10 Signs of Progress on the Spiritual Path

I’m no guru, but here’s what I notice after 50 years on the road

Anyone on the spiritual path knows it takes discipline, time, effort, and perseverance. We practice daily prayer, mindfulness, meditation, yoga, or other practices to grow as humans. Sometimes, if you’re anything like me, you wonder if your efforts are paying off.

Paying attention to incremental improvements can help you see your progress.

For example, I’m learning to play boogie woogie on the piano. At first, it felt almost impossible — the left hand playing a rock-solid, steady rhythm while the right hand plays the melody. It’s like patting your head and rubbing circles on your belly — hard!!

A week or two later, I played single notes on the right hand in sync with the rhythm. It was rough at first, but signs of life emerged. I could see the progress. The brain was getting rewired. I knew at this point it was just a matter of time and practice. A few weeks later, my right hand played the melody in sync with the left.

It’s still a bit choppy, but four weeks ago, I couldn’t do any of it. Now, I’m well on my way to boogie-woogie happiness. Noticing the most minor improvements gave me the confidence my efforts were paying off.

The same thing applies to the spiritual path.

Noticing the good things happening in our lives can help us recognize we’re making progress.

Before going any further, I want to define what the spiritual path means to me. It’s a vague term, and we probably all have interpretations. For me, it’s a commitment to awakening, connecting to the source within, and living in alignment with my highest values.

My journey has been full of peaks, valleys, and plateaus. Sometimes I got stuck and felt like crap. But I never flat-out quit. I learned the valleys or plateaus are as much of the journey as the beautiful peaks.

Here are ten things that I think are reasonable indications of growth. If they’re relevant to me, they may also be helpful signposts for you.

Here we go.

1. I feel lighter and happier.

Lighter means less burdens, carrying less crap around in my head. I’ve got way less to worry about. I’m standing taller these days — my posture is better. I wake up looking forward to the day, not dreading it. That’s always a good sign.

2. I get triggered less frequently

The key word here is less. I still get triggered now and then. When I do, it’s generally when my wife and I butt heads. We both have a lot of fire and sometimes set each other off. Other than that, it’s rare if I get wound up about something.

I give a lot of credit to my practice of meditation here. Maintaining a consistent inner connection over many years enables me to stay much more centered and balanced than in my earlier days.

3. I maintain present-moment awareness more consistently.

Remembering my breath has been a consistent practice now for over fifty years. I do it while writing, playing tennis, cooking, listening to someone speak, and walking. It’s simple, practical, and keeps me out of my head and more into my heart. As a result, I pay more attention to what’s happening within and around me. It’s a big deal.

4. I’m more kind and compassionate to myself and others.

A subjective statement, I know. But I feel it deep in my bones. Over the years, I’ve felt the change. I’ve let go of perfectionism, the unrelenting compulsion to win, and prove myself and the accompanying self-torture of losing and post-loss what-ifs. And I see the difference in how I treat others — more tolerant and empathetic.

5. I listen more and talk about myself less.

I’d rather listen than talk about myself these days. Unless someone asks, I’m not interested in broadcasting information about what I’m up to. When I meet someone new, I’m curious about their life, so I ask relevant questions.

I’ve learned some fascinating things by shutting my mouth.

6. I accept what is with less resistance and let go of what doesn’t serve me more easily.

One of my most powerful tools is the ability to let go of what is not in my control. I get to choose what thoughts to meditate on and to let go.

Letting go of how I think someone else ought to behave has been life-changing.

7. I observe my thoughts more easily.

The more centered I am, the more I can observe my thoughts. Without this ability, I become lost in them. And when I’m lost in them, I’m less present and less effective.

While playing golf recently, I stood over a short four-foot putt and missed it. As the ball landed just long and to the right of the hole, I realized I was thinking about what to have for dinner that night. Not present at all. And not being present means I got in my way.

8. I’m more interested in the quality of my life than in having more things.

Peace and making a positive difference in the world is more important than acquiring more stuff. I’ve had sports cars, big houses, the latest technology, and the finest suits and shirts. Now, I could care less.

Making a difference and standing up for what is right brings me great satisfaction, joy, and vitality.

9. I don’t worry about having enough.

I’ve replaced the mindset of “I have to struggle and worry my way to having enough” with “I have everything I want and need.” Since making this change several years ago, my life has blossomed like never before.

It all started with respecting the power of my thoughts and reprogramming my brain.

10. I don’t take myself too seriously.

This may be the most important one of all. Being able to laugh at myself and the ridiculous things I sometimes do, has been profoundly liberating. I know I’m a bit wacky, but a good person at heart with plenty to learn. So, I approach life doing the best I can — releasing myself from the expectation of perfection.

And, I cut other people a break, too, because I know I can’t see what’s going on behind the curtain in their life. It makes things way better and takes the edge off because, after all, I’m here to enjoy my life.

Enjoying life. What a wonderful thing.

One more thing —

I’m Don Johnson. I write essays about life, love, and the pursuit of peace, wholeness, and freedom.

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