“My faith helps me understand that circumstances don't dictate my happiness, my inner peace.” Denzel Washington
The search for inner peace was what started me on my journey so many years ago. It was this search that brought me to where I am today with an understanding of the process of equilibration. Inner peace, can seem like a farfetched idea for many, while others seem to have it down pat. Inner peace, mental balance and fortitude can be elusive. Sometimes you feel like you have everything you need in life, and you're at peace because of it. Then in a moment’s notice your car can be wrecked, you can lose a job or even a loved one and all that peace goes flying out the window. But at the end of the day, your inner peace comes from within and being content, fulfilled and full of love does not come from having anything in particular.
But what is inner peace? Inner peace or contentment, joy and love regarding life as a whole can be summed up as being mentally balanced, being in a state of equilibrium. It’s having gratitude for all aspects of life whether it be perceived as positive or negative.
Do you feel you have true inner peace? If not, you can make some simple adjustments to your life to accomplish that peace of mind and heart.
Practice these activities each day to help bring you closer to that state of equilibrium:
1. Be content with what you have. It's alarming how often the absence of material possessions makes people miserable! If you find that’s happening to you, it's time to eliminate that behavior. Replace it with contentment and gratitude for the blessings you already have.
It helps if you remind yourself how much you actually do have. The fact that you're alive to appreciate what you have is testament to the fact that it's enough!
Practice showing genuine gratitude! It allows you to behold what you have and avoid misusing it.
You'll soon find that being content relieves a lot of stress. So, stop comparing yourself to others. When you do, you'll no longer worry about how well you match up with your peers.
Why not consider donating some of your belongings to the less fortunate? A good rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in 6 months to a year it’s probably something you could live without.
2. Rise again after every perceived disappointment. Disappointments can be crippling. Some are so intense that you lose the drive to keep going. But the sooner you rise after a fall, the sooner you'll achieve a calming peace.
Accept that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. Even if you're clueless about the reason, believe and know that there's a reason out there.
Look at the situation from all sides and be grateful for all aspects. What have you learned from this experience? Try to take the lesson from the experience and understand how it is a benefit to you.
3. Show true love to others. True love is unconditional. You may need to practice showing love to others to achieve complete peace and joy.
Make others comfortable and show compassion, even if it makes you uncomfortable at first.
Learn to apologize when you unintentionally offend someone.
The more you practice the more it becomes true nature.
4. Love yourself. Everybody has insecurities. Are you allowing yours to make you feel stressed out? Do you have days when you're unhappy with everything, including yourself? Your peace will come when you make up your mind to love the skin you're in!
Self-love is the first step in being able to love others. Take some time to appreciate who you are and what you've accomplished in life even if it’s something you consider small. It will drastically change your impression of yourself.
Know and value your self-worth. You have something unique to contribute to the world. You're worth giving and receiving love. Embrace the fact that you're uniquely made. Feel joy in knowing that you're the only person on this planet like you.
When you put these tips into practice, you'll see your life start to change. You'll notice the birds chirping, you’ll appreciate the sun when it rises and you’ll view the world around and within you differently. Life will no longer pass you by when you finally experience true inner peace and mental balance! The state of equilibrium is well within your reach.
Love & Light to you!
Dawn-Marie