I felt inclined to share my thoughts on finding inner peace. Finding inner peace is something that I strive to do on a daily basis, especially in our fast-faced world that we live in. It can be a challenge to stay calm in the midst of it all.

Here are some simple tips that I find useful in remaining peaceful:

1. Breathe - I know that sounds cliche, but it’s true! Everything really starts and ends with your breath. Even taking a pause and counting to 10, practicing deep breathing can calm you down. There are not many things we can control outside of ourselves, but it all starts within. So, taking a moment to just breathe can bring a ton of value, I find. Meditation is about breath work, which is with your eyes closed or open (whatever you prefer) and just sitting in whatever space you’re in with a straight back, which HIGHLY recommend it. It helps you to sit with yourself and just breathe, which gets to you a more present space. Start with 1 minute, then gradually extend it when you feel inclined to do so. I used to do guided meditations, but now I find that just closing my eyes and sitting with my feet flat on the floor, back straight, hands on my lap, with nothing but the sounds of whatever is around me (preferably a quiet space) is all I need and I can sit for a little over 20 minutes at a time. It’s truly remarkable how much more peaceful I feel afterwards.

2. Understand that things happen - What I mean by this is that life happens whether we want it to or not! The moment we realize that, the easier life can be for us. I was just having a conversation with my best friend recently about how life can be so unpredictable! It’s our job to learn how to roll with the punches and just go with it. The moment we realize that we cannot always control our surroundings, the more we can focus on the things we can control- how we feel on the inside. What you feel on the inside can bring about different energy to the external world. So, relax! Things happen, but learn to let things roll off your back. It’s easier that way. (When I say easier, I don’t necessarily mean “easy”, but with practice, this can bring about a sense of understanding that all will be okay no matter what we may feel at that moment.)

3. Think/ act logically rather than emotionally - This is something that I find to be a constant work in progress. For me, it’s much easier to “react” to a situation because my upbringing had a lot of intense reaction to pretty much anything. SO, rewiring my brain to stop taking things so personal is a challenge. I find that challenging myself to learn this way of thinking has been cleansing in a sense because I find that I have become stronger as a person. Not taking things personal and being realistic with whats really going on, rather than how we feel about what’s going on, can really make or break a situation. I understand that our emotions are necessary for survival and they can bring us a lot of insight, but that doesn’t mean that every decision needs to be based off of that, especially since our emotions constantly change. Perspectives may shift and compassion can come into play. Understand that it’s not always about you, but it’s about something bigger. It’s about your dignity, your values, your maturity level, and how you can handle situations no matter what you may be feeling at that moment.

4. Focus on gratitude - During times that I may be feeling down or like I need a little push in the right direction, I go back to gratitude. When we are thinking thoughts of gratitude, it’s almost impossible to think negative thoughts. This takes a lot of work because you are training your brain to switch it. I promise you, though, it is worth every ounce of effort. I can think of so many times when I have felt frustrated while driving because the person ahead of me is going so slow, only to see that it may be an elderly person or it may be someone who just started driving, maybe there was an accident ahead, or someone on their motorcycle ahead of that person that can’t afford a car so that’s their only way of transportation. It’s about having patience and feeling grateful to even be able to drive a car! There are people that don’t own cars because they can’t afford one or because they may not have the mobility to drive one! It’s all about the way you look at it, but I can tell you that for me when I think of things that I’m grateful for, like being able to drive myself to wherever I need to go, having a wonderful support system of friends and people that I can count on, my cats, my home, the list goes on and on, that I DO feel better because I remind myself of my blessings. Think of things that make you happy and that bring you joy and I can promise you that any “mood” you had will dissipate.

5. Share the love - When I say “share the love”, I mean spread kindness wherever you go. Opening the door for someone, letting someone driving go ahead of you, giving someone a compliment, listening to a friend, or even a simple smile to a stranger, these are all acts of sharing love. We are all connected with love in one way or the other and we are social beings. Yes, I do value time to myself, as I’m sure many of you who are reading this post do, as well. But, as humans, we need interaction. It’s the interaction that gives us energy and we feed off each other. So, with whatever that’s going on around us, we can change the way we view the world by changing how we create our own little world. It all starts with you.

