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Many people believe that inner peace is a myth. Maybe that is because there is too much noise around in the actual world for one to meditate or engage in activities that modern media advocates for when seeking peace. They all seem like a luxury we cannot afford to spare time for. We are in a hurry to achieve after all.

Yet, if we are not deliberate about discovering tranquility, we risk being swallowed up by the busyness of life. If we are not active about bringing calm to the world where ‘fast’ is the order of the day and patience is scarce, do we not become vulnerable to frustration and stress? 

Peace is the most incredible response we can have to situations that put pressure on us. It is the way we maintain sanity amid chaos. Through peace, we bring calm to circumstances that call for frustration.

Unfortunately, the external environment that confronts us today is too chaotic to bring peace without participation from within us. When you turn on the news, the headlines do not encourage any sense of calm. Neither does social media with its superficiality. Add the stress of the different workspaces we are part of and the inevitable clashes with well-intending loved ones, and you realize that there is little hope for peace to come from outside. 

We are our sources of peace because we can build it from inside. While we have external agents that encourage peace- such as a healthy working environment or supportive social connections- true peace is nurtured within. We draw it out when we come across situations that try our patience. It is an inner peace that allows you to walk away from a clash with your impossible boss or that holds you back when you would rather engage in a screaming match with a spouse or family member. Inner peace keeps you from being buried alive by hardships. It allows you to draw on calm when you would rather resort to the default human reaction of anger, frustration, or worry.

Introspection plays a considerable role in bringing peace.

To introspect is to take a journey within yourself to discover a lot about what makes you who you are. When you examine yourself and how you deal with stressful situations, it helps you control your emotions and reactions. Introspection offers you the opportunity to discover what triggers panic and uncertainty and what makes you calm.

‘Developing clarity within yourself improves self-assessment, decision-making, and overall happiness. Rather than reacting in the heat of the moment, you can act with understanding, calm, and wisdom.’ G. Razzetti. 

We play a role in every adverse situation we encounter. Sometimes, we are even to blame because of our actions or lack thereof. Often we may even be unaware that we are creating sticky situations that will haunt us later. Other times, we are victims of the actions of others. Either way, we are participants who either contribute to the situation or react to it. Introspection allows us to step away and examine the part we play.

Let us say that you clash with your boss over a misunderstanding. The default reaction is to go on the defensive and point out that your boss was not paying attention. Your boss may feel you are challenging them, and it escalates into an argument. However, when you draw on your inner peace and introspect, you may well discover that you could have done better to give a clearer picture to prevent any misunderstanding. That is not to admit guilt for something your boss may genuinely have failed to understand. Instead, it is to examine whether you could have played a role in avoiding the misunderstanding. That interpretation can bring calm to a tense situation as it allows you to respond differently to the scenario.

Introspection is not embarking on a fault-finding mission for every difficult situation you find yourself in. Instead, it examines not only the bad but allows you to look at your successes and your contribution to positive situations in your life. Peace can also come from knowing that you are doing your best. You find the motivation to do better from positive reflections too.

Introspection means noticing more of my inner world, especially as it reacts and responds to external stimuli, whether good or bad. The emphasis on reflection during circumstances helps us approach adversity more calmly and cultivate inner peace in situations that call for the opposite. The decisions you make are based on your approach to hardships, regardless of who authored the mess. An introspection is just a unique approach that allows you to examine whether you can avoid escalating a situation by being kinder and more compassionate to yourself or others. 

Asking yourself hard, thoughtful questions about a situation you find yourself in will allow you to think before acting or speaking. It will save you from explaining yourself after saying the wrong thing in the heat of the moment. It will keep you from condemning yourself or others over mistakes. The practice of regular introspection will nurture peace in any environment, no matter how hostile it seems.

How to engage in introspection.

• Find a quiet space to reflect. Somewhere that allows you to think without interruption. You could even take a short walk.
• Ask yourself hard questions about your thoughts, feelings, and responses to specific scenarios. Then, pause and thoroughly think them through.
• Write your answers down. Be honest. Capturing your responses helps you evaluate your thoughts or feelings.
• Study your responses and draw a conclusion about your character or behavior in the different circumstances you reflect on.
• Commit to improving where you need to.

Peace is internal, so you can cultivate it by becoming more self-aware. We spend time understanding our thoughts that allow us to control our response to situations, no matter how negative they are.

I believe sleep is like a therapy session when we get in a loop to unbuckle all the days' frustrations and trauma. Time to check out from the activity of the day. Just like a restart button to prepare us for tomorrow. When I wake up the following day, I expect to be both mentally and physically awakened. This will give me the right attitude to go through the rest of my day. In meditation, they usually say how one wakes up is a significant factor in deciding how one goes through the day.  A famous Indian author also shared some wisdom on waking up in the morning feeling fresh and energized. His enlightenment was that it's not really about the hours of sleep or the sleep quality. It is our quality of living that determines how peaceful we're feeling each morning rise. He advised that we focus more on enhancing our quality of life than increasing the quantity of sleep we have. When we work hard and take care of our health, we sleep better at night. Appreciating life, exercising, and creating good pre-bedtime routines also affect how peacefully we'll feel waking up in the morning.

Appreciate life

So often, we tend to take life for granted. We start living as if the next day is guaranteed to us. But it is not. Life itself is a gift. The more we get to understand it, we start appreciating it more. Now when we appreciate life, we look at each morning with a different lens of understanding. In such a perspective, we learn to smile with gratitude as we open our eyes to each new day. We're not waking up to stress or lack, but living in the moment with gratitude to what's already there. We should appreciate life more for us to have more peaceful mornings.

Monitor your nighttime routines

Everything we do before bedtime determines the quality of sleep we'll have. Drinking too much water before bed will give us many trips to the bathroom during the night. This will affect our sleep cycle and have us feeling not well-rested in the morning. Certain foods take more time to digest. To avoid feeling bloated and suffering from heartburn, it is advised to eat 4-5 hours before bed.  Drinking caffeinated drinks before bed increases our brain activity. This will keep us tossing and turning for hours after turning the lights off. Smoking is also to be avoided due to the effect of nicotine which increases heart alertness.

