Finding Inner Peace

Finding inner peace is the path of letting go, even though, the path could be as hard or simple as a person makes the journey of self acceptance.

"He who lives in harmony with himself lives in harmony with the universe" ~ Marcus Aurelius

There are always many ups and downs in every one's life. Sometimes we get stuck in a world of confusion, wondering how we find a constant inner peace in our hearts and lives, when there is always something wrong in our lives or the lives of those we love.

What happens when we start to feel down or stressed?

First of all some kind of negative thought comes into our mind that gets us discouraged and anxious. The next thing that happens, is that we start believing in that thought. And feeding it with more arguments, which in turn gets us into a deeper state of confusion and sadness. Next thing we know, we find ourselves, there in that deep mud hole. We look around and all is doom and gloom.

What can we do so that this does not even happen?

1 - Accept what is: Life is unpredictable. Nothing is permanent, everything changes; and of course, a lot of things can happen that will transform who we are and have an impact on our life. The problem is that we need to be prepared to truly accept whatever comes and embrace it. This is what I have noticed with so many people, in that we focus and linger on things which we have no control over. Why worry about something that all the worrying in the world will not change? Why care about what other people think of us when we're not even sure what it is they are actually thinking? Yes, acceptance is a choice-a hard one most definitely, but a choice nonetheless. By practicing acceptance we learn to live in this changing world, where we never know what's going to happen next. Acceptance is like protecting ourselves with our own shields." You have to accept whatever comes and the only important thing is that you meet it with courage and with the best that you have to give" ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

2 - Meditate: Meditation makes us mentally strong, and emotionally resilient. It reduces the tendency to react, increases the tendency to respond and is an effective way to de-stress our minds. If you are not meditating yet then, you are missing out on a very important activity that can change your life. When you have a lot on your mind and you feel like your thoughts are driving you crazy, meditation can help you find peace, calmness and more self acceptance. Meditation helps turning one's life into a more beautiful, harmonious and happy one. When mind, body and spirit are in harmony, then everything seems right with the world."Through concentration and meditation you become the boss of your mind, and gain the ability to tell it when to be active and when to stay silent" ~ Remez Sasson

3 - Spend time in nature: Nature calls you back to reality. We can't stop it from raining. We can't delay the setting sun. We can't set the temperature to a comfortable degree. When we are climbing a mountain, our muscles are going to burn. But with this surrender comes such relief! We awake from a dream and realize how little control we really have. We remember that hardship and lack of control are part of life, and accepting this reality makes it not only bearable, but possible to feel the joy of being alive. By being in nature we feel comfortable in our own skin, we experience our own quiet peace and strength, we sense the inner us that is the true us. The mask we present to the outer world is irrelevant for a time, and put in its proper place. Nature helps us to connect with this powerful, loving presence, whether we call it GOD, Earth Mother, the Great Mystery or any another name. Nature brings us closer to GOD, our own spirit and helps us to live lives of meaning and joy. "The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As longs as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles." ~ Anne Frank

4 - Learn the power of a smile: A smile is a powerful key to living happy from the inside out. The simple act of smiling sends a message to your brain that you're happy. And when you're happy, your body pumps out all kinds of feel-good endorphins. Smiles are powerful and contagious. Don't hesitate to smile warmly at friends, family, colleagues and even strangers. Never stop smiling! God smiles on us each and every day. His love has no depth, his mercy no end. His arms are open wide, just step into them. "Smile and the world will smile with you."

5 - Choose to help others: Care for others genuinely around you. What you put out, you really get back in life. Being caring allows us to have empathy for others and to live a life based on affection, love, and compassion for the people around us. When we make a positive impact in someone else's life, we also make a positive impact in our own lives. Any act of kindness and goodwill eases our way towards inner peace. When we start helping others, we stop thinking about our so-called problems and then we realize that our life is not so bad after all. Do something that's greater than you - something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less. "No one is useless in this world who lightens the burdens of another." ~ Charles Dickens

6 - Never lose hope: Never give up. Never lose hope. Always have faith, it allows you to cope better during the trying times. Having hope is a personal decision, a bold conviction-a choice, and with hope we always have a path towards peace. Having hope is an active, decisive mindset etched into every single moment. No matter the haze and fog that clouds our vision, hope's laser cuts through, and never losing sight of her shimmering stars. Hope is something we can never afford to lose Who we really are is based on values we choose to live by, such as believing in the possible, believing in the goodness of others, and believing in the power of love and hope. When we decide to passionately pursue our greatest purpose, then we become the hope in our lives and manifest her greatest dreams, because we refuse to consider any other possibility. As Henry James put it, "Be not afraid of life. Believe that life is worth living, and your belief will help create the fact."

7 - Embrace your beliefs: I am not here to favour any belief system over another, but whatever it is that you are believing in, hold it closely in your arms, accept it willingly and enthusiastically, as by being within your faith, peace will find its way into your heart. We all might have different opinion in regards to our belief systems, but one thing that we all have to acknowledge is that without a healthy and solid belief system, we won't be able to find a fair conscience which could show us the way towards peace and wisdom. "Faith is universal. Our specific methods for understanding it are arbitrary. In the end we are all just searching for truth, that which is greater than ourselves." ~ Dan Brown

8 - Live in the present moment: When we live fully in the present moment, our awareness becomes completely centred on the here and now. We won't worry about the future or thinking about the past. How often have you been worrying about things that have yet to come, or how often have you been beating yourself for mistakes that you've made, no matter how much time has passed? Too much time, I believe. Not only living in present moment has a significant effect on our emotional health, but also it has a great impact on our physical wellbeing. By living in present moment we live in acceptance; we accept life the way it is, not the way we wish, it should have been. And when we live in acceptance, we realize that everything is complete as it is. We can forgive ourselves for the mistakes we've made, and we can have peace in our hearts knowing that everything that should happen will. "If you worry about what might be, and wonder what might have been, you will ignore what is."

