something you do each day to connect with your spirit your essence. The practice is the discipline: the process of developing a habit. Ways of practicing include a five-minute mindfulness session, or daily self-compassion journaling or meditation. For some it could be singing or dancing or something altogether different that helps you move closer to your spirit.

Omtimes: How is acceptance practical in daily living?

Polly: So much of our anxiety and stress is a result of our projections… “Well, what if this happens,” or “what if they don’t like me” or “I guess I should do this…” but life isn’t that. Life is in the moment. We’ve got to see what’s happening right before us, step into it, to make the next moment valuable. Acceptance of what is right now is wholly practical to daily living. Only by doing it can we live fully in the next moment.

Omtimes: How can you drop the should-do’s to do what you’re passionate about to fulfill your own destiny without being selfish or narrow-minded?

Polly: First, act from a place of love and kindness. Sometimes the things you should do are also the things you want to do. For example, I often felt as though I “should” visit my grandmother. And I was also uplifted every time I did, so it was a good thing.

Secondly, know what you care about. What are your values? What are you passionate about? What gives your life meaning?