1. Listen to music
It
doesn’t matter what genre it is, as long as you enjoy it and it makes
you feel relaxed. Music is food for the soul and an instant way to gain
peace of mind.
2. Deep breathing
When
you focus on your breathing, your mind’s attention is drawn to the
life-enhancing process of drawing in air and exhaling. Take five long,
deep breaths and focus on your lungs and diaphragm as you do this. This
is a quick and easy way to instantly feel calm.
3. Go for a walk
Getting
out in the fresh air can do you a world of good and promote peace of
mind. Take a break and get the blood pumping – especially when the sun
is shining.
4. Enjoy nature
Too
much concrete is never a good thing. Spend time away from the city.
Listen to the birds singing and enjoy the peace and tranquility.
5. Play with a pet
Having a pet to play with is a great way to de-stress. Touch is a powerful sense and can ease tension and promote peace of mind.
6. De-clutter
Have regular clear-outs. Clutter can add to feelings of tension and a clean, clear home allows a clearer, more peaceful mind.
7. Acceptance
Acceptance is crucial
for peace of mind. Accepting that there are few guarantees in the world
and learning to tolerate uncertainty is a huge leap in the
peace-of-mind stakes. Differentiate between what you can and cannot
control.
8. Mindfulness
When
we are mindful, we are fully present in the moment and acutely aware of
our five senses: touch, taste, sight, hearing and smell. Engage your
senses. This leaves less time for your mind to worry and think about
“what ifs.”
9. Self Love
The
more we like ourselves, the greater our peace of mind. We accept
ourselves more and feel at ease in the world, no matter what situation
we find ourselves in. We experience less insecurity and as a result, our
inner peace is heightened.
10. Be true to you
This
is another vital component of peace of mind. When we practice
congruency, we behave similarly to the way we feel and think. When the
way we see ourselves and the way the world sees us is the same, we are
practicing congruency. Problems arise when we see ourselves one way (for
example, as a loving mother) but behave in ways that are at odds with
how we would like to see ourselves (for example, neglect our children
because we are too busy). Finding ways to keep our inner ideals and the
way we behave similar is one of the keys to peace of mind.
11. Sense of humor
Laugh
a lot. The world is instantly a better place when you can see the funny
side of life. Laughter is a great antidote for stress and releases
hormones that help us relax.
12. Love unconditionally
When
you don’t expect anything back, it makes it easier to love without
fear. When we love with conditions attached, our unmet expectations can
create inner turmoil and feelings of resentment. Insecurities destroy
peace of mind.
13. Go for regular health checks
It
pays to keep checks on your health and look after yourself. Letting
ourselves go can indicate a lack of self-respect, and this in turn will
affect the way we see the world and the way others interact with us. Be
kind to yourself and make the most of what you have.
14. Take stock
Every
now and then, it’s a good idea to check whether you’re happy with the
quality of your life. Do you like your job? Your relationship? Are you
on the right track? Make adjustments if necessary to restore peace of
mind.
15. Have goals
This
ties in with number 14. Goals keep us going in the right direction and
give us a sense of purpose. Make your goals “SMART”: S=Specific,
M=Measurable, A=Achievable, R=Realistic, T=Time bound.
16. Don’t take yourself too seriously
This
relates to number 11. Learn to be more flexible in your approach to
life. The more rigid our thinking is, the easier it is to experience
situations that contradict our rigid ideas.
17. Live in the moment
Instead
of worrying about the past or panicking about the future, really enjoy
the NOW. It’s all we have — this moment in time. When we live in the
present, the concerns of the past and future can’t worry us.
18. Worry less
We
apparently have somewhere between 30,000 – 75,000 thoughts per day, of
which 80% are random “nonsense.” Learn to “shelve” worrying by reminding
yourself that most of your worries are unproductive and remove any
chance of peace of mind.
19. Be assertive
You
have as much right to be here and to have an opinion as anyone else.
When we become passive or submissive, we do ourselves a disservice.
Being assertive isn’t about your needs ahead of others (aggressive) or
their needs ahead of yours (passive). Rather, it is about compromise — a
“win-win” situation.
20. Speak your mind
Don’t
be afraid to say what you’re thinking. This goes hand in hand with
being assertive. Ask for what you want in life. If you don’t ask, you
don’t get.