Moreover, taking a shower before bed helps increase our quality of sleep. The bedroom's atmosphere or environment can induce better sleep. Sleeping in a cool, quiet, dark room and a comfortable bed is ideal.  Even the color of the bedroom walls is crucial. An hour before bedtime, we should try to do something relaxing. Toxic habits such as falling asleep on the phone or in front of the Tv triggers insomniac behavior. This can alter ones' sleep patterns.

Stop hitting the snooze

Waking up gradually to natural light could be a preferred alternative to using an alarm clock. Most people would undoubtedly struggle to do without this tool. However, it has been found that the device has its shortcomings. In some cases, waking up to an alarm clock inflicts sleep anxiety, a rise in blood pressure, heart rate, and even stress levels. The anticipation and worry not to miss a '5am alarm' could promote insomnia. Now instead of having a good nights' sleep and waking up on time, you'll wake up with an adrenaline rush and panic attack. Don't hit the snooze button. The longer we stay in bed, falling in and out of sleep, the more exhausted we'll feel once we get up. Imagine a scenario where you decide to hit the snooze button a couple of times in the morning. Five days later, you then decide you need to wake up on that first alarm sound. In this case, the brain gets confused because you've already disrupted your sleep cycle. You're jumping in and out of your sleep cycle. You could drift off into the first stage of sleep, which is the worst time to wake up, leaving the body in shock. This is known as 'sleep inertia,' which causes that familiar feeling of drowsiness after you wake up. Instead, we should try and wake up at the same time every day naturally.

Exercise and Stretch regularly

Exercising and stretching in the morning is a great way to get us rejuvenated and awake. Regular exercise impacts the release of certain chemicals in our bodies. An increase in Serotonin levels stimulates the brain, activates our vitals, and improves our appetite. When we exercise, our bodies release dopamine and endorphins in our brains that make us feel happy. Stretching too loosens the muscles.

Comprehensively to keep having more peaceful mornings, let us first attain inner peace. In Viggo Mortensen's words, "One of the best pieces of advice I ever got was from a horse master. He told me to go slow to go fast." I think that applies to everything in life. We live as though there aren't enough hours in the day, but we will get it done quicker and with much less stress if we do each thing calmly.

It is not stress that kills us. It is our reaction to it. - Hans Selye

Happiness continues to elude many people, not because it does not exist but because they look to the wrong source. Disappointment follows on the heels of every expectation you put on another person or object to make you happy. Peace comes from knowing that you are the only true source of your happiness. 

‘The greater part of our happiness and our misery depends upon our disposition and not upon our circumstances.’ Martha Washington.

We cannot limit happiness to an emotion that we experience when things are going well. Instead, it is a state of mind that we can adopt. One has to choose to pursue it through their actions. You could go through some of the most troublesome times in your life and still choose to be happy through it all. It does not mean that sadness does not creep in or that you perpetually smile through the pain. Neither does it mean that a state of happiness vanquishes trouble or that overwhelming sense of defeat we sometimes encounter. Happiness makes the most of every season in your life and chooses the positive in the surrounding chaos.

Losing your job will not encourage positivity. There are bills to pay and people to take care of. An option would be to cry at the unfairness of the situation. It does not solve the problem, though. The more you allow negativity to creep in through worry and anxiety, the more unbearable the condition. It affects your mental health and your relationships.

Another option would be to see the loss as a state of transition between opportunities. You could use that time to evaluate your skills and upgrade them so that better opportunities find you well prepared. You can also use that time to follow through on that business idea and look for potential partners and investors. Finally, it could be a season to look into your gifts and talents to start an income-generating project. It is all in the way you choose to perceive it. 

You are ultimately responsible for any state you choose to be in, even after life throws you curveballs. 

Giving such responsibility to another person or material things is to give them too much control over you. To let someone else be your source of happiness is to depend on them. They get to decide when you are happy. You do not want another person dictating how often you are happy. Otherwise, you may never experience true happiness in your lifetime. Neither do you want happiness determined by material possessions as the world dictates today.

Your definition of happiness differs from that of the next person. This is because it is intrinsic. It stems from our internal makeup and what we value. So if another person sees value in something that you do not, already there is potential that you will not be happy with what they choose to prioritize. This is why you should choose happiness on your terms, not on someone else’s. The reason people are so unhappy today is that they continue to look to their friends, family, spouses, or careers for happiness. When these things cannot fill that void, people see a life of doom and misery.

 If you want to experience true peace, define what makes you happy and make it your responsibility to bring that happiness to your sphere.

Taking responsibility for your own happiness.

Know what makes you truly happy.

No one knows you better than you. The more time you spend with yourself, the more you get to see what you enjoy doing and what brings you joy. If you do not make these essential discoveries about these triggers, you will get swept up in other people’s happiness, doing what makes them happy while never achieving that same state.

Do not try so hard to fit in.

Many people struggle so much with the need for acceptance and validation from society. We want to blend in so much that we sacrifice our happiness for a seat at the table. It is frustrating to pretend to be someone else and to force yourself to like what they like. Do not shortchange yourself. Be true to your identity. You will be happier existing as your true, undiluted self. If other people dislike what you bring, find another table with those who appreciate you for who you are.

Never compare your life to someone else’s.

The greatest source of dissatisfaction and unhappiness is the perception that someone else has it better than we do. When we look to the other side and see their greener grass, we become unsettled about our own lives. There is nothing wrong with looking on the other side for inspiration. Success stories should fuel us to work harder. The problem comes when jealousy takes the place of admiration. Accept where you are in life. It is the right place to be at that moment, especially if you are working hard to improve yourself. You need the rags to bear witness to your journey to riches. Your turn will come. Be content in the place you are now.

Be grateful.

Gratitude is a state of mind that allows us to appreciate what we have. While we desire to improve our lives, gratitude allows us to look at what relationships and opportunities we have as a blessing. To cultivate happiness under challenging moments, consider what you have and be thankful for it. An attitude of gratitude is an essential ingredient of happiness.

We cannot avoid tough seasons in our lives. Things may not always go according to plan, and that is okay. When we take full responsibility for our happiness, we control the narrative of the lives we live. Do not give anyone control by making them responsible for what makes you happy. It is a burden only you should bear because no one knows what makes you happy better than you.

Have you ever stopped to notice how fast our days seem to fly by? We wake up bombarded with an insane amount of things we have to get done. Then, just like that, the day is over.

Of course, having the world at your fingertips doesn't help slow things down. It only adds to the chaos.

