There’s so much wrong in the world (and in our country) right now. It’s difficult not to get mentally bogged down by it all. It’s never a good idea to bury your head in the sand. It’s important to know what’s going on. Moreover, it’s even more important to know fact from fiction in order to make informed decisions in life. Most people would probably agree at this juncture, however, that life since 2020 has been especially stressful. Since Joe Biden took the office (I mean that in a literal sense.) Americans have been hit with hard times.
He has allowed an invasion at our border, caused the deaths of innocent people in Afghanistan and left Americans behind, and more. Food prices are skyrocketing IF you can even find food on the store shelves. Jobs are down. People are dropping dead with strong evidence to suggest it is from experimental injections that Biden wants to mandate. Just reading this paragraph is a downer. So, let’s change course. Learning to find peace of mind is essential to living your best life.
The question is: How can we find peace of mind in such a chaotic world? The good news is that the answers (plural) may be right under your nose and is often easily overlooked. By making small changes in the way you think and the things that you do, you can promote peace of mind in your own life.
Find peace of mind by spending more time alone
At first, the thought of seeking out more alone time in life in order to find peace of mind might seem counterproductive. After all, people have been locked down and kept from interacting with other for nearly two years now. Even so, most people in a modern world are surrounded by perpetual input from others. Being plugged in all the time exacerbates the issue. Even when we’re alone, we’re not really alone because we usually are holding a cell phone or using a computer at the time. To find peace of mind, try spending more time alone — REALLY alone.
Go to a quiet place, indoors or out. Do not take any electronic device with you. Just let time unfold, and enjoy your own company. It doesn’t mean you have to be immobile or not engaged in any activity. Just don’t engage online or with others. For instance, if you spend your alone time in your bedroom, you might find yourself picking up a book to read or going through old photos, etc. Maybe you’ll write something in the journal that has sat untouched in your nightstand drawer for months. Take a bath. Go for a long walk, just make sure it’s not in a crowded place. (If you go on a trail, take a cell phone but commit to NOT using it, unless there’s an emergency.)
You’ll find peace of mind if you have more silence in your life
Christians believe that God is omnipresent, meaning everywhere at all times. Noise, chaos and disruption don’t phase Him. He is perfectly at peace and in control at all times. The problem is that these things definitely phase US. Constant noise and activity makes it difficult for us to feel God’s presence. He’s still there, but we have trouble tapping in and connecting to Him. Silence is a valuable tool when the goals is to find peace of mind. Silence often cultivates creative thinking, meditation, day-dreaming and self-reflection. It is an opportunity to quiet the world around us, which inspires feelings of calmness and peace.
Studies show that silence can help lower blood pressure. It also helps release muscle tension, improve focus, decrease heart rate and steady breathing. These are all good things that aid in gaining peace of mind.
Be more intentional about what you let into your brain
Is there a particular website or news program or person that causes you stress? You notice that every time you read posts or watch an episode or are around someone, you feel tense and agitated. Yet, you keep letting it (or them) into your brain. Why? How can you ever expect to have peace of mind if you are allowing something or someone who consistently disturbs you to have access to your thoughts and presence?
When you want to have peace of mind, try to be more intentional about the things your letting into your brain. That’s not to say you should never read, see, hear or experience bad news. Common sense tells us that bad news is part of life. What matters is how we respond to it. It’s not healthy to continually allow things into our brain that we know ahead of time are going to cause us stress and upset us. Do you really have to hear what they’re saying on CNN every night if you walk away feeling tense, angry or worried? Be intentional. Choose what goes into your brain inasmuch as you’re able so that you avoid the things that steal your peace of mind.
Smile and laugh more often
Smiling and laughing are good for your physical, mental and emotional health. When you’re healthy, your mind is likely to feel more at peace. On the contrary, if you’re daily life is full of strife, angst and stress, it’s highly unlikely you’ll feel peace of mind. Even if the midst of a stressful situation, if you can pause and smile for 10 seconds, it can help you regain control and feel calmer. Calmness and peace of mind go hand-in-hand. Taking time to laugh and smile makes you feel good. When we feel good, our minds are able to rest.
Do what you can and let the rest go
Life on earth will never be perfect. It’s foolish to think that we will only have peace of mind when all of our ducks are in a row and everything goes according to plan. In reality, things rarely go according to plan. The sooner you accept that fact, the sooner you’ll have peace of mind. We can’t always control what happens in life. But, we CAN always control our response to what happens, and therein lies the key to peace of mind!
A situation might be stressful, tragic, or troubling. The key to finding peace of mind is to do whatever we’re able to do to improve our circumstances and live our best life, then let the rest go. It is what it is. Christians take this idea a step further and say, “Let go, and let God.” Accepting the fact that we are not ever going to be 100% in control of our lives leaves room for peace of mind! In fact, it’s a burden lifted! We don’t have to be responsible for making everything perfect! You don’t have to carry the weight of the world on your shoulders. Let that be your starting point for finding peace of mind.
