11 Enviable Traits Of People Who Remain Unshakeable In Their Faith
You don't have to be a religious person to learn inspiring skills from people who are.
Bricolage / Shutterstock Whether people are going through a breakup, family emergency, job loss, or other forms of tragedy, having faith gets many of them through the worst of the storms. With grace and a little prayer, many people, regardless of their religious beliefs, have overcome the toughest times of their lives.
There are several enviable traits of people who remain unshakeable in their faith that the average person could learn from. From an abundance of gratitude to a reflective nature, these individuals possess characteristics that consistently uplift themselves and others in good times and bad.
These are 11 enviable traits of people who remain unshakeable in their faith
1. They are dedicated
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The first enviable trait of people who remain unshakeable in their faith is their dedication to daily prayer. Many religions believe daily prayer is the greatest way to stay connected to the faith.
That said, committing to prayer daily isn't easy. With school, work, children, and other daily responsibilities in the mix, finding ways to stay on top of daily prayer isn't easy to remember. A survey from the Pew Research Center found that although 55% of people prayed once a day, only 16% prayed weekly and 23% never pray.
How can people learn from those who remain unshakeable in their faith and do better at staying committed? Ordained minister and bible teacher Jasmine Patterson writes that there are different ways to accomplish this. She explained that setting a place and time, making a prayer list, and praying with others, are all ways to better commit to daily prayer.
2. They are grateful for the little things in life
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It's okay to have not-so-great days. After all, everyone is human and as a result, every single person experiences setbacks, failures, or frustrating moments, at some point in their life. However, an enviable trait of people who remain unshakeable in their faith is remaining grateful for the little things in life.
Many sacred texts emphasize the importance of remaining grateful. From the Bible, which emphasizes the importance of giving thanks in all circumstances, to the Dhammapada, which encourages people to be happy and free of hatred, most religious texts discuss how important it is to look at the brighter side of things.
And perhaps, they're onto something, as multiple studies have shown how expressing gratitude impacts people's mental health for the better. For instance, a study in the Journal of Occupational Health found that creating gratitude lists improved people's depression and stress levels.
With this in mind, finding ways to express gratitude becomes even more important. Clinical Psychologist Monica Vermani, C. Psych., noted that this can be done by starting a daily gratitude file, pausing on negative thoughts, verbally expressing gratitude towards others, and acknowledging the small good things that happen throughout their day-to-day life.
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3. They are studious
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If someone truly wants to be unshakeable in their faith, they need to study their religious text daily. Most religious text encourages their followers to abide by and continuously learn the ways of the religion. For instance, the Qur'an encourages its followers to recite what has been revealed to them in the book and furthermore, to establish prayer.
People who remain unshakeable in their faith do their best to study their religious texts every day, but staying committed to this can be far from easy. According to a study in 2022, one reason people break positive habits before they are fully formed is due to not tracking behavior. They added, "Indeed, monitoring has been proven to be very effective in goal progress and attainment."
Participants who monitored their behavior by tracking it through apps on their smartphones were increasingly likely to commit to behavioral change.
4. They are focused on being of service to others
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The next enviable trait of people who remain unshakeable in their faith is that they focus on being of service to others. In religious texts like the Bible, quotes like, "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord," exist to remind others to remain committed to helping others.
Many people don't do their part to contribute to society. The AmeriCorps found that in 2023 only 28.3% of Americans formally volunteered through an organization. This is unfortunate, as a study published in 2023 noted that there are significant benefits associated with volunteering, such as an improvement in social, physical, and mental well-being.
If you want to give it a try and don't know where to start, sites like Volunteer.gov are great for locating places to volunteer. And there are online volunteer opportunities people can grab as well.
5. They are reflective
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Many of us forget how important it is to be reflective, but people who are unshakeable in their faith are well aware it’s important to reflect on the lessons they learn as they move through their spiritual journey. From Christianity to Buddhism to Judaism, religious texts encourage their followers to do inner work.
However, doing that inner work can take some time. But to help, author Tchiki Davis, Ph.D., suggested focusing on the situation at hand. She added that asking questions such as, "What impressions arise as you focus on the situation, what does it make you feel, and what does it make you think," are all important questions of self-reflection.
