I've been where you are. At the point where your life is embattled with chaos, both externally and internally. You're overrun with negative emotions, busy overthinking as you try to juggle your hectic schedule and all the other stress life has landed on your doorstep.
There is no need to deny it, this is a safe place. We all know how draining it can be – life is overwhelming! Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes you feel helpless. Sometimes it seems as though inner peace is an impossibility.
Dispel those fears right now because I want to provide you with the practices necessary to turn inner peace into a habit. In no time, it will just be another part of your day. Except this is one you'll look forward to because with it comes serenity.
Release Control
There is only one thing you have control over in this world and it's you. You control your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. That's it – not external circumstances, not other people. The only thing you control in those situations is how you respond. It is far more beneficial to your inner peace and happiness to recognize, understand, and remember this. The best thing you can do is let go and focus on you.
Unconditional Living
Does your mood depend on the conditions in your environment? Your mood is high as you walk into work because you caught every green light on your commute. Your mood is low as you walk into work because you caught every red light on your commute. Your children misbehaved and it tipped you over the edge. Your children did their chores and it dragged you back from the edge.
Do you see the problem? You're allowing yourself to live conditionally. You are being led by your environment and the behavior of others.
What does it all mean? If you want to find inner peace, you have to stop expending your emotional energy on the conditions around you. Unconditional living simply means that you won't let the conditions of your life influence how you feel.
Directed Focus
This is perhaps the most powerful aspect of turning inner peace into a habit. Think of focus as a gift from the universe. It's something that will help build your appreciation of it, considering how often you need to focus. This walks hand-in-hand with the previous point. When you choose to live unconditionally you are shifting your focus from circumstance to self. While you will still be aware of what's going on around you, you aren't going to focus on all of that noise. You're only going to focus on creating the reality you want to live in.
Don't People Please
There are two reasons we tend to go out of our way to please others. The first is that we get satisfaction from being helpful. It gives you a little buzz. The second is we are too scared to say no and disappoint someone. The truth of the matter, though, is that people-pleasing just causes resentment, it stresses you out, and you get so busy pouring everything out into others you forget to refill your cup.
You can still help others, but don't break yourself at the expense of others.
The road that you walk to find inner peace will be an exciting journey. You will uncover many truths about yourself, as well as finding out how to handle stressful situations that life throws at you.
A relationship with the universe or a higher power is the one that will help you stay grounded. It's about knowing that everything will work out for you, even if it might not feel or look like it. Meditation is an excellent place to start in getting in touch with it.
Until then, many blessings and much peace!