Today, I want to focus on what matters most in our lives. That could mean different things for different people. Nevertheless, each of us has certain things they value more than others.

So, read ahead to find out how you can live your best life by focusing more on the things that matter.

The Most Important Things in Life

Having status and designer shoes are great and everything. But having them won't make you any happier or healthier than the average person.

Another thing we tend to obsess over is what we don't have. Sometimes, it becomes our driving force that can lead to negative habits and behavior.

Let me ask you this: do you want to live your best life today and every day? Here are four things that will help you get focused:

1.     Identify What Matters the Most to You

First, take a step back and look at your life from a different vantage point. Next, dissect each aspect of your life. Which areas should you pay more attention to? Which should you cut back on?

To lead a balanced, well-fulfilled life, consider having one, or all, or the following. Maybe you can even add a couple of your own to the list.

• A healthy body and mind
• Family and friends
• Money in the bank
• The drive to continually learn new things
• A place to call home 
• Realistic goals and a purpose in life

The takeaway: Recognizing that what matters most in life has nothing to do with material possessions can help you appreciate what you have. Gratitude for these things will lead to a better, happier, fuller life. It will also boost creativity and lower stress. It also gives you control over your happiness, rather than allowing external factors to affect your inner peace.

2.     Listen and Pay Attention

While it's important to listen to those close to you in life, only use them for insight. It's about listening to yourself and paying attention to your likes and dislikes. This is a measure of your true worth and how much you love yourself.

Self-love requires practice, but it gets more comfortable with time. When you're at peace with yourself, you allow yourself to love others in a healthy, mature relationship.

The takeaway: Show yourself the same kindness and compassion you show others. When you look in the mirror, focus on the good rather than the bad. Treat yourself to nice things and be happy with who you are.

3.     Be in the Present

Too often, we find ourselves regretting the past or worrying about the future. However, what matters the most is the moment we're living right here and now.

Connecting with the world around you makes you appreciate what you have. The more you're in tune with your' present,' the more you'll realize just how precious life can be.

As Earl Nightingale said, "Learn to enjoy every minute of your life...Think how really precious the time is you have to spend, whether it's at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored."

The takeaway: Being self-aware helps bring tranquility and happiness into your life. In turn, the happier and calmer you are, the more things you'll find to be thankful for.

4.     Find a Hobby

Hobbies are the things you do for fun in your free time. They can range from knitting to deep-sea diving to jumping from airplanes.

Your experiences in life are what make it worth living. They give it meaning and shape the way you see others around you. Doing something you enjoy has been widely hailed as one of the best stress reducers of our time.

You can also use it to push your boundaries a bit and step out of your comfort zone. Sometimes, the idea of doing something new can be terrifying. If this happens to you, recognize your fear. Then, tell yourself it's okay to be nervous about something new.

The takeaway: Live your life. Be eager to try out new experiences. They're what add fulfillment and richness to your life.

5.     Practice Positive Habits

Identifying positive habits and carrying them out brings order to your life. Good habits also result in good physical and mental health.

With a steady routine, you can reduce distractions that stand in the way of your accomplishing things. They also help steer you towards making better decisions. Studies show that by creating routines and enforcing good habits, you become better at taking care of your life, health, and overall well-being.

The trick is to be authentic to your values and beliefs. That can be hard to do in this media-frenzy world we're living in. Yet, just having confidence in who you are can help shine the light on what matters most in your life.

The takeaway: Your thoughts are expressed through your words and, ultimately, your actions. Those actions turn into habits, so make sure you stick to enforcing positive habits in your life.

Final Thoughts

These five things are just some of the ways you can focus on what matters most in your life. At the end of the day, what it boils down to is that you have to focus on certain things over others to live your best life.

Remember, what matters more to you may not be as important to others. So, stay true to your values and hold on to the things you treasure more in life.

Everyone has times in their life when things look grim. They might even seem to be hopeless. The world can feel like a scary place, and you alone in the middle of it. But history has shown that even in the worst of times, people have chosen to be hopeful. If you're finding it hard to believe that better times will come, here are five things you can hang on to. 

1. Your Health

No matter what world of life crisis you're going through, if you have your health, you're wealthy. You might take it for granted, but being strong and healthy is probably your biggest asset.

Look after your body, eat well, stay fit, and be game-ready for the next opportunity. 

2. The Sun will Rise Tomorrow

Even the worst day comes to an end, and you get a chance to do better Tomorrow. Brooding over past failures is as pointless as worrying about the future. You can only deal with what is right in front of you.

Take your motto from Scarlett O'Hara and remember that Tomorrow is another day. 

3. You Are Full of Potential

Do you believe you can live your best life? Do you think you can be successful, famous, and happy? Or does it feel to you that success is only for the lucky few?  

All humans are born full of potential. The only thing stopping you from meeting your potential is you. Change your mindset from self-doubt to self-confidence, and you can do whatever you set your mind to. 

4. Learn to Look on the Bright Side

It's improbable that everything in your life will go wrong at once. So learn to hang onto the good things in your life and be grateful. No matter what situation you find yourself in, it could pretty much always be worse. 

If you look for abundance, you will find it. Practice looking for things to be thankful for, starting with being alive right now. And remember, hard times come and hard times go. Better times are just around the corner. 

5. Challenges Make You Stronger

If you're down in the trough of a life crisis, remember that when you come out of the other end, you'll be stronger and smarter than before. You will have learned things about yourself and what you're capable of that would never have occurred to you before. And despite feeling crushed, you have triumphed. You made it!

We rush from task to task, making a daily concerted effort to complete something. Often, it feels as though you're trying to run up the down escalator. We speed along to the next thing, always in a rush to get it over with, to race to the next thing. Rarely do we reach what we consider to be our final destination. When we do manage it, we look around at the chaos we created and realize that it was all down to us. 

We are stressed out, completely exhausted by the daily grind. We never have enough time for the things we truly value or what we'd like to be doing. It might feel like there's no other choice, but the reality of the matter is that it doesn't need to be this way. You can live a simple life or at least simpler. You can enjoy life; you can find serenity instead of rushing from thing to thing. 

Everyone wants serenity. This elusive state that we are convinced only monks can achieve. Serenity makes you better equipped to handle life. You become more adept at handling problems. Once upon a time, something that seemed like a massive catastrophe is merely a small issue. 

