“Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures.” —John F. Kennedy
Among all the hectic schedules and the race to get better than everyone around, we all find ourselves distressed.
All the negative emotions, hard work, impatience, overthinking, and competition get overwhelming and we start to lose the point of it all. We are at a constant battle between our inner and outer chaos.
It is a normal human feeling that you need to accept before we think about dealing with it.
Once we accept, there is a way to find solutions. You have to look within you to find inner peace. Don’t worry, this is not some “mojo”, this is more like setting achievable goals with a slight change in your behavior and routine. Adding a few rituals in your daily life can turn your life upside down (in a good way of course).
There was a point in my life where I thought I couldn’t handle the racing thoughts anymore. I was preoccupied with something while I was doing the other thing, the results were not satisfying. All of us have been there at some point in life.
Over the last few years, I have gathered a few simple and easy things that can help you find inner peace. The good thing about inner peace is that it is always there inside you, all you need to do is to give yourself enough time and luxury to find it.
Without further due here is my list of 25 things to do to find your inner peace. You can start doing them right now!
1. Set Realistic Goals
It is important to dream big in life but more often than not we end up setting unrealistic goals for ourselves. When life gets in between and fails to achieve the set targets it instills a feeling of failure or guilt. These two feelings can mess with your inner peace.
While setting goals keeps us going in the right direction, setting unrealistic goals can actually hinder it. A few years back whenever I tried to lose some weight, I set myself goals such as “lose 20 kg” or “lose weight”. This may seem like a goal but it is the perfect example of unrealistic goals. Think about what daily changes you could adjust in your life to set the goals and write them objectively.
2. Accept Your Anxieties
Finding a distraction is the easiest way to avoid anxieties about our life. These anxieties could be there due to anything from extra pounds on your body or some difficult relationship in your life.
The distractions rarely help to solve the issue but put them in the background. Problems keep existing and nudging your inner peace. It is important to accept and face your anxieties. The energy you have been spending on avoiding it can be put to solve them.
3. Deep Breathing Works Wonders
Life is as simple as we make it. You would be surprised by the effects of deep breathing. It simply works wonders. It is not surprising because deep breathing has physiological effects that help you physically and mentally.
Find a corner in your house with the least distractions. Sit on a comfortable couch or bed, as suits your fancy, close your eyes, and focus on your inhalation and exhalation. It connects you with your biological and spiritual being for a while.
4. Listen To Good Music
Never underestimate the power of a good song. Various studies have confirmed that relaxing music can help kids with ADHD to be calm and focused. It is like food for the soul and a quick way to get your inner peace back.
While you are choosing a song from the playlist, avoid the ones that bring out sad memories in your mind. Find some tracks proven to have a relaxing effect on the human brain as a starter. You can always add the tracks you love.
5. Read A Book
My opinion on book reading may be a bit too assertive because I am a bibliophile but it does work. Anyone who has never enjoyed reading a book hasn’t yet found the right one to cling to. Find a peaceful corner in your home and read. As a starter, it improves your brain connectivity. It has also proved to fight depression symptoms in a lot of people.
6. Enjoy A Walk
More often than not, we need a good walk to get back our focus on life. We have a lot of indoor solutions to walk without leaving home but the best way is to get some fresh air. Take a moment and look at the sky. Look at the greenery around you. The colors of nature have soothing effects on our nerves.
For the best part, walking does not bring a temporary boost of good feelings. If you keep it a part of your daily life, it can change you physiologically making your brain more receptive to the good feelings.
7. Stay Close To Nature
Look for ways to stay close to nature. You don’t have to book an expensive vacation at a resort. A ten-minute walk in your backyard or a nearby park can do the trick. Leave the distractions behind to truly enjoy the peace and tranquility.
8. Escape For A While
Too much work can put daunting amounts of stress. You may not even realize it until it starts to affect your inner peace. Give yourself some time to escape the usual routines. Change is like food for thought. You may be able to solve issues more efficiently after having a fresh perspective on life.
9. Let It Go
Letting go of things is probably the hardest part. We tend to stick to the familiar things and feel disturbed on the thought of letting go. With a little practice, you can get hold of this art. Once you learn how to let go of things, the liberating feeling makes you feel high. It gives you control over your emotions and is worth every effort. We can’t change what happens to us but how it affects us and what we make of it.