Self-reflection isn't just a great tool for getting closer to their faith. It’s also great for people's overall happiness.
According to a study published in Personality and Individual Differences, participants who had the highest level of insight were increasingly likely to be more satisfied and happier with their lives than individuals who didn't have much insight or only a medium amount of insight.
RELATED: 6 Ways Anyone Can Build A Relationship With A Higher Power (& Find Deeper Peace)
6. They maintain a healthy lifestyle
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It's not always easy to maintain a healthy lifestyle. According to Harvard Health, 42% of Americans are still consuming low-quality carbs, and 12% are coming from unsaturated fats. Additionally, the CDC noted that 60% of the American diet comes from processed foods, which may or may not be a bad thing depending on the brand.
Many religious texts stress the importance of treating our bodies as sacred, which makes perfect sense considering how having an unhealthy diet impacts people for the worse.
One study published in Frontiers in Public Health found that higher amounts of saturated fatty acids are associated with poor cognitive functioning, as well as worsening memory. Knowing this, people should do their best to maintain healthy eating habits.
7. They are community-minded and surround themselves with other believers
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One enviable trait of people who remain unshakeable in their faith is that they constantly surround themselves with other believers. Unlike some people, these dedicated individuals want to ensure that their morals and values aren't compromised. Because of this, these people purposely surround themselves with like-minded people.
A study published in BMJ found that the people we associate with have a profound influence on us. The researchers found that people who actively choose to surround themselves with happy people are increasingly likely to be happier themselves in the future.
Should you completely cut yourself off from friends and family who don't agree with you? No. Even religious texts like the Bible actively encourage us to interact with people who have different points of view.
8. They are forgiving, even when it's hard
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The next enviable trait of people who remain unshakable in their faith is that they practice forgiveness, even when it’s hard. People would like to believe that forgiving and forgetting is as easy as breathing air. However, forgiveness is often a slippery slope.
Religious people are called on to be the bigger person and let be bygones be bygones. And when looking at the research this makes sense. According to a study published in the International Journal of Psychotherapy Practice and Research, researchers found that forgiveness decreases anger, anxiety, and even depression.
We can therefore all benefit from following the Golden Rule and working to actively practice forgiveness in whatever works for us best, whether that be through prayer, counseling, meditation, or journaling.
9. They are open to learning and growing
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Life requires a continuous cycle of learning and growing that most people wish they could ignore. However, many religions actively encourage followers to learn and grow in a wide variety of ways.
Learning is a complicated process that often leaves much to be desired. After all, growth can be uncomfortable, as it requires people to step outside of their comfort zone and challenge themselves.
The important thing is to know you will never know it all. Try not to view setbacks as failures, but rather as opportunities for growth and expansion.
10. They practice mindfulness
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The next enviable trait of people who remain unshakable in their faith is that they practice mindfulness. With how busy the world has gotten, it’s easy for people to forget how mindful they should be of their actions and behavior.
In many religions, it is crucial to be present, considerate, and mindful. Because people are human and imperfect, they’re bound to mess up unintentionally. Even worse, they’re bound to sometimes not pay attention to their surroundings and cause chaos in the process.
To be more mindful, clinical psychologist Monica Johnson, Psy.D., suggests observing your surroundings to ground yourself in the moment, fully participating in activities, doing one task at a time, keeping a nonjudgemental stance, and describing what youu feel.
According to News in Health, being mindful leads to a decrease in depression and anxiety. So, even if it’s hard, try your best to practice mindfulness when you can.
11. They remain humble
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Finally, the last enviable trait of people who remain unshakeable in their faith is that they remain humble. Regardless of what a person's faith is, somewhere along the lines is a lesson that encourages them to remain humble.
After all, people aren't divine, and as a result, we all have limitations. Being our best selves often involves putting aside pride and acknowledging that we don't know everything.
So, even if it's hard, it's important to try to remain humble. Not only will it make you more likable, but it will also bring you a greater internal sense of contentment.
Marielisa Reyes is a writer with a bachelor's degree in psychology who covers self-help, relationships, career, family, and astrology topics.