You can react with clear, steady thinking. It's impossible to achieve this without effort. To become a serene person and live a calm life, you must build positive mental habits to create a peaceful mind. You need to eat well and exercise to support a healthy body. 

Simplify Life 

You can go Marie Kondo and toss everything that doesn't spark joy in your life. However, simplifying your life doesn't necessarily mean weighing up only material items. Look at your life. Are there things you're obsessed with? Do you have too much stuff? So much that it's packed away because you don't know what else to do with it? Do you have a nasty shopping habit, even though you don't need stuff?

This isn't about throwing everything away. It's about building a healthy relationship with material wealth and possessions.

Ego 

Your ego can create havoc. It's always trying to prove you're better than everyone else. It judges, it compares, and it's exhausting. Try to pay more attention to it in action. You will see a difference between what you want to do versus what your ego suggests you do. Are you chasing a goal or a dream because it's what you want or because it feels like it's what you should want? The latter isn't going to help you find serenity. 

Let Go  

The anger and resentment you carry with you makes life heavy. You are going to experience disappointment because people will always let you down. It's natural. You can't influence the hurt they cause; you can only change your response to the pain they cause. It's time to give people the benefit of the doubt and assume the hurt is misguided versus intentional. It's an essential aspect of finding serenity. 

Mindfulness & Compassion

To find true serenity, you need to be mindful of your emotions, actions, and thoughts. Be conscious about what you say, how you act, how you feel, and what you think. Self-observation will help you understand yourself better, and meditation will help you transform yourself. Pay attention to your intentions and be willing to get to know yourself on a deeper level.

Compassion is something that you should extend to yourself as well as to others. Judge yourself less, be kind to yourself, revel in joy. Forgive, forget, practice compassion, and move forward. That is what it means to live a serene life and be peaceful.

I've been where you are at the point where your life is embattled with chaos, both externally and internally. You're overrun with negative emotions, busy overthinking as you try to juggle your hectic schedule, and all the other stress that has landed on your doorstep.

There is no need to deny it. There is a peaceful place. We all know how draining life can is. Sometimes it seems hopeless. Sometimes you feel helpless. Sometimes it seems as though inner peace is an impossibility. Life is overwhelming! 

Dispel those fears right now because I want to provide you with the practices necessary to turn inner peace into a habit. In no time, it will just be another part of your day. Except this is one you'll look forward to because with it comes serenity.

• Release Control

There is only one thing you have control over in this world, and it's you. You control your emotions, thoughts, and behaviors. That's it – not external circumstances, not other people. The only thing you control in those situations is how you respond. It is far more beneficial to your inner peace and happiness to recognize, understand, and remember this. The best thing you can do is let go and focus on you.

• Unconditional Living

Does your mood depend on the conditions in your environment? Your spirit is high as you walk into work because you caught every green light on your commute. Your spirit is low as you walk into work because you caught every red light on your commute. Your children misbehaved, and it tipped you over the edge. Your children did their chores, and it dragged you back from the brink.

Do you see the problem? You're allowing yourself to live conditionally. You are being led by your environment and the behavior of others.

What does it all mean? If you want to find inner peace, you have to stop expending your emotional energy on the conditions around you. Unconditional living simply means that you won't let the conditions of your life influence how you feel.

• Directed Focus

Directed focus is the most powerful aspect of turning inner peace into a habit. Think of sometime in your life when you felt at peace. When you become discontented, recall this time. Now look for gratitude in the situation you are experiencing, choosing what you focus on walks hand-in-hand with the previous point. When you decide to live unconditionally, you are shifting your focus from circumstance to self. While you will still be aware of what's going on around you, you aren't going to focus on all of that noise. You're only going to focus on creating the reality you want to live in.

• Don't People Please

There are two reasons we tend to go out of our way to please others. The first is that we get satisfaction from being helpful. It gives you a little buzz. The second is we are too scared to say no and disappoint someone. The truth of the matter, though, is that people-pleasing just causes resentment, it stresses you out, and you get so busy pouring everything out into others you forget to refill your cup.

You can still help others, but don't break yourself at the expense of others.

The road that you walk to find inner peace will be an exciting journey. You will uncover many truths about yourself, as well as finding out how to handle stressful situations that life throws at you.

A relationship with the universe or a higher power is the one that will help you stay grounded. It's about knowing that everything will work out for you, even if it might not feel or look like it. Meditation is an excellent place to start getting in touch with it.

Serenity is a state of being calm and at peace. Does it seem as though it is only a luxury afforded to monks and those without the daily struggles of “real” life

It doesn’t have to be. You are genuinely and completely capable of feeling calm and at peace, you have now by implementing a few mental and physical lifestyle habits.

Here are ten ways you can achieve serenity in your mind and your life

1. Practice gratitude every day. Gratitude will allow you to focus on all the things you are happy to have in your life right now. Make a list of 10 things you are grateful for every day for 30 days and see how good it makes you feel.
2. Do your best with what you have while working for what you want- Unfortunately, we can’t always have exactly what we want as soon as we decide we want it. Do you have dreams of living a life different than the one you are because you have responsibilities? Do you dream of traveling the world and working only on your laptop? Go to your day job every day and do your best, then come home and work towards making your dream come true so that you don’t have to choose one or the other and harbor feelings of resentment and dissatisfaction from a life wasted.
3. Practice acceptance…understand that you can not control others. Understanding that you can not control others is the peacemaker. Have you noticed that spending time around certain people because they are manipulative or angry makes you feel a little overwhelmed? Accepting the fact that it is just the way they are and moving on with your day instead of trying to force someone to change will bring you peace.
4. Fill your mind with positive influences – The information you watch on tv and read about affects how one thinks and feels. Have you noticed how bitter and cynical people tend to get when they spend their days watching the news? To achieve serenity, it is essential to fill your mind up with positive words and educational content that expands your mind and leads you closer to a relaxed state.
5. Keep your home organized- It is hard to relax in a place that has clutter and dirty dishes and clothes laying around. Your home should be a place you come to and be able to relax and unwind. Your home should be a reflection of the life and feelings you aspire to have.
6. Eat healthy meals that nourish your body- A healthy mind and body start with food. You can not live a healthy life while filling your body with toxic, addictive, food-like products you get from the standard American diet. Fuel your mind with good food, and you will increase feel-good hormones.
7. Drink plenty of water- Water is the ultimate fuel for our bodies. We can not replace it with wine, coffee, and tea and expect to achieve a relaxed and peaceful state. Does caffeine make you jumpy or irritable? You may need to remove it from your diet altogether to feel relaxed during the day.
8. Spend time outdoors- Take a break throughout your day and go for a nice quiet walk through nature. Humans are creatures meant to be close to nature, yet we are all disconnected from its power and beauty. Go for a walk every day without earbuds or cell phone in your hands and use your senses to enjoy the experience.
9. Surround yourself with people that you enjoy being around- limit your time with drama queens and poor thinkers. While you can’t always eliminate people that bring you down all the time, you can limit the amount of time you spend with them. Allowing yourself ample opportunity to surround yourself with people that inspire you
10. Focus on what you want-Do you live in a town that you feel is sucking the life out you? The more you focus on how much you hate it there, the more you will be put into situations where you are in a place you don’t enjoy. Instead, train your mind to focus only on things and places that you want more of in your life.