21. Enjoy “me-time”
Time
out is important. A little bit of selfish time to treat yourself or do
exactly as you please sets you up for taking on the constant demands of
life. Balance in life is crucial.
22. Frolic
The
free online dictionary describes the word “frolic” as: “To behave
playfully and uninhibitedly; romp.” All work and no play will stress
anyone out. Make time for things you enjoy. Try to inject fun into
situations that aren’t particularly enjoyable. Approach life with a
playful attitude. When did you last let the child in you come out to
play?
23. Let it go
There are some things that you just cannot change, no matter how hard you try. Know when to cut your losses and detach.
24. Resist guilt
Guilt
is a negative emotion that removes peace of mind. Although it can
motivate us (in the wrong way), it is still a toxic emotion. Challenge
the reasons for your guilt to make sure you aren’t placing unnecessary
pressure on yourself.
25. Adopt an attitude of gratitude
Focusing
on all the things in our lives that we are grateful for promotes peace
of mind and reminds us that there are always positives. Sometimes we
just have to nudge our awareness.
26. See failure as a learning curve
Failure
has such negative connotations, but actually, everyone fails. How can
you improve or learn anything if you never fail? A healthy attitude
towards failure encourages bravery. It’s not you that is the failure,
instead it is what you tried that failed. There is a big difference.
27. Connect with others
One
of the true joys of life is sharing life with others and knowing that
others “get” you. We feel less alone and feeling understood allows a
fantastic sense of well-being.
28. Test your limits
You’ll
never know your true potential if you always stay in your comfort zone.
As the old saying goes, it is better to look back and regret what you
did than regret all those things you wish you’d tried.
29. Find positive outlets for negative emotions
Sports,
online forums, like-minded people, hobbies…whatever takes your fancy.
Suppressing negative emotions can lead to ill health. Release tension
and frustration in a pro social way and feel a whole lot happier.
30. Slow down
Why
does everything need to be accomplished today? Often, we place
unrealistic pressure on ourselves when there is no need to. Challenge
your impatience, be mindful and enjoy life in the moment.
31. Challenge your “shoulds” and “musts”
Self-induced
pressure never leads to inner tranquility or peace of mind. Replace
“should” with “could” and live life more on your own terms.
32. Be kind
It’s free and it makes a difference. When we show kindness, it gives us an inner boost, too.
33. Don’t compare
Forget
what everyone else is doing or saying. What do YOU want? We all have
our own paths to follow, and we are all learning and going through life
at our unique pace. Focus on your own journey and lose the stress of
comparing yourself to what you think
is going on in the lives of others. This is a surefire way to eliminate peace of mind.
34. Affirmations
Talk
to yourself positively by using affirmations. A good example of one
that encourages peace of mind is: “No matter what comes my way, I will
find a way to get through it.” Believe in yourself and remind yourself
regularly that you will be okay.
35. Save a little money as often as you can
Putting
money aside is always a good idea. If you can afford to save money
regularly, do it. Start up a regular debit each month, and you won’t
even realize it’s gone.
36. Less is more
Money
buys freedom and choice, but it doesn’t buy us the happiness we crave.
Be content with the simpler things in life — that’s where the real
long-lasting joy and peace of mind comes from.
37. Perspective
Always
keep your eye on the bigger picture. Will you feel this way next week,
or a year from now? Will your current experience of life seem as
important? More often than not, you will be just fine. Foster peace of
mind by maintaining perspective in life.
38. Monitor your thoughts
Our
thoughts can make or break our quality of life. Make sure to choose
thinking that works for you. Talk to yourself as you would a best
friend. Self-loathing serves no purpose and will undoubtedly extract joy
from your life.
39. Stand up for what you believe in
Whether
it’s protecting animals or helping those less fortunate than yourself,
follow your heart and your passion. Fight the urge to fit in and do
what’s expected. When you change yourself to suit others you give away
your peace of mind.
40. Get enough sleep
When we’re tired and grumpy, nothing goes smoothly. Get eight hours of sleep per night and regenerate your body.
The
most important ways to achieve peace of mind involve being true to
yourself, accepting that life is uncertain and watching your thinking.
Many of us mentally “torture” ourselves daily with the things we tell
ourselves. Trust your thoughts less, pay less attention to the negative
ones and focus on what you are thankful for in life, and you’ll be well
on your way to inner peace of mind.
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