Unit 9 Final Assignment

Jacob Campbell

Purdue University Global

 Spirituality is a core component of our mental and physical growth as human beings.

Regardless of what you practice and what you believe in, your values are unique and vital to

your existence. Spirituality goes beyond religion and beyond our education; it is a culmination of

all that we have learned and experienced that has shaped us into the thinker and philosopher we

are today. The following questionnaire will allow you to get a better grasp of your own, unique

spiritual journey. It will assess your beliefs, values, behaviors, and thoughts. Thank yourself for

taking time from your day to grasp a better understanding of your spirituality.

Spirituality Questionnaire:

1) What does spirituality mean to you?

2) What spiritual practices do you partake in (meditation, prayer, journaling, yoga…)?

3) What have you learned about yourself and your spirituality from the practices you

mentioned above?

4) Agree or Disagree: I am more optimistic about the future than pessimistic. Explain.
 5) How has your spirituality helped you in times of stress and struggle?

6) How has your spirituality helped you manage emotions, such as fear and anger?

7) Do you often have a positive outlook in negative situations? Provide an example.

8) How many meaningful relationships and friendships do you have today?

9) Do you forgive those who have wronged you? Elaborate on a specific situation and

explain why or why not they were forgiven.

10) Explain the importance of spirituality in life.

Each of these questions will provide us and you with a better understanding of where you

stand spiritually. We can gauge how important certain beliefs and behaviors are to you and how

you handle difficult and stressful situations. Asking what spirituality means to you is the best

way to understand your beliefs. Some value spirituality and faith more than others, so it is
important to learn where you stand individually. The next question asks about the spiritual

practices you partake in. There is such a wide range of activities that can boost spirituality, so it

is interesting to see which practices different people find useful. Some of the most common

practices include meditation, prayer, and exercise (Insight State, 2020). Participants will then be

asked about how they feel these practices have impacted them. Many of us will try and

experiment with certain techniques that might not work for us, so it would be interesting to find

out what works for others. Also, this will give the individual insight into their own spiritual

journey, as they can reflect on the practices that have influenced them the most. The fourth

question deals with optimism. Proper spirituality will always promote optimism over pessimism.

When we stay true to our beliefs and values, we have a strong sense of hope and positivity for

the future, meaning we are optimistic. However, when we stray away from our core beliefs, we

tend to fixate on the negative aspects of our lives because we have no means of escape (Scott,

2020). This is why spirituality is vital for creating an optimistic outlook on life. The next two

questions ask the participants to consider a time when their teachings and their practices on

spirituality have aided them in overcoming a difficult obstacle in life. These questions force the

subject to think critically about how their spirituality has helped them in the past, which will

allow them to understand the purpose of having beliefs and values. The seventh question asks

participants to think about how they handle negative situations. If we stay true to our values and

beliefs, it is a lot easier to work our way out of stressful situations. However, when our actions

do not align with our virtues, it is nearly impossible to handle difficult situations, leaving us in an

inescapable rut. The next question asks about friendships and relationships. Connections with

others is one of the most important aspects of spirituality (Levine, 2016). These relationships

give us support, guidance, and structure. It is important to hold tightly onto the important people
in life, because they are there for us no matter what. The ninth question asks about forgiveness. It

is important to forgive those who have wronged us. Since we know we will never forget what

they did, we need to clear our conscious of their mistake so that it does not weigh us down

forever (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Forgiving others has so many rewarding benefits for us, such as

“less anxiety, lower blood pressure, fewer symptoms of depression, and a stronger immune

system” (Mayo Clinic, 2017). Learning why we need to forgive others is essential in living a life

that corresponds with our goals and values. Finally, the last question asks the participant to

explain the importance of spirituality. All of the previous questions have led up to this one, and it

will allow the subject to put everything together to remind themselves why they need to follow

their beliefs and virtues. Spirituality has a different importance to everybody you ask, but it has

universal importance as well (Scott, 2020). Once all of these questions have been answered, the

participants will have thought deeply about the importance of their actions and values and will

hopefully improve the areas of their life that need attention.

I used this questionnaire to interview my girlfriend, Amaiya. She did a wonderful job of

elaborating on each of the questions I asked her. To her, spirituality is “about believing in

something beyond just human existence.” She has used her spirituality to focus on defining her

purpose in life and connecting with those around her. Amaiya practices numerus spiritual

practices, and some of her favorites are reading, praying, journaling, and walking meditation.

She says she has learned so much about herself and her beliefs through these practices, namely

the fact that she thrives in solitude because it allows her focus on herself. She agrees with the

statement that she is optimistic about the future, stating that she “believes we can create our own

destiny.” She uses this optimistic mindset to achieve her goals of living a loving, compassionate,

and exciting life. Amaiya unfortunately lost her father as a child and expressed how important
her spirituality became after this event. It brought her closer to him and reminds her daily that

she will see him again. She also stated how much meditation has helped her get through

struggles with her emotions. When she is angry or worried, she uses meditation and journaling to

relax her and reset her mindset so she can clearly attack her fears. When asked about the most

meaningful friendships in her life, Amaiya immediately named three people who she could share

anything with and has made an incredibly strong connection with. These friendships feel like

family to her because they are so close and honest with each other. One of the best qualities

about Amaiya is her ability to forgive. She went through a lot as a child and a teenager, yet she

holds no grudges today. The instance she brought up was when a student at her middle school

spread rumors about her family. Amaiya was bullied and teased for it, yet years later, she forgave

the student who spread the rumors. Amaiya said that “if I would have never forgiven her, I

would still be carrying around the anger and frustration.” Forgiveness is such an amazing quality,

because it allows us to receive closure when we know it is time to move on. Amaiya believes

that it is extremely important for everybody to practice spirituality, since it allows us to discover

our purpose in life. Finally, she says that spirituality is key because “it gives us the ability to

learn and embrace ourselves and others.”

The questionnaire gave me a better understanding of Amaiya’s stance on spirituality and

journey with her own beliefs and values. Looking back at the interview, I wish I would have

asked for more elaboration on some questions, such as how long she has been partaking in

spiritual practices, how her stress has been mitigated due to these practices, and why she believes

the strong friendships she has have been successful for so long. These three changes to my

questionnaire would make it more effective at gaining a better understanding of anybody’s

spirituality and beliefs.

 Spirituality is present in everybody’s life, whether they are aware of its magnificence or not.

Therefore, it is very beneficial for everybody to learn more about themselves and their loved

ones in order to improve our relationships with ourselves and our connections with others. The

inventory of spirituality-based questions provides a solid overview of an individual’s spirituality

as a whole and allows us to determine what areas of their belief system needs enhancing. I

learned more about my girlfriend that I thought I would. I hope this questionnaire provides

anybody who responds to it a better understanding of their own purpose, as well as the

spirituality of their loved ones and those around them.

 References

Insight State. (2020, July 22). 12 Types of Spiritual Practices.

https://www.insightstate.com/spirituality/types-of-spiritual-practices/.

Levine, S. (2016, February 1). The Importance of Friendship. Psychology Today.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/our-emotional-footprint/201602/the-

importance-friendship.

Mayo Clinic. (2017). Forgiveness: Letting go of grudges and bitterness. Retrieved from:

https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/forgiveness/art-

20047692

Scott, E. (2020, November 27). Spirituality Can Improve Many Aspects of Your Life and Health.

Verywell Mind. https://www.verywellmind.com/how-spirituality-can-benefit-mental-and-

physical-health-3144807.