Achieving serenity in your mind and your life, can help you enjoy a less chaotic lifestyle and cultivate habits that hold you back from living your best life.

Life can get stressful. This is an unavoidable fact, but it does not have to be stressful and overwhelming all of the time. Each one of us wants to achieve a stress-free and calm life. It may seem like an impossible task, but there are a few tips that you can follow to achieve a sense of calm and serenity in your daily life.

Be Thankful 

Practicing gratefulness is one of the many ways that you can turn your stress into a paradise. When life begins to get a bit overwhelming, take a moment to appreciate the things that you have to be grateful for.

Are you grateful for your children? Your home? Your job? The list is probably longer than you choose to acknowledge on a daily basis.

Be Positive

It takes no effort to be negative. Every happening in our daily lives can easily turn into a major complaint. However, it is also possible to adopt the opposite type of mindset. Rather than complaining, find the positive in the situations that appear in your daily life.

As your mind wanders in the direction of the negative again, force yourself to maintain your positive outlook. Over time, being positive will become a lot easier than it is at first. You may also begin to rub off on others around you which is simply a fringe benefit. 

Be Nice to People

Being kind to others goes a long way in bringing about a peaceful everyday experience. If someone makes your life difficult, you can choose to be nice. Your kind attitude will pay dividends in peace and serenity.

Be Neat and Tidy

Keeping your home clean and tidy is another great way to reduce stress and anxiety. Clutter is often a culprit for stress and anxiety, and unfortunately, this is often overlooked by those who are suffering from these ailments.

Taking a day to tidy your home, car, workspace, or anywhere else where you spend time can greatly enhance your sense of calm.

Be Quiet

A negative side-effect of the increasing technology in our lives is that we rarely enjoy a quiet moment anymore. However, enjoying quiet time is actually really beneficial for our peace and serenity.

Watching television should not be a major part of your day. Making the choice to enjoy the quiet can actually do a great deal of good for enhancing your calm and serenity.

The Payoff

Practicing ways to achieve peace and serenity in your everyday life is not an easy task. This is a task that takes determination and the commitment to follow through. Attaining peace and serenity is something you do not want to miss. Overcoming all of the negative aspects of your daily life will give you a relaxed feeling in any situation. Nothing else will pay such high dividends.

Many minds these days live in internal chaos. We worry all the time, we’re jealous and greedy, and we’re continually trying to be and have more than we are. What our minds need is the opposite of internal chaos. Our minds need Serenity.

Serenity is a state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled. A mind with Serenity will not harm others. It will be patient and kind. It will not suffer anxious or depressed thoughts. It will merely be.

Music

If you’re feeling overwhelmed, put on your favorite song, after listening for a bit, you will begin to relax. You will feel energized and calmer. Music is an outlet for pent up anger and pain, so use it! Release those feelings and return to your Serenity.

Meditate

Meditation is a big deal these days, and you may be tired of hearing about it. Don’t tell me you can’t sit still and scroll to the next bold word. Stop, read, and focus. If you can’t sit still, that is an obstacle to Serenity. It may allude to more significant problems like anxiety or pent up energy you need to use.

Meditation is a practice that puts you into your body at the moment. Thoughts and feelings will flash through your head, but you are not to indulge them. Let them roll on by like a car on the road outside. You are serene.

There are many ways to meditate. You can focus on a flame or picture, you can focus on your breath, and you can download an app of your choice for guided meditation. Like anything, you should start small if you can’t sit still, just to do it for a minute. Then up to it three the next week.

Stop Multitasking

Some people claim they’re better at tasks when they multitask. That has proven false. You may merely feel like you are doing better while multitasking. Maybe you need to do something with your hands while you listen to a speaker, for instance. That is a focus technique, however, and not multitasking.

If you are doing your hair, on the phone, and trying to eat all at once, then you aren’t doing any of them very well. You might drop crumbs in the sink and mess up your hair. Focus on one task at a time. This will allow you to devote the proper amount of attention to each different task so that you can do peacefully do them right.

Take Breaks

Don’t forget to take a deep breath, step outside, or go for a walk. Breaks are essential and no matter who you are, you need them. Your eye health will also improve from frequent screen time breaks. So, find something that works for you!

Some people need more breaks than others, and that’s fine. What’s important is that you give yourself some rest after prolonged productivity. Maybe a sudoku game or quick round of solitaire will work for you. Getting outside is also great for your health, so go out there and take a walk.

Create a Serenity Trigger

A serenity trigger can be anything you focus on to remind you of Serenity. For instance, author, Carolyn Rubenstein, says that her serenity trigger is an “image of a beautiful flower blooming within a simple mason jar.” When visualized, it reminds her “to take a few minutes away from what she’s doing to find serenity amidst the chaos.”

Your serenity trigger can be anything. Maybe it’s a picture of your family or significant other that you keep in your wallet. Perhaps it’s the sound of a waterfall or an accessory you can wear. Find something that makes you feel peace and use it as your serenity trigger.

Inner peace is the feeling of freedom and tranquility within oneself. It is the ability to feel confident and satisfied with the life you are living, free from stress and anxiety. How many people do you think have mastered inner peace and can live a full, rewarding life because of it?

