Joy Karren M. Dumale
Peace of mind is a state of calmness despite many stressors. Nowadays, in a very busy and full of a hectic schedule, a peaceful mind seems like a luxury that one rarely can have and like a friend that infrequently got a chance to catch up with. It is challenging to find peace of mind despite it but finding peace of mind in a busy world is possible. This article shares how important it is and presents some ways on how to attain it.
According to Crystal Raypole, peace of mind is also described as inner calm or inner peace which refers to the internal state of tranquility. If a person has mental peace, he or she will feel at ease within himself or herself. The sense of freedom and strength of acknowledging whatsoever life will toss in it is way. People tend to believe that peace can only be found from within when a person is free from any troubles or any arising negative situation, rather it is the way to navigate through downtime knowing how to tame one’s demons. The feeling of being at peace can help to boost one’s happiness regardless of the challenges he or she is facing. A relaxed and calm outlook can also help to pass through any surge of struggles more smoothly. Manifesting peace of mind is not as challenging as it seems. A person can acquire peace by accepting what cannot be controlled, forgiving not only others but also himself or herself, staying focused on the here and now and what is present, put in writing or any form of art every thought and emotion to divert the unwanted emotions and disconnect to the busy world by connecting with the nature.
Life is unpredictable and from time-to-time different challenges in life will surface and complicate the daily routine that will leave a person anxious, feeling drained, and even feeling afraid. It is natural to worry about one’s personal issues and get mad about a job, but when people get consumed with those feelings, they will eventually take over and disturb one’s peace and make it difficult to cope. Ignoring or neglecting those feelings does not help. Suppressing emotions can intensify and this may lead to far less calm. Acceptance on the other hand often does make the difference. It is an effective strategy to accept one’s thoughts and emotions. It is normal to show the eagerness to turn away from pain, but it also takes time to get into a habit of acceptance. But as the process goes by, it will be likely to feel more at peace.
Not having peace of mind will put weight on everyday life that can lead to stress and other emotional chaos and may heighten current struggles. No one can escape life’s challenges, and inner peace will not make any difficulties disappear. But this peace is very important since peace helps to remain a person calm in midst of distress by reducing anxiety, worry, and overwhelm. According to Katy Cowan, lacking of peace of mind will eventually manifest a symptom of anxiety and stress, sleep disturbance will occur due to countless mind baggers, feeling of fatigue, showing low energy, anger and irritability, difficulty in concentrating, and sometimes tension or conflict in relationships. For an instance, having a personal problem or issue, a person can carry it to his or her work, and the peace that this person needs in functioning his or her job will be affected and his or her decision-making will be hindered with the mind baggers he or she is having.
Practicing forgiveness when getting hurt is essential. Anger is a natural response when someone did wrong or mistreated a person but holding onto grudges will not help a person to find inner peace. Keeping anger in one’s system, disappointments, or resentment takes up a huge place not only in a person’s heart but in one’s overall well-being.
The act of forgiveness does not only benefit the other persons, but it could also do even more to the one who is doing it. Self-forgiveness is also necessary. A person cannot fully forgive someone if they cannot forgive themselves for hurting themselves so much in worrying about things they can no longer control. Forgiveness does not come easily that with just one snap of a finger it was already gone. It is often a long and emotionally demanding process that involves compassion and empathy, and afterward acceptance. Rewinding over and over the past will not change and erase what happened, instead leave them stuck with the same old pain, regret, and self-blame. According to Kendra Cherry, selfforgiveness will be recognized if a person will learn how to apologize. Making an extra effort to amend the wrong and commit oneself to changing behavior for betterment is significant. The next step towards a more peaceful life involves offering oneself compassion and letting go of guilt and shame in a person’s heart. Accepting that there are things that are out of control of a person is important in achieving peace of mind.
Practicing meditation will increase self-awareness, reduce stress, and produce positive brain activities. Meditation can promote awareness of the present moment, whether this brings joy or pain. In addition, it will not only clear a person’s mind but also will help to adjust to emotional distress. For example, even if a person is in an office setting, just take a few minutes to relax and reflect, and collect oneself to recharge. A focused meditation also will help to acknowledge, accept and let go of the physical and emotional distress. This acceptance of meditation and regular practice of it will go a long way towards lasting peace of mind.
Another thing that can benefit the peace of mind is finding enough time for oneself, spending just the right amount of time on their own could help their well-being, far and free in a frantic world. Solitude is sometimes misinterpreted and undervalued. Solitude offers a lot of chances to reflect on personal values, explore self-identity, reconnect with their needs, reevaluate one’s standards and boundaries, embrace and explore own creative side, enjoy a forgotten hobby, and experience once again a favorite pastime, and start the meditation practice. This activity leads to boost peace of mind and helps in daily life to recharge, relax, readjust, and refocus.
Journaling is another to be considered that can help express emotions that are kept inside, and this can provide a different perspective. Writing down emotions on paper, of course, will not get rid of the troubles, but it might find that committing them to paper helps ease some of the emotional weight and transforms inner peace from an exception to more of a rule. To cite an example and has been proven, the writer did this also and has been advised before by a professional to put into paper every feeling she is having to help her focus more on how she will put into words what are her thoughts and emotions she is going through. This strategy pulls back into the peace of mind and steady emotions of the writer and somehow felt ready for another life’s challenge.
Lastly, getting back to nature, either to the mountain or to the seas, can rejuvenate one’s self from the daily grind. Natural environments like green spaces can ease emotional distress and foster feelings of inner calm and peace of mind. Spending time in nature can help a person to have peace of mind by soothing worry, anger, or fear, easing stress and promoting relaxation, lowering the risk for depression and other mental health conditions, enhancing feelings of kindness and social connection, improving concentration, and focus.
The strategies mentioned above may or may not work for some people in finding peace of mind but if a person is trying to have control with his or her own life and peace of mind, these may help.
Reference: https://psychcentral.com/blog/how-to-achieve-peace-of-mind https://www.creativeboom.com/tips/the-importance-of-rest-how-to-embracecalm-and-restore-your-mind-in-a-busy-world/ https://www.verywellmind.com/how-to-forgive-yourself-4583819
Peace-of-mind-amid-a-frantic-world.pdf