Running head: Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

Melissa Potter
HW420 Creating Wellness
24 May 2015

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

Reaching our full potential is something we must work toward. Being

psychologically and spiritually healthy takes work, as we must develop our mind, body,
and spirit connection. This takes balance, integration, and harmony, which are the tenets
of total wellness (Seaward, 2013, p. 25). A spiritual and psychological inventory is a way
to measure where we fall on our journey to self-actualization or enlightenment where we
reach for our full potential. This inventory must address the components of wellness, the
mind, spirit, body, and emotions. We can measure how we are doing with these
components by asking questions tailored to the muscles of the soul (p. 133). Below is
an example of a short psychological and spiritual inventory.

Rate the following statements on a scale of 1-10. 10 means this is absolutely you
or you do this 100% of the time, or STRONGLY AGREE. A score of 1 (one) means
NEVER, not you, or STRONGLY DISAGREE. At the end, add up your ratings to
measure your muscles or strengths and see which ones are your highest and which ones
you may want to develop further. I created some of these questions using the VIA
Character Survey of Strengths as a reference (VIA Institute on Character).
I conducted the survey with one of my friends at work. Her answers are
highlighted in GREEN.

HUMOR
1.
2.
3.
4.

I am playful. 6
I appreciate a good joke. 8
I often use humor to cope with certain situations. 8
I like to make others laugh. 7

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

FORGIVENESS
1.
2.
3.
4.

I dont hold grudges. 5

I never seek revenge or vengeance. 7
I forgive others. 7
It is best to forgive and forget. 5

CURIOSITY
1.
2.
3.
4.

I am interested in the world. 9

I enjoy learning new things. 8
I am excited to try new things. 9
I am a lifelong learner. 10

PERSISTENCE
1.
2.
3.
4.

I never quit a goal or task before it is done. 7

I always finish what I start. 7
I finish things despite difficult obstacles. 7
I am not a quitter. 8

COURAGE
1.
2.
3.
4.

I attempt things that make me uncomfortable. 8

I stand up for what I think is right. 7
I fight for the underdog. 7
I dont hesitate to express an opinion that may be unpopular. 7

OPTIMISM
1.
2.
3.
4.

I believe that things will turn out in my favor. 10

I am hopeful for the future no matter the hardship1 I encounter. 10
I love my life. 10
I look forward to a new day with new opportunities. 9

1.
2.
3.
4.

I am a spiritual person. 7
I believe in a higher power. 4
I believe things will turn out good in the end. 10
I practice my religion. 2

FAITH

CREATIVITY
1.

I am good with coming up with new ideas. 7

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

2.
3.
4.

I have interesting projects. 7

I like to think of different ways to do things. 7
People say I am creative. 6

UNCONDITIONAL LOVE
1.
2.
3.
4.

I am the most important person to someone else. 10

I love someone more than myself. 10
I accept love from others. 9
I am loved. 10

PHYSICAL
1.
2.
3.
4.

I am a healthy eater. 5
I workout at least 3 times a week for at least an hour. 8
I find it easy to stay on a diet. 1
I practice meditation or a time of self-reflection. 7

RESULTS:
1. UNCONDITIONAL LOVE-39
2. OPTIMISM-39
3. CURIOSITY-36
4. HUMOR-29
5. PERSISTENCE-29
6. COURAGE-29
7. CREATIVITY-27
8. FORGIVENESS-24
9. FAITH-23
10. PHYSICAL-21

This is just a small sampling of some of the questions that would be used to
measure character strengths. In order for the inventory to be the most accurate, many

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory

more questions would have to be added. Here we see my friends top 10 character
strengths or muscles of the soul. Measuring these muscles of the soul is a good start
to a spiritual and psychological inventory. As a practitioner, this would show my client a
starting point to developing their total wellness and know where to focus their efforts.
Based on my sample interview, I would simply add more questions. You cannot
get an accurate result with such a small sample of answers. People are very complex and
so many more questions are needed to find a consistency that accurately represents
someones personality, character, and total wellness level.

References

Seaward, B. (2013). Health and the Human Spirit: Spiritual Dimensions for Personal
Health. Burlington, MA. Jones and Bartlett Learning
Seligman, M. E. (2006). Learned optimism: How to change your mind and your life. New
York: Vintage Books
VIA Institute on Character. (n.d.). Retrieved 23 May, 2015, from
https://www.viacharacter.org/www/.

Spiritual and Psychological Inventory