Inner peace is not something manypeopleknow in today’s modern world. After all, the world is fast-moving, and if we don’t keep up, we will surely be left behind.

It keeps us up at night and brings about crippling anxiety treated with antidepressants and addictive foods that destroy our mind and body that often leaves us with chronic lifestyle-related illnesses like depression and obesity.

Is your mind always at war with your heart?

Does stress, overwhelming to-do-lists, and chronic overthinking leave you feeling drained and unmotivated?

Or are you one of the lucky ones that left the career they hated to chase after their passions or sold their big fancy house to move to a foreign country and sell paintings by the bay?

Inner peace often eludes us when we are living a life not meant for us. That can mean many different things to different people. Maybe you live in a town that sucks the life out of your adventurous spirit. Or your career path is slowly poisoning you with tedious routine stacks of paperwork. Perhaps chronic stress is so out of control that your inner peace has disappeared.

“Few things are more disconcerting than living a life you weren’t meant to live.” Stacy Brookman

Signs you struggle with inner peace

1. You compare yourself to others
2. You can’t say no
3. Your mind is always racing
4. Little things become big things
5. You’re to-do-list is monumental, and it makes you overwhelmed
6. Your home and work environment is a mess
7. You procrastinate often
8. You focus on things you can’t control

Are you struggling to find inner peace? Here is what you can do about it right now

1. Use social media as a source of enjoyment, not to see what others are doing. Funny cat video, anyone?
2. Meditate every day. Nothing is more effective for calming the mind and creating a peaceful internal environment than meditation.
3. Learn to say no.
4. Practice relaxing with deep breathing or schedule time for a massage.
5. Ask yourself, will this matter in 5 years? If not, let it go.
6. Schedule your to-do-list in blocks. If you don’t get a project done in the allotted amount of time, then you will have to come back to it the next time.
7. Clean your house/workspace. If you don’t have time, hire a professional organizer.
8. Do the things you enjoy doing first.
9. Focus only on what you can control. That is you. You are the only thing, person, and event you can control.

Is inner peace eluding you? Are you feeling lost on the next course of action? Life coaches can be a great starting point. They often help you figure out where you are struggling and help you come up with a plan that is going to help you reach your end goal, AKA satisfaction, and happiness with your life.

A holistic health coach will help you examine all areas in your life that may be out of balance, but a career or life coach can also help you change direction in areas you are unsatisfied with and work towards creating inner peace for yourself.

It is never too late to start over, change course, or do something new. You can achieve inner peace. This is your life, and you are the only one responsible for making it into your idea of peace and happiness. So, what are you going to do about it?

Would you like to achieve inner peace? Are you exhausted by the guilt, pain, and resentment you have carried through life? Are you tired of responding impulsively, negatively, or overreacting? If everyone were honest, they would admit that negative moods influence them sometimes.

It doesn't matter how sincere you are. These old habits die hard. They aren't harmless bad habits; they are stealing your joy. It all throws us off-center, and ultimately, it makes you unable to cope with life effectively.

You cannot find inner peace and tranquility when you don't feel great. That means you need to look after every aspect of yourself, spirituality, physically, emotionally, mentally, and intellectually. Look after yourself, and your body will respond in kind.

1. Meditate

The power of meditation cannot be underestimated. While experts may spend hours in meditation, you don't have to. Create a daily schedule that dedicates 10 to 15 minutes to meditation. Meditation is all about clearing your mind and learning to be present. As you meditate, your focus should solely be on your breath.

When you focus on your breath, it allows you to push everything else out of your mind. With every inhale/exhale, push negativity from your mind and embrace the inner peace and tranquility. Meditation is a great solution when you're feeling stressed out. It's something that you can do anywhere and everywhere, but make sure you dedicate some time to meditate quietly at home. Anything else you do is gravy.

2. Mindfulness 

Mindfulness is not the same as meditation, though it's possible to practice mindful meditation. When you're mindful, you're fully present. You become completely aware of your sense of smell, touch, taste, hearing, and sight.

You can practice mindfulness when you eat when you listen to music when you take a hike. It's merely about engaging all of your senses to push everything else out of your mind. There is less time to worry when you're focusing on reality. You're living instead of thinking about what-ifs. 

3. Deep Breathing

Deep breathing is an activity that promotes inner peace and tranquility, similarly to meditation and mindfulness. There are a wide variety of deep breathing exercises that you can use. Here is one fostering inner peace and tranquility.  You imagine your breath as colors. You assign a color to positivity and one to negativity.

As you inhale, You see yourself drawing in blue air. It's all positivity. When you exhale, you imagine a rush of black air being expelled from your lungs. It's all negativity. You inhale positivity, and you exhale negativity. This simply adds an extra layer of stress relief to the deep breathing practice. The purpose of deep breathing to promote inner peace is that your mind is drawn to the process of breathing and it's life-enhancing properties.

Take a deep breath in through your nose, focus on your diaphragm as you do, and hold it for a few beats before you expel it from your mouth. Repeat this five times.

4. Be True To Yourself

How can being true to yourself be an activity? When you are in harmony with yourself, you will behave how you think and feel.

The problem comes in when you see yourself as one thing, but our actions portray another person. You can use a notebook to keep track of incongruence. This is something you can correct if you develop self-awareness and try to act in line with your values.

5. Gratitude

If you want to promote inner peace and tranquility, then you need to focus on all of the positivity in your life. A gratitude journal is an excellent way to remind yourself of everything you love in life. Once you start writing out what you're grateful for, you will find it easier to see more positives. It's all about training yourself to be more aware of the positive things in life.

I wrote a book on developing gratitude. It is available at Amazon. Use the link below.

We all talk about finding inner peace and serenity, but few understand how they can apply these practices to themselves. Buddhist philosophers like Gandhi have described inner peace as the essential aspect of life, and the only way to feel genuinely happy and prosperous.         

Inner peace is described as a deliberate state of spiritual calmness without sufferings or mental disturbances. It is about finding a sense of calm where the mind functions at its optimal point regardless of one’s surroundings. With enough strength and practice, one can find this sense of inner peace even when faced with stress and anxiety.         

Serenity comes from the Latin word serenus, which means clear or unclouded. Serenity is a mental state in which an individual feels calm and untroubled while truly at peace with themselves. It allows an individual to stay true to themselves and not let their surroundings impact their state of mind. It can be beneficial in overcoming hardships when frequently practiced. 

