5 Ways to find inner peace in you daily life
Are you looking for balance and calm in your daily life? Perhaps you’re going through a stressful time or struggling with anxiety. No matter the reason, in this article we’ll explain what inner-peace is, why we should strive for it, and ways we can start cultivating it today.
What is inner-peace?
Inner peace is what is achieved when external stressors and situations do not affect our mental and psychological well being. Peace is a natural state we return to when our minds are quiet and hearts are open.
Why is it important to strive for peace?
In a society where we are constantly inundated with distractions, opinions, and expectations, our own thoughts can sometimes become overwhelming. In some cases, our overpowering thoughts can also start to negatively affect our physical health. To reach a point where outside situations cannot affect our well being, mental grit is required. With this, we can move through life with a certain freedom that is unlike any other.
How can we find inner peace?
Below are several different ways I like to recommend as a starting point for building inner peace in my daily life. Please note, this is not an exhaustive list and there is no one-size fits all approach to finding inner-peace.
1. Start a meditation practice
Meditation is a spiritual practice that has been around for thousands of years. Applying meditation into your routine can help you to sharpen your attention span, implement mind-body connection, and assist with emotional regulation. With its growing popularity, more research has been done that proves its efficacy in improving brain and biological function.
Meditation can start showing signs of positive results sooner than you may think. While there is no magic number, one study reported that after 8 weeks of 13-min daily meditations, research participants experienced an improvement in mood, memory, attention span, and reduction in anxiety. There can also be short term effects such as a calmer mood and stable mind.
Types of meditation include but are not limited to:
- Mindfulness Meditation
- Movement Meditation
- Mantra Meditation
- Transcendental Meditation
- Loving-kindness Meditation
- Visualisation Meditation
- Qigong
You may find yourself trying one or more of these meditation styles and implementing them into your routine. Finding the right meditation style for you is about stepping out of your comfort zone and doing what feels best for your body and mind.
2. Implement self-compassion
Have you ever taken a moment to take note of how you speak to yourself? What do you say to yourself when you accomplish something amazing? What about when you make a mistake? How we speak to ourselves can not only frame our opinions of ourselves, but our attitude of the world around us.
A research study conducted during the height of the COVID-19 lockdown revealed that self-compassion was shown to be positively correlated to peace and meaning. The study states “self-compassion involves being touched by and open to one’s own suffering, not avoiding or disconnecting from it, generating the desire to alleviate one’s suffering and to heal oneself with kindness. Self-compassion also involves offering nonjudgmental understanding to one’s pain, inadequacies and failures, so that one’s experience is seen as part of the larger human experience.”
3. Make time for movement
While physical activity can have a tremendous effect on the body, it also can play a part in your mental health. Regular physical movement is scientifically proven to reduce levels of stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol. Oppositely, movement releases endorphins that boost your mood and lower stress.
Movement gives you personal license to challenge yourself by reaching new goals and trying new things. It can also positively affect your self-image, bringing you higher confidence. Whether you choose to walk your dog, practice yoga, or weight lift, is unimportant and all up to personal preference. Your mind (and body) will thank you.
4. Replace screen time with nature
Reflect on how many hours of your day are spent on your phone or looking at a screen. At a time when media usage is at an all time high, it can seem difficult to free yourself from all the noise. Luckily, a place where we can find solitude, calm, and relaxation is right outside our door — literally. Choosing to move away from our screens and appreciate the world around us is one of the best things we can do for ourselves.
A research review reports there is a definitive link between nature and well-being. Their consensus states “The forms of association include evidence that links nature experience with increased positive affect; happiness and subjective well-being; positive social interactions, cohesion, and engagement; a sense of meaning and purpose in life; improved manageability of life tasks; and decreases in mental distress, such as negative affect.”
Adversely, another study showed that screen time had alarming effects on mental health stating “negative effects of digital technology are undeniable”. Research has shown that screen time can increase levels of depression, anxiety, irritability and aggression. With what we know, even occasionally swapping screen time for nature can have hugely beneficial psychological effects.
5. Practice Gratitude
Being mindful of what you’re grateful for can have a strong impact on your ability to find inner peace. Whether you are reflecting on the present moment or a positive memory long past, the act of being mindfully grateful can change your life. You can practice gratitude in a moment of silence, listing things you’re grateful for in a journal, writing a thank-you note, or even praying.
A study conducted by Harvard University reported “Gratitude helps people feel more positive emotions, relish good experiences, improve their health, deal with adversity, and build strong relationships.”
Final Thoughts
The act of achieving inner-peace is not one that can be reached by simply going through the motions. Rather, attaining it requires changes to one’s lifestyle and mentality. It’s also important to remember that inner peace is not linear, and there may be periods of time where peace may be difficult to find. However, using tools such as those listed above can certainly help you get back on the right track.
Looking for the right path to peace but unsure of where to start?
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