These past few days have been chaotic, with anxiety on high, thoughts circulating around the most current events and disruptions in our daily routines. My first thought was, what do we do now to get through this?
While worrying about graduate courses and exam schedules, I later started to realize that this was the perfect opportunity to reorganize. Of course, reorganization consists of many different levels, but after some deep reflection, I found that my biggest priority when it comes to reorganizing my life is to cultivate inner peace amidst disruptive circumstances.
Remez Sasson reminds us,
Inner peace is not a state of passivity, and certainly does not make life dull. On the contrary, it makes you more conscious, alive and happy. It helps you live life more fully.
So how can we reorganize our lives today, in order to achieve inner peace?
Here are 5 simple steps to help you start:
It’s just not personal
A large part of my therapy sessions were discussions about how I processed the actions of others. Generally speaking, I always try to analyze my actions when trying to process a situation. “What did I do in this situation to cause someone to treat me like this?” However, it wasn’t until my therapist reminded me that sometimes other people’s actions say less about me and more about themselves that I realized that I was putting this unnecessary stress on myself. In life, events or experiences are constantly unfolding, and sometimes it’s just not about me.
Practice Mindfulness
Mindfulness. Mindfulness. Mindfulness. Chant it three times preceded by a long breath. I might end up having 49 different articles about the topic but I am a huge advocate for meditation, intentional breathing exercises, and deep observation of one’s self and environment. When practicing mindfulness you become more aware of your body, your mental state, and your surroundings. Becoming more aware of these three simple things is not only therapeutic, but it also allows us to be more focused on the moment rather than anxious about the future or past.
Be compassionate
Be kind. Even when it’s hard. While everyone is on their own path to self-realization, being kind to each other’s journey and projecting peacefulness onto others helps us to discover inner tranquility as well. Remember, everything finds a way of coming back around. You get what you give.
Exercise gratitude
This step is probably the hardest for me during stressful times. “How can you be thankful when the world around you seems to be falling apart”? That would have been my initial thought. However, during these past few weeks, I’ve started to focus on the little things that we often take for granted. Since practicing social distancing, I’ve realized how many loved ones I’m able to miss. Or, since being away from school, how grateful I am to be able to pursue higher education in hopes of being of service to others. Gratitude starts with small things. I am grateful that I am alive, healthy, and safe.
Embody Inner peace through your actions, not just words.
We all want inner peace. But to achieve it, we must be ready to sacrifice some ego and be ready to practice what inner peace is all about. From the food you put in your body, to how you treat others. No one said inner peace is easy but it is definitely worth it.