There are many ways to practice a feeling of inner peace and serenity, and eventually, you will be able to experience it in a very natural way.

Feeling at peace with yourself in a state of serenity throughout the day allows the mind to function in a very positive way and has tons of benefits on your quality of life.

There are many ways to find serenity and inner peace. Many of these strategies have been practiced for hundreds of years.

Meditation is the best way to calm the wandering mind and feel genuinely relaxed and at peace. Meditation allows you to let go of the trauma and negative self-talk that follow you throughout the day by clearing the cloudy mind.           

Meditation simply can calm the mind and let go of all thoughts to become present with reality and observe and acknowledge your surroundings. It allows you to feel less overwhelmed when negative emotions arise and not let emotional disturbances impact your life.

Meditation allows you to be mentally strong and maintain a sense of inner peace and serenity throughout your day, regardless of the stressors that come about. When you sit with these emotions and thoughts and can observe them, you can make important realizations about yourself that allow you to understand who you truly are.           

Practicing acceptance is another way to experience constant serenity throughout your daily life. By accepting the curveballs that life may throw at you, you will no longer let things bother you as much as you have in the past.          

Accepting uncertainty and understanding that you cannot predict the future or change the past allows you to feel present in the moment and let go of the wandering thoughts. Finding a sense of acceptance for what is and what will be, will enable you to be more alert and focused on what is in front of you while feeling calm and unbothered.          

Another way to maintain a sense of inner peace is to keep your environment organized and clean. When you look around your room and see a mess of clothes and other belongings, it is easy to feel overwhelmed and stressed. This stress you experience will likely be carried with you throughout the rest of your day and will make you not perform at your best.          

By decreasing clutter and keeping your environment free of distraction, you will feel relaxed and feel a sense of serenity when you are home or at work. By changing the things in your environment that are in your control, you will feel more comfortable in your surroundings and will be able to focus within.

Many people look to outside factors and their surroundings in an attempt to find inner peace without even realizing it. Inner peace can only come within and stems from our deeply rooted beliefs about ourselves and the way we react to different situations.         

There are many beliefs that you have likely experienced subconsciously that sink your sense of self-confidence and overall happiness. By analyzing the thoughts and beliefs that occur in your mind each day, you can shift to a more positive and confident outlook on a life full of peace and serenity.

“Once I get what I want, I will feel better.”

This belief is a common way that we get wrapped up in our surroundings and allow them to guide us and determine our wellbeing. When we understand that feeling good and being happy comes from within, we will no longer experience these restricting views.

To truly practice gratitude and be present in the moment, we have to allow our inner peace to guide us regardless of our situations or aspirations. Although it is important to have desires and goals, it is important not to let them determine our quality of life and satisfaction on the inside.

“People are always out to get me.”

Although we do not usually say this out loud, our subconscious holds restricting beliefs like these that prevent us from achieving our goals and aspirations. When you are always focused on what others think of you and how they will react, the anxiety guides your life, and you will not feel at peace on the inside.

Rather than expecting that people are going against you, accept the fact that not everyone will like you and let go of seeking approval from others. Allowing others to have their own opinions and not being afraid of them or letting them get in the way of your views can allow you to get a lot further in your life than you would expect 

“I should be able to work harder.”

Comparing our work ethic or other components of our lives like appearance or social skills blocks our confidence and prevents us from experiencing inner peace. Although you may look at others and think that they are better than you, you have to realize that everyone is different, and comparison can only hold you back.

Focusing on how you can improve your qualities and traits rather than trying to be like someone else can make you feel less stressed, and you will, in turn, have higher confidence levels.

Comparison can have negative impacts on friendships and even relationships and will always get in the way of inner joy and happiness. 

“I could never do that.” 

Doubting yourself and your capabilities is one of the most powerful ways that your subconscious restricts you from achieving your desires and goals. When you see someone performing on stage or completing something you have always aspired to do, it can be easy to think that you could never be capable.

When you think of these things, you are not able to have the confidence you need to accomplish these things. Taking a step back and realizing that you can achieve anything that you put your mind to will allow you to be more motivated and at peace from within. 

“Inner peace is impossible.”

When we read books about meditation and other peace techniques, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed and not capable. It can feel like these qualities take years and years to build up, and we have to make a lot of sacrifices to experience inner peace. 

Often the best way to find inner peace is by letting go of these assumptions and just starting with slowly adjusting your daily life. You will likely see the results sooner than you think, and inner peace will flow naturally.

When people themselves are happy, they experience positive feelings which they attribute as being something good. But when people make others happy, it elevates those positive feelings even further. There is no doubt that people love to make others happy. In fact, if you are ever feeling down yourself, one way to bring yourself up is to find ways to make others happy. This will give you the feeling of peace and contentment you are looking for.

When you strive to make others happy, they notice. They will get a boost in their mood which you will see that reaction in their face immediately. It may even be returned to you in kind, either immediately, or sometime in the future.

The great part about making others happy is it is relatively easy to do. It can be as simple as paying someone a compliment. Or it can be helping out a colleague whose workload is overextended. Sometimes, simply thanking someone can lift up their spirits no matter how small the task that you are thanking them for is.

One really easy way to make people happy is to smile. Smiling is a warm and friendly act that most people will respond to positively by smiling back. A smile is a form of welcoming and shows that you are opening yourself up to those people. It gives people an invitation to approach you.

Another way to make someone happy is to simply listen to them. You will be amazed at how this everytime you apply it . People aren’t usually good listeners so if you stand out as

If you want to go a step further in making others happy, try to learn more about the people that you want to make happy. Be interested in what they do. Then, if you see something related to their interests, either bring it to their attention or give them something related that shows you were paying attention.

It’s important to be genuine when making others happy and not use it as a form of manipulation. People will pick right up on that tactic and it is sure to backfire on you. Since it doesn’t really work anyway, why bother even trying it? People will appreciate you much more and will respond positively to your efforts to make them happy instead of trying to get something out of it for yourself. They will also be more willing to make you happy when the effort is real. You gather more bees with honey, then vinegar.

What makes people happy? If you have been struggling with trying to be happy yourself, perhaps it’s time to see how happy people are doing it. By learning what they do, you can emulate them for success.

