Find Your Inner Peace In These 3 Easy Steps
Anyone who has experienced an ounce of stress, overwhelm, or has attempted to navigate a chaotic environment can tell you that hearing the words "calm down" doesn't help, it hurts. Even when said with the best intentions, the notion that finding inner peace is as easy as "calming down" is shortsighted and, well, wrong. But if you can learn how to find inner peace when the world is seemingly swirling out of control around you — a skill that requires much more than simply "calming down" — you can work your way back to neutral under the most intense of circumstances
“Inner peace is about quieting that inner critic that nags you and makes you doubt or think badly about yourself,” Dr. Roseann Capanna-Hodge, a psychologist and founder of The Global Institute of Children’s Mental Health, tells Woman's Day. “It is true acceptance for who you are.”
It seems like a lofty goal, especially as the world continues to endure the ramifications of a global pandemic, but it’s important to remember that inner peace is not unattainable, no matter what the circumstances. All it takes is some practice, some mindfulness, and a whole lot of dedication.
Eliminate your scarcity mindset.
Scarcity mindset, according to Capanna-Hodge, is the main reason why many people have a difficult time quieting their inner critic. “People with a scarcity mindset make fear-based decisions,” she says. A scarcity mindset is a belief that there will never be enough, so people jump at whatever options are immediately available to them, even if they might not be the right ones at the moment and even if better options may present themselves in the future.
“People with a scarcity mindset make fear-based decisions,” Capanna-Hodge says. “Breaking that negative thinking pattern can be hard.” It’s important to be mindful when you find yourself jumping to making a decision. Take a beat, ask yourself if this is the right decision given all the information available to you, and try to remind yourself that there is always another opportunity around the corner.
Quiet your inner critic.
You know that voice that tells you that you’ve messed up whenever you make a decision? Yeah — it’s time to put that voice in the corner. “When a negative thought comes into your mindset, you counter it with a positive one,” Capanna-Hodge says. So if you start thinking about all of the times you’ve messed up at work, try remembering how good you are at maintaining your friendships. “The practice of stopping negative thinking really is something you must practice,” Dr. Capanna-Hodge explains.
Remember it’s a marathon, not a sprint.
Achieving inner peace isn't as easy as flipping a switch, or spending a few days meditating or practicing mindfulness. It's an ongoing endeavor — one that requires consistency. “It is most certainly an evolutionary process,” Capanna-Hodge says. You will likely go through phases where you feel as if you’ve achieved inner peace, only for something to upend that practice. You may also notice that the people are at different points of their inner peace journey. Don’t let that discourage you, says Capanna-Hodge.
“Achieving inner peace is a unique process that is individual for each person and highly dependent on what you bring to the table,” she says. That said, Capanna-Hodge explains that it’s an achievable goal for everybody, so don’t get discouraged. “Some of the most emotionally balanced individuals have had real hardships but have taken the time to work on their mindset, find ways to calm their brain and body, and continually work on bettering themselves.” It may take a while, but you’ll get there eventually. And the hard work will be worth it.
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