Finding inner peace is not a simple or short path, but it is a process that we can all learn. It is a journey which needs to be appreciated every step of the way. We have to be willing to let go and step outside the box that we have accepted ourselves to be put into, in the first place and start from scratch. We have to be ready getting to know ourselves all over again and be willing to make mistakes. And most importantly, we have to realize that only we have control over our emotional responses and reactions and they can be changed for the better. And finally when serenity and unconditional love fill our hearts, we will accept that we cannot go back, and will not give up what we have now found, that peace that we seem to have been searching for our whole lives. "Remember, the entrance door to the sanctuary is inside you." ~ Rumi

Inner peace resides within us at all times. It has been said the only thing that prevents the human mind from finding peace, is the human mind itself. "Nothing can bring you peace but yourself."

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10 Crazy Ideas to Help Discover Motivation in Life

Motivation is elusive at times, so each one of us has been challenged to find it when it escapes us. Whether it is for a specific work assignment or simply to move life forward, motivation is an essential feature of high productivity and meaningful output. As a result, we lean on a variety of techniques to keep motivation high and continually adapt our approach to staying inspired. When motivation runs dry, use the following tips to turn things around.

Set a Mini-Goal

Success begets motivation, so setting yourself up to win a small battle is a great way to support ongoing productivity. The morale boost from a minor win creates momentum, which can be all that’s required to ramp-up motivation levels. When tackling a work project, for example, carve-out a short-term benchmark you can easily reach. And if that is not enough to spark a roll, move through subsequent tasks in the same way. Eventually, sustained motivation will set-in, seeing the project to completion.



Turn to Past Success

When frustration or self-doubt get in the way of motivation, turn your focus to things you have done well in the past. Reminding yourself of what you’re capable of is often all that’s required to restore forward thinking and ramp-up motivation levels. In fact, sometimes you can pull lessons directly from your past successes, to be applied to ongoing projects.

Compete

Playing a game or competing in a sporting event stimulates motivation. Pitting yourself against others or even against yourself in a solo sport stirs natural internal responses, which motivate you in all areas of life. Win or lose, competitive juices motivate you to perform at peak levels.

Find Help

Motivation and inspiration are infectious, so leaning on helpers can be a strong force for revving-up your own enthusiasm. Even tapping an associate’s or co-workers expertise for a single piece of the puzzle can be enough to boost your motivation tackling the other aspects of a project.

Get back to Nature

Though it represents a stark contrast to business environments and other fast-paced parts of modern life, nature has an amazing restorative impact on motivation. Walks through the park or a more intensive hike, for example, expose you to inspirational features of nature, which are easily carried to tasks you need to complete. Taking-in the larger picture this way inspires reflection capable of motivating observers to get excited about their own places in the universe.

Study Mentors

When struggling with your own output, it can be beneficial to study examples of the type of work you wish you were producing. Formal mentors can help with motivation directly, by sharing experiences and helping tweak your trajectory. But even studying respected colleagues from afar yields clues to what motivates them and keeps them on track.

Change your Scenery

Sometimes work environments become stale and uninspiring, calling for a change of scenery to boost motivation levels. If possible, shake things up by changing your environment, which can itself stir inspiration. Travel, for example, stimulates worldly feelings, which can be beneficial to self-motivation. And though it is not always possible to get away when motivation wanes, there are nonetheless worthy options found locally, allowing you to stay on-point with assigned work tasks. If you telecommute, for example, try heading-in to the office for a day or two to mix things up. Or if a cubicle stands in the way of motivation, seek permission to deliver remotely, enabling you to complete work assignments at home, the library, or some other inspiring location.

Get Fit

Mind and body are inextricably linked, so motivation levels are influenced by physical fitness as well as mental fortitude. If you find your productivity and inspiration slipping, account for your physical approach alongside the mental exercises you tap to increase motivation. Start slow, to get your blood flowing and synch your and and body. Once positive results are felt, it becomes easier to engage in exercise as a motivational force. Walks and other low-impact movements should not be underestimated for the benefits they bring.

Do the Opposite

Human beings undeniably get in ruts, reinforcing patterns that can be hard to break from. When your motivation slips as a result of sameness, try changing your approach with a radical departure from the status quo. By acting contrary to your standard approach, you’ll open new perspectives and channels of understanding. Even if you determine your original take on things is the best one available, it serves to reinforce your confidence, motivating you to keep up the good work.

Be Forgiving

Second-guessing your methods and performance can be enough to thwart motivation and hold you at a standstill. Rather than becoming mired in negative introspection, forgive periods of diminished motivation with a clear eye toward brighter days. This forward-thinking frame of mind helps you get beyond life’s inevitable speed bumps into positive territory that supports achieving your goals.

Motivation ebbs and flows throughout the course of daily life, and it doesn’t always synch with your personal and professional responsibilities. When motivation dips at the wrong time, it pays to reevaluate your approach using these helpful tips. In the end, jump-starting motivation levels leads to ongoing success for those able to move beyond trying times.

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