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16 Spiritual Touchstones for a More Grounded Life

16 Spiritual Touchstones for a More Grounded Life

Last updated on: October 18, 2026 at 5:40 am by Tom Rapsas

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16 Spiritual Touchstones for a More Grounded Life 2026-10-18T05:40:05-06:00 Tom Rapsas

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Mapping out the 16 personal touchstones that help me stay grounded. Image of a guy that looks like me created by Gemini.

After decades of spiritual study, here are 16 principles I try to live by.

I’ve never been one to wear my spiritual beliefs on my sleeve. So, when my book Wake Up Call: Daily Insights for the Spiritually Curious came out in 2024, a lot of my friends and work colleagues were surprised. “I had no idea you were spiritual!” was a common refrain. I understand why.

Unless the topic comes up naturally, I rarely talk about my beliefs. To me, the most important thing our personal spirituality does is inform who we are at our core, ideally making us wiser, kinder, more grounded human beings. Like a well-maintained automobile, a regular spiritual practice helps keep things running smoothly under the hood, especially when life gets noisy.

Internal spiritual maintenance: what it looks like in practice.

After decades of reading, contemplation, and plenty of trial and error, I’ve gradually assembled a personal operating manual. These are ideas I’ve jotted down over the years. When put together, they make up the core precepts I try to live by. They aren’t rules I preach to others but are instead guidelines I use myself.

After looking through a few of my old journals, I compiled them into a list of sixteen. It’s by no means complete (I’m sure I missed several) and continues to be, like me, a work in progress. As you read through them, feel free to borrow what resonates and discard what doesn’t—or use them as inspiration to draft a list of your own.

16 Touchstones for a More Grounded Life

Follow the Golden Rule. There may be no more important thing we can do than treat others as we would like them to treat us. It’s simply the right thing to do.
Believe in something greater than yourself. The world can be a lot to deal with on our own. Find something to lean on. Sit silently with God. Experience the wonder of Nature. Immerse yourself in a noble cause. Whatever sparks your inner fire.
Set your own course. Listen to the advice of friends, family and loved ones, but ultimately make sure your path in life is the one that feels right to you. Only you can uncover what your soul wants.
Cultivate and use your intuition. Trust the quiet intelligence in your gut before your logical brain tries to talk you out of it. Your first instinct, an inner knowing, is almost always right.
Spend less time doing things that do nothing for you. Do you sometimes find yourself mindlessly scrolling your social media feed? Me, too. Put the phone down. Don’t trade the actual reality in front of you for a digital imitation.
Be the best listener. Not the best talker. Instead of waiting to talk, really listen to the person speaking to you. When you do, they’ll know it. As Maya Angelou said, people may not remember what you said, but they will remember how you made them feel.
Always be humble. Feeling confident and self-satisfied? There’s nothing wrong with that, but keep a lid on it. A humble mindset means you’re still open to learning new things and makes you more approachable to others.
Take a beat before responding. Did someone or something upset you? Instead of reacting immediately, pause and silently count 1-2-3. There’s no better way to avoid doing or saying something you may later regret.
Lean into uncomfortable experiences. Does a situation have you feeling self-conscious or ill-at-ease? Take a breath and lean into any negative feelings. The Buddhists believe that resistance leads to suffering. Lean in and let it pass.
Try to be better than you were the day before. The only person you should be comparing yourself to is you. Each day is a new opportunity to get it right.
Don’t force things to happen. Let them happen naturally. Life has a funny way of bringing you what you need, when you need it. Keep your eyes open. The best opportunities are often right in front of you.
Find quiet time. Don’t rush through life without taking quiet time for yourself. Enjoy a quiet morning coffee, listen to a guided meditation, or simply sit and just be. It gives your mind a chance to catch its breath and get centered.
Notice the magic in everyday life. Try it right now. What do you hear outside your windows? What do you see? Are there things in your own home you’re now overlooking? The magical things in life are just waiting for you to notice them.
Give more to life than you take from it. Instead of asking,*“What’s in this for me?”*or depending on people or circumstances to make you happy, ask, “How can I add value?” Be generous with the things you bring to life.
Give thanks daily. Recognize the good that is in your life. John Templeton called it “an attitude of gratitude.” Like a magnet, you’ll draw even more goodness into your life and have more to be thankful for.
Have a direct relationship with the Divine. You don’t need a middleman to experience God, nor can you think your way there with your intellect alone. Focus on your heart. Realize that the sacred presence is always in your midst and is as accessible as the air you breathe.

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