6. Get our of your head - Ok, so getting out of your head can be taken into different terms and I get that. So, let me explain. Everyday we are constantly being thrown ideas, thoughts, energy from everywhere we go. It’s important to take a step back and focus on things that can help you to unwind your mind. Things like reading a good book, writing, watching an educational documentary, learning something new whether it’s an instrument/ art piece/ song/etc., watching something on TV that engages your mind, or a movie that brings you happiness, and meditation— these are all ways of getting out of your head. Now, it is definitely useful to look at your thoughts and put them into something positive. However, sometimes we need a break- a break from our phones, from whatever that may be distracting us from who we really are- and shift in our perspectives. These shifts can happen when we step into something new. I find that reading and writing are ways that I can get out of my head for a moment and focus on something that inspires me to be better. I am not always one to watch TV or watch movies, but I find that if it’s something educational and interesting that I can learn something, then I am all about it. I am also a BIG fan of podcasts. I find that whatever way I am feeling, I can pretty much search whatever it is and there is someone out there discussing what I need to hear. If you’re open, the universe always listens! Even playing music that brings happiness to your life is a BIG game changer. Music creates vibes, so create the vibe you want! Also moving your physical body plays a MAJOR role in getting out of your head- working out, yoga, pilates, walking, etc.

7. Adopt a pet or visit one - I find that animals bring a sense of calm. I know, for me, I always had pets growing up and when I moved out of my house I didn’t have pets for the first couple of years. The second I adopted my cats, I noticed a shift in my attitude. Pets have a way about them that makes you feel better in general. I don’t know what it is, but it’s so true. I love coming home and seeing these beautiful fur babies that shower me with love that I can shower with love in return. Animals have such a pure essence to them, and I really believe that owning a pet brings more inner peace into my life. If you can’t adopt a pet of your own, there are plenty of humane societies that you can visit animals, or maybe you have a friend who has a pet that you’d love to see. It’s the innocence of animals that bring about more happiness into my life, and maybe this will work for you too! You can even volunteer to walk dogs as a side hustle! Where there is a will, there is a way! :)

8. Remember inner peace starts with YOU - Ok, so this last one is a big broad, but it’s exactly what needs to be said. I’ve heard so much recently that inner peace starts within you and it’s nothing but true! Whether you work a stressful job, are stuck in traffic, you lose someone you love, there are many scenarios of things that could go wrong, but the one thing that you CAN control out of all of this is how you view it all. Your inner peace is YOURS and YOURS only. That being said, life will throw you curve balls and will test you constantly. It’s up to us to decide how we want to let ourselves be. Do we want stress? Do we want pain? Or do we want peace and calmness? It’s up to you! So, start a practice where you can remind yourself of the words “inner peace” whenever you feel yourself going over the edge. Everything is okay. YOU are okay. You are LOVED. You are BEAUTIFUL. You are STRONG. YOU are YOU and there’s NO ONE that can be YOU except YOU. (ok, that was a lot of you’s, lol, but you get the point) I’m feeling inspired today to just shed the light that YOU have the power within you to be happy, sad, grateful, or whatever you want to be. Remember what matters to you most! You’ve got this! :)

Ok, so those are my tips! I hope you liked reading those! If you would like another post more on this topic, let me know, or leave a comment with some feedback!

One last thing, I share these tips because I feel that they are necessary in today’s world. Whatever is going on around you, when you find your own inner peace, when you understand that whatever is happening right now is just a moment, that moments do pass, and that whatever is happening to you right now probably won’t matter 5-10 years from now, you will understand how precious it is to be present.

Enjoy these moments, my friends! They are the ones that count! They make for a better tomorrow!

How will you live this moment to the fullest?

Much love!

X,

Ash