“Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
This quote by Emerson delivers a powerful message, one that most of us refuse to acknowledge. Our minds are nothing short of an immense gift from nature and the more we dwell within, the more we come closer to finding our inner self. To be at peace with yourself is to find contentment within your own life and believe it or not, everyone can achieve this but only a few manage to find it.
Everyone’s perception of the concept is quite different and although the technical definitions vary, the general definition of inner peace is when your mind, body, and spirit are in harmony. In fact, there are several, approachable ways one can find their inner peace without taking a trip to the Himalayas or practicing with monks. This post looks to answer this pre-existential question of ages in five simple ways:
- Learning the practice of acceptance:
There is only so much you can change or affect in life. There are many qualities you don’t possess and there are things that go against your basic nature of doing, There will be people who won’t be nudged or behave in a manner of your choosing even after outright negotiating or debating. There is no reason dwelling on things you don’t have a control over. Once you open the blinds to this simple fact, you automatically relieve yourself of any kind of anxiety or stress. Learn to accept that every situation will not result in a favorable outcome. You can only do what you can and in the capacity, you are capable of. www.bargainhuntersblog.com is a leading online journal that offers inspiring ways of living everyday ranging from budget travel plans, keeping healthyto home remodelling tips. - Learning to forgive:
In order to learn how to forgive, one needs to learn what forgiveness isn’t. Many of us have some different notions and misconceptions about forgiveness. Here are some things that forgiving someone doesn’t mean:
- It isn’t something you do for a person.
- It doesn’t mean that forgiveness is a sign of weakness.
- It doesn’t make one vulnerable to victimhood.
Holding anger or resentment only dampens and festers your soul. Your self-esteem, confidence, and respect for self-tends to dwindle unless you learn to forgive yourself and others who you believe have wronged you. You don’t need to approve of the past misdoings but rather not let it control and dictate your life. Forgiveness is a bigger part of healing and growth, which will further pave your way for mindfulness and inner peace.
Learning to live in the present:
Living in the past or thinking of the immediate future will only plague your mind into obscurity without respite. Moreover, it keeps you from enjoying the present. Learn to accept the gift of today as a new opportunity and take each day as it comes. Appreciate the things that come your way without letting yourself be pulled down by events of the past. You are bound to find true inner peace in the present, not in your past or the coming future.- Learning to meditate:
The hectic pace of our routine life stops us from enjoying the small pleasures of life. Often at times, you find yourself not having time to get things done. This is when anxiety and stress crop up making us impatient, frustrated and unhappy. Meditating can help us understand the power of our mind. By learning to focus, we can transform our negative energy into positive and simultaneously calm our minds into cultivating constructive thoughts. Meditation helps calm our mind from worries and mental discomfort which in turn tunes us to our inner self and consciousness. Training in meditation systematically eradicates the mind from delusions that are the root cause of all our problems and sufferings. This will, in turn, help us experience inner peace.
If that doesn’t seem enough, meditation also has immense benefits for the body like:
- Lowering blood pressure
- Improving blood circulation
- Lowering blood cortisol levels
- Lesser perspiration
- Lowering heart rate
- Learning to care:
The way to inner peace cannot be paved with self-centered thoughts and only worrying about one’s needs and wants. There is a Chinese saying which says:
“If you want happiness for an hour, take a nap. If you want happiness for a day, go fishing. If you want happiness for a year, inherit a fortune. If you want happiness for a lifetime, help somebody.”
Once you begin to genuinely care about other people, you automatically open the doorway to understanding your inner self. An act of kindness for a stranger or helping your friends and family ease your way towards peace. When you help others in need, you stop focusing on your own problems in life. However, this should not be done with an expectation to receive something in return. Service to others needs to be sincere and done from the heart.
Inner peace isn’t an attainable endeavor and can be achieved in different ways as mentioned above. Acknowledge yourself and start today.