We are all given a role to play by birth—to ourselves, to our family, to our society, and mother earth. And while each of us tries their best, it can all be a little admittedly overwhelming, right? Just remember that it’s the same with all of us and yes, you are not alone!
One thing that we all can mutually agree to is that this year, 2020, has been a lot to process. At stressful times like these, it is important to keep your health and wellbeing in check—both mental and physical. It is essential to understand that no matter what’s going on in the external world, you got to be the boss of your inner peace. As long as you are in charge of the things that can or cannot affect you, nothing can rock you!
To be the master of your peace, you must accept the fact that frustration and anxiety is a perfectly normal reaction to this not-so-normal phase in time. With acceptance comes a sense of peace that you cannot change what’s not in your control, but you have the power over what goes on in your mind.
So how exactly to get a hold on your overall being and maintain mental peace during this chaos?
How to stay calm- Know Your Triggers
In order to calm yourself down, you need to understand what is triggering you in the first place. By thinking it through and going to the root of the problem, you will get to know yourself better. And while knowing your triggers won’t do much to your mental peace, the knowledge will help you find the right solutions to overcome the problem. This understanding and awareness will help you evade whatever it is that is triggering you. You will then know how to cut the source off, or at least stay away from that what triggers you and disturbs your mental peace.
How to find mental peace in little things
Different things work for different people. While some might find peace in art, movement, or creating something, others might just find it in sleeping, doing little everyday tasks, or simply doing nothing. You must figure out what works best for you, what works best in keeping YOU sane and calm. No one knows you better than yourself, right? So ask yourself this question “What is one thing that I can do every day that brings me closer to my mental peace and stability?”.
And once you find that one activity, do it every day! Invest in yourself.
How to set a healthy routine
Having a routine that you follow every single day is crucial at times like these. It will give you a sense of stability when you know what exactly are you supposed to do every single time of the day. Start with setting a steady sleep schedule. You will do your body a favor by going to bed and waking up at the same time every day, instead of staying up till 3 a.m. and waking up at 1 p.m.
Next, have a set of habits and things that you should do (as in laundry, cleaning, dusting, vacuuming) and set your routine in a manner that your day has a flow. This flow will help you stay calm while doing what needs to be done. Your productivity will directly influence your self-satisfaction and happiness, and thus, your mental health. Now that you have set a routine for yourself, follow it religiously.
How to set boundaries
When you set boundaries, you are stabilizing your mental peace by having control over the things that you let yourself get affected by. You must honor your boundaries.
Boundaries will help you become the boss of your life. While it depends from person to person, boundaries can look like not working after a certain time of the day, not going on your phone before and after a certain time of the day, not letting people talk to you in a certain manner, not conversing with people who do not bring you mental peace, etc.
You must be crystal clear with the things that you allow and don’t allow in your world.
Cut Yourself Some Slack
While being disciplined is the best way to be at peace, being kind to yourself is another form of self-care to keep your mental health in check. After everything that is going around the world and the increasing competition of productivity, understanding that you are your only competition will help you not compare yourself with the world.
Cutting yourself some slack and the mere understanding that you too are a human being who deserves rest will allow you to be kinder to yourself. So what that you slacked off for one day? There’s always tomorrow, right? So don’t be too hard on yourself, and always be proud of all the things that you have accomplished already, instead of beating yourself up for the things you haven’t.
Practice Mindful Self-Care
Make it a rule to have a “me time” every single day. During this time, you can do whatever brings you the most peace. At stressful times like these, you need to take the help of the power of self-love and self-care. So nourish your mind with good music, good thoughts, journal a little, read a book, take a long untimely nap, or watch your favorite movie. Nourish your body with a nice face mask, or a sweaty workout session, a relaxing long bath or practice some yoga. Pamper yourself by doing something that brings you joy.
The bottom line here is to indulge in at least one activity every day in the form of which you say “I love you” to yourself. Remember that self-care isn’t just a luxury, it is a necessity.
Notice The Beauty Of The World Offline
The power that nature has in healing and calming you down will amaze you. Get some sunlight and you will know the wonderful ways the sun has to energize you. Talk to your little plants and watch them grow. Go for a walk in the yard, or a park.
You can spend this time all by yourself or with a loved one. Limit your time online and know when to switch off all devices in go spend some time outside. Just don’t forget to get out in nature and breathe. Experience the beauty of mother nature and reap all the wonderful benefits that you can.
How to move with confidence on a rocky road
Exercise to relax, as mental and physical wellbeing go hand in hand. Incorporate some sort of physical movement every day in your routine. Studies have shown that exercising has a meditative impact on one’s mind. It doesn’t have to be a long and intense session. While intense workout programs do a great deal of good to you, just walking, cycling, or even dancing has the same effect on your mental health. Yoga is another excellent way to achieve overall stability, as it’s not just physical but has great spiritual benefits too!
Lastly, understand that nothing can rock you if you are stable at your core. And just like all times have, this time too will pass. What matters is what you make out of this phase and the things that you learn, all while not losing your calm or letting anything get to you.
Don’t fret. Don’t fume. Take it one day at a time and OWN YOUR PEACE!
