When you hear the phrase inner peace what comes to your mind? In today’s world, as we constantly chase time, over-schedule our days, and overestimate our abilities, it is very easy for chaos to creep into our lives. Chaotic situations look different to different people. Chaos can come from your work, your home, or from people around you. Simple things like being stuck in traffic or waiting in a long line at the grocery store when all of sudden the machine stops working . . . and now you fudge for yourself to find another register (has this happened to you also?) can turn your experience into chaos pretty quickly. It’s imperative that we know how to find peace regardless of the situation. It is vital that we find relaxation techniques to improve our physical health, improve our emotional well-being, foster our spiritual growth and to find our inner peace while mentally leaving chaos behind.
Stress is a normal part of life and can even be a motivator for many of us. If there was never stress, some of us would never get out of bed. However, when situations lead to being unproductive, trigger anxiety, or simply become unmanageable and unbearable, you know it’s time to find that inner peace that we all long for. Here are few simple ways to create more peaceful life.
Breathing with purpose
We sometimes forget the wonder of breathing as we take it for granted. Deep breathing can ease anxiety, stress, and even depression. Breathing with the purpose of calming yourself, may help you become more in touch with your mind, body, and sprit. Deep breathing will allow you to release negative energy out of your body instead of storing it.
Some people are reverse breathers. That means they breathe only with the top of their lungs (shallow breathers). Place one hand on your chest and the other hand on your belly, below your bellybutton. Now, take a deep breath. Which hand moved first? If your lower hand moved first, congratulations! If your top hand moved first, you are a reverse breather, like me. It takes concentration for me to breathe deeply. It helps to put a hand on my belly below my belly button and pretend my belly is a balloon. I blow the balloon up by inhaling (my belly moves out and moves my hand out) then I exhale and the balloon collapses. That deep belly breathing is deep breathing with purpose and it increases relaxation.
Meditation
Even though meditation originated from spiritual or religious traditions, today many people use it for stress reduction and other health-related reasons. Although there are many ways of meditating, a simple one is mindfulness meditation, where you pay attention to your breathing. This will help you stay in the present moment, which is very important because you will learn what you need to focus on. One can mediate really anywhere, however, it’s encouraged to find a space with minimal distraction, be in a comfortable position, and stay focused. Even though meditation can’t erase all of our problems, it can provide a much-needed break from all the chaos around us.
Have some Down time
This is very important for our brains. When we take mental breaks, it can increase our productivity, sharpen our attention, and encourage creativity. Some people take mental breaks with their screens and that is fine if that is what works for you. Other ideas include listening to a new podcast, going for a walk in your neighborhood, reading books, working on a personal project, creating something, or cooking a new meal. Unwinding and napping are other great down time activities.
Make self-care a routine
Self-care does not only mean taking care of our physical appearance. While taking good care of our body, we can also pay attention to our diet and choose healthy food. We can get in touch with our emotions, our mental health, and make more connections with our loved ones.
Use the power of Positive thinking
Many times, the chaos in our lives comes from the lack of positive thinking in the circumstance that we are in. Sometimes to create a more peaceful life, you may have to change your attitude and the way you view things. Usually, there is something positive to find even in the most negative situation. Nonetheless, we are so wrapped up in chaos that we cannot even focus on the positive.
To help you think more positively, focus on what you can control and let go of what you cannot. You may not be able to change the circumstances, but you can change your attitude toward it. Know that nothing is permanent and after the dark, the sun rises again.
Be more grateful
Gratitude is the key to peace of mind; we may choose to make it part of our everyday life. When we focus on the good things in our lives, the not so good ones become smaller. So, try to develop a habit of being more grateful every day.
Now, the question is, where do I find the time to do all of this in such a fast-paced world? The answer is: How important is having a more peaceful life to you? You don’t have to do all of these things every day. If you make the time to do one or two and gradually add more as time permits, in time you will create the life you desire for yourself.
I begin each morning by writing a short note in my gratitude journal stating something(s) that I’m grateful for. My day doesn’t really begin until I’ve taken those few gratitude moments. I always include things that I perceive to be great, already. I always state what I want as though it has already happened. I want whatever it is, now, not in the future!
Having peace of mind is a precious feeling. It gives you a great sense of harmony with yourself and with the universe. When you don’t have a sense of serenity, everything becomes dark and chaotic; all your energy focuses on just getting by, enjoying life seems like a luxury you can’t afford. So, make the time today to create a more peaceful life.