10. Write It Down
We have millions of thoughts every day and keeping a track of what’s what can be overwhelming. Writing the most bothersome thoughts can be very helpful. The objective words are written on the paper instead of the humdrum of thoughts in your brain in much easier to tackle.
Use the notepad in your phone or a piece of paper to write down your random thoughts. Most of the time we burden ourselves with our schedules and keep replaying the list so that we don’t forget anything. Writing down the lists can literally put off some work of your shoulders.
11. De-clutter The Space Around You
Working in a cluttered space is never a good idea. The two most important places are your bedroom and workspace. Keep it a daily ritual to organize the space. It only takes a few minutes if you are doing it every morning. It gives you a feeling of control over your surroundings and you can focus on what really matters without distractions.
12. Treat Yourself with Respect
Never say things about yourself in that you can’t repeat in front of anybody. When you are talking low of yourself, even with you, you are ruining your inner peace. It is not about thinking too highly of yourself but treating yourself with the respect you deserve. When you start to respect yourself, your body, your mental health, and your preferences, it is easy to keep peace with yourself.
13. Do What You Are Good At
Each of us is unique. Some of us are good at singing, cooking, or drawing sewing while others are more drawn to sports, dancing, or science. It could be anything. Think about your strengths. Do more of what you are good at. It gives you confidence in being who you are.
14. Be Frolic
At times behave playfully. Let your guard down and find some fun in your daily routines. Improve your sense of humor. You will be surprised to see how the people around you would welcome the good change. Everyone around you is caught up with life. Help others and see how good it makes you feel.
15. Ask, Don’t Guess
A lot of us fear asking the direct questions and opt for guessing. It is easier at first but soon turns into a vicious habit that eats away our peace. Work on your communication skills and ask instead of guessing. It saves you a lot of energy spent on mind-reading and guessing.
16. Track Your Thought Process
Do you often find yourself in the middle of a thought and have no idea how it originated? It happens a lot. The best way to deal with this powerful brain of ours is to look into the patterns. What triggers certain kinds of thoughts?
If you are feeling sad, track your thoughts to the point where you started feeling low. Very soon you would have some cues on your hand for most of your thought processes. Once you know the cues, it is easy to identify and control what you are thinking.
17. “One Thing at A Time”
This should be the golden rule of life for inner peace. We are so used to burden ourselves with all the future worries that we forget to enjoy the present. Handle one thing at a time and you would yourself at peace with yourself and this world.
18. Minimize Your Screen Time
Technology has made our lives easier but not without the price we pay for it. Unfortunately, our peace seems to be the price we pay the most. Reduce your screen times and you will be amazed by the results.
19. Respond Instead Of Reacting
Most of the time we react to the situations instead of responding to them. We do it without even realizing it. Keep in mind that your emotions are temporary and they will change over time but you can’t undo any actions. It saves you from a lot of guilt and self-torture.
20. Be Kind
Being compassionate and kind to the people around you is the most reliable means to find inner peace. Even if it is about spending a few minutes listening to someone, it helps you connect with people around you.
21. Don’t Compare
Comparison is the root of chaos. Either you are comparing yourself with others or doing this for any of your loved ones, it is toxic. All of us have our stories, strengths, and weaknesses. Embrace the people as they are and you will have fewer conflicts in life.
22. Understand Your Fears
All of us have fears. Mentally strong people understand their fears and learn how to control them. Facing your fears liberates you.
23. Meditate
A lot of people know the benefits of meditation and yet are unable to make it a part of their lives. The main reason is that we try to learn the techniques practiced by Buddhist monks with thousands of years of experience.
We live in a different world and it is difficult to master those techniques. Most of us stop doing it before we see any benefits. Modern meditation is designed to use your observer mind in more practical ways. Learn modern techniques and set apart a few minutes from your daily life. Put the benefits to test for yourself.
24. Practice Gratitude
Stopping for a moment and being thankful for all you have right now is paramount for your inner peace.
25. Mindful Eating
Your food is one of the most important parts of your life. Mindful eating puts you in tune with your body. Focus on what you eat and savor every flavor before it’s gone.
In Conclusion
“It isn’t enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn’t enough to believe in it. One must work at it.” —Eleanor Roosevelt
If we seek peace we need to work for it. And there is no other place to look for it other than “You”.
Author Bio:
Mike Jackson interest in content marketing led to him start his own marketing agency Citylocal Pro, which he’s been running now for a few years. His tactics and marketing strategies are not bound by any form and he closely follow the latest trends and happenings of content marketing.