People who develop a strong sense of spirituality in their lives reap the immaterial benefits in their outlook on life and in how they interact with others. They achieve a level of comfort with their spiritual side that allows them to look at things from a less worldly perspective, seeing the positives where others can. Spiritual individuals realize the relativity of trivial problems that can beleaguer people who can’t see beyond them.

You might not realize it, but the hypothetical spiritual individual described above is also the perfect candidate to build a professional network among their colleagues. You might question the validity of that assertion, since “spiritual” individuals are typically depicted as non confrontational people who refuse to dabble in the cutthroat nature of doing business. But professionals working in the high-stres environments of any business atmosphere would do well to learn to get in touch with their spiritual side.

Let me explain.

Learning how to minimize stress

For starters, simple exercises pivotal to many spiritual practices can help you reduce stress and build confidence. Maintaining a relaxed and confident demeanor is key to networking, so it goes without saying that any calming technique would be a welcome for any professional who makes their living by mingling with potential clients and investors.

 There are meditative practices, for example, associated with almost any major religion (Buddhism, Islam, Taoism, and even Christianity, to name a few) meant to focus a person’s sense of self and their surroundings. Methods of mediation can vary from simple breathing techniques to earnest attempts to achieve spiritual enlightenment, but all of them are proven to significantly reduce a participant’s stress. If anything, meditation provides a person with a set to relax and contemplate, an exercise often forgotten in the business world.

Understanding yourself before others

Spiritual individuals tend to be more comfortable in their skin because they devote a large amount of time to understanding the thoughts and desires that crowd their head. There’s a lesson to be learned from such people: if you feel comfortable enough with yourself, then you’ll have fewer inhibitions holding you back. For networking professionals, that could mean achieving a level of self confidence to the point where you’re entirely comfortable talking to someone else. Meditation, prayer, and serious self reflection can help you ask and answer serious questions about yourself that you might not have previously addressed.

Of course I don’t think that everyone requires an intense bout of self exploration in order to be a competent businessperson, but it helps to know your feelings and motivations in a profession where communication is paramount. Some people go their whole lives without facing certain truths about their past, their relationships, or even their career goals. Forming a healthy dialogue with yourself is one way to confront and understand those truths. And once you come to terms with whatever it is that pesters your thoughts, you’ll become a much more successful communicator.

A way to pique client interest

You can use your spirituality as a critical tool as you network among professionals in your field. For example, you might have the opportunity to confide in someone about a how your spirituality helped you to overcome some personal conflict in the workplace. Or you might offer some basic tips for meditating to a client who complains about feeling overworked and stressed out. Of course, you want to limit your spiritual conversations to occasions where it’s appropriate.

The point is that you can let others in on your spirituality without sounding preachy, New Agey, or downright weird. It’s a matter of demonstrating to someone the practical benefits of spirituality. You simply have to show how spirituality makes your personal and professional life better. If you’ve listened to your instincts, then you’ll likely have an avid listener.

By-line:

This guest post is contributed by Lauren Bailey, who regularly writes for accredited online colleges. She welcomes your comments at her email Id: blauren99 @gmail.com.