How to Start Living a Peaceful Life

Are you living in a constant state of stress? Living a more peaceful life can begin with just a few, small changes we can incorporate into our daily lives.

How to Start Living a Peaceful Life

Are you living in a constant state of stress? If so, there’s a lot of reasons why that may be the case. We live in a hustle and bustle society that values productivity and consumerism. Living in this fast paced, non-stop way can catch up to us if we’re not taking the time we need to slow down and relax. Consequently, living in a constant state of stress over time takes a toll on our nervous systems and can negatively impact our physical and mental health. This can lead to a sense of doom or unease and can even lead to mental health issues such as anxiety and depression. Fortunately, living a more peaceful life can begin with just a few, small changes we can incorporate into our daily lives.

1: Spend more time in Nature

Being in nature has plenty of benefits. It’s a mood booster, it’s healthy (vitamin D), it’s grounding, and it can help us focus on the present. Try sitting in your yard for a few minutes after work or taking a short walk. 

2: Practice gratitude

Cultivating gratitude helps us appreciate what we have and reminds us to not take things for granted. It can also do wonders for our mood and sense of wellbeing. Here are a few easy ways to practice gratitude.

• Journaling each day focusing on what went well, noticing, and acknowledging positive experiences.
• Before bed, think of or write down three to five things you’re grateful for. Think of things you may sometimes take for granted.
• Practice being present and noticing the small things throughout your day that bring you a bit of happiness or relaxation.
• Do things that you know you’ll be grateful for later such as exercise, spending time doing your favorite hobby, spending time with family or friends, or doing things you like such as going to a concert, etc.
• Show appreciation to those around you.
• Do an act of kindness.

3: Practice self-compassion

In order to have a more peaceful, internal experience and avoid self-criticism, we can practice self-acceptance and learn how to have compassion for ourselves in difficult moments. Self-compassion takes effort and practice but when done regularly can become a new, more helpful way to relate to ourselves. When we accept and have compassion for ourselves, we also have more space to accept and show compassion to others which helps nurture our relationships. 

4: Practice mindfulness

Our brains are always thinking and generating thoughts, many of which are repetitive and may be trivial or unhelpful. Practicing mindfulness can teach us to ignore the negative or unhelpful thoughts, gets us out of our heads, grounds us, and helps us appreciate more moments in the present throughout our day. 

5: Take care of your body and your space

Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious foods, and moving our bodies keeps us physically well, which promotes a general sense of wellbeing and improves our mental health. Minimalism and simplifying our homes, keeping our spaces picked up and organized lessens the feeling of chaos and promotes a calming effect. 

6: Say positive affirmations

Repeating positive affirmation statements to ourselves can promote positive thinking and even help counter negative thoughts.

7: Develop a short, guided meditation practice

Consider a daily, short guided meditation practice to start or end your day with self-care. A meditation practice doesn’t have to be long to reap the benefits, and if you are new to meditation, start with only a few minutes at a time. Guided meditations focused on a particular goal can also be easier to do. All you need to do is focus on what the guide is directing you to focus on. A short practice can help you be consistent on a regular basis, which is more important than the length of the meditation itself. Below is a link and a list of a few free, guided meditation apps you can download on your phone. Youtube can also be a helpful source of guided mediation, especially if you are searching for a particular topic.

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Source: CBE Behavioral Health Services