1. People go between states of emotions regularly.
   You can be happy for a short period, and then you are thinking about something that stresses you out. Even people who seem happy go through changes in emotion. These people are more likely to be content. No one is truly happy all the time. It is important not to judge your insides by other peoples outsides, so you don’t put too much pressure on yourself when you see others who seem happy.
2. Consider what you have in life.
   Are you in good health? If you aren’t in good health and can do something about it, then that is a crucial area on where to focus. Learn how to eat right, even if you have to hire a nutritionist. Incorporate exercise into your routine. A gym is not necessary to get in shape. You can become healthier by walking frequently.
3. Happiness is not just about money.
   Although having enough to provide for your family is less stressful, people who are happy in life know that money is a tool like any other. It makes whatever you are doing easier. When people become obsessed with money, they can usually obtain it. But, it doesn’t lower their stress. The obsession often raises anxiety because it becomes the sole focus.
4. Happy people don’t chase dollars.
   They are content with what they are doing and focus on providing an excellent product. Money is a by-product of providing a good service. Happy people often are experts in what they do. You give enough people what they want you can have anything you want.
5. It’s rare to find people who are happy and don’t have any friends.
   Socializing is a significant factor when trying to be happy. You don’t need dozens of friends. When you have a few that you can trust, that will be all that is necessary. It’s okay to use social media to connect, but if you can get together in person, that is even better.
6. Try to make your home an environment where everyone feels safe.
   People who are happy, know that family is important. They know that their homes should be a sanctuary. If it’s not, they take steps to correct the situation. Spending time with family is a part of what makes people happy.

Action steps:

1. Make a list of what you currently have. List both material items and intangible items. Sometimes, all that is needed to snap out of a bad mood is to refer to your list. You will see that your life is not bad, and you have most, if not all, of what you need.
2. Come up with a meal plan for the next thirty days. Work with a nutritionist and get a solid plan. Eating the right foods will help you improve your attitude. It will give you more energy and will start to make you feel better. Eating right can only make you happier.
3. Set up a time to hang out with close friends once per month. If you have lost touch with some people, try to reconnect. You could also try making new friends. Make it a point to go to in-person locations. You can find them in the local paper or take a look online for meetings that are happening in your area.

Many childhood fairy tales end with the phrase, “…and they lived happily ever after.” Unfortunately, as we mature, we realize that happiness isn’t simply finding your “Prince Charming,” or discovering a pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

But, many of us are still waiting for that knock on the door or that special “gift” or achievement that will bring us true happiness for the rest of our lives. We don’t realize that happiness is a journey – a pursuit that takes us down a long road of learning and weeding out those things in our lives that cause unhappiness or that we have to work at to overcome.

How do you know when you’re happy? It’s a surge of well-being that puts a smile on your face and a skip in your steps. You may know it when you feel it, but it only lasts a little while – like the first time you see your baby smile or celebrating that big promotion.

To find real and lasting happiness in your life, you need first to explore what you believe about happiness. What if you have it in one area of your life and not another?

Happiness is a pursuit that you have to work at -- and to do that you need to know what it is and what it means to have it in your own life.  

What is Happiness?

The dictionary defines happiness with many words such as contentment, joy, glee, good spirits and well-being. It’s a state of mind rather than a tangible object that you can hold in your hand and use when you need it most.

But, happiness is difficult to come by unless you know what will help you experience it. You may think that good luck in the form of a promotion, a windfall of cash or a loving relationship would bring happiness to your life.

You may be surprised once you reach those goals, that happiness is still eluding you. You may even think there’s something wrong with you because you can’t seem to grasp that ultimate goal of true happiness, no matter what good comes into your life.

The problem may be that you’re limiting yourself to happiness only in certain areas of your life. Maybe you’ve achieved business or relationship success, but still, feel a void that keeps you from being happy about it. You know you’re unhappy, but you don’t understand why.

Broadening your scope of happiness to other areas of your life can help you to understand what real pleasure is and to pursue it in a systematic way that’s sure to enhance your lifestyle and finally bring joy into those areas that were lacking.  

How to Pursue Happiness

You may not realize that happiness is a life-long pursuit and not an “event” of something particular. Everyone has a right to pursue happiness. It’s so important that it’s even included in the Constitution of the United States as an “inalienable” right.

To pursue the happiness you’re entitled to, you need to know how to do it correctly. There are some direct routes to that sense of well-being and some ways that will never get you there.

The route to happiness begins with assessing the most critical areas of your life and discerning if you’re happy in that area. Are you emotionally satisfied – does your spiritual life need some more work to be happier?

Your relationships, job, and physical well-being are all part of the circle of happiness. If one link is broken, you aren’t as wholly fulfilled as you could be.

Think about various areas of your life and whether you’ve achieved the happiness level you long for. For example:

Physical Fitness – You may be happy with your weight, but how about your physical stamina? If you need to add another dimension to your fitness routine (or begin one), it will not only help you have more self-esteem to follow through and succeed – it will make you happy. Your physical well-being is a vital link in the happiness circle.

Spirituality – You don’t have to belong to a church or to a particular religion to gain happiness from spirituality. Connecting with nature and helping others are just two examples of how you can find and enjoy spirituality in your own life. Developing and living a belief system is vital to your overall happiness.

Love Yourself – You won’t be very loveable to others if you can’t love yourself. Love yourself enough to take care of yourself, to make time for only you and to build your self-esteem by surrounding yourself with positive people rather than negative ones. When you love who you are, a certain level of happiness is reached that others can’t provide.

Take Care of Yourself – Get plenty of sleep, eat a healthy diet and get enough exercise to feel better and have more energy for things you want to do. A big part of happiness is good health, so take steps to improve that link in the circle if needed.

You can probably think of other areas in your life that need work to make you enjoy and be happy with them. Research happiness as you would a place you’re moving to or a career path you think you want to take. Leave no stone unturned in your quest for happiness.  

Looking for Happiness in All the Wrong Places

Every day, we’re bombarded with advertisements about “things” that can make us happy – a new car, bypass surgery to lose weight, a different hairstyle or a new dating partner. Billions of dollars are spent each year on things that are touted as “sure things” to make us happy and content.

You may feel great when you first drive that new car, lose weight or sport that new hairstyle, but eventually the glitter wears off, and you’re left with the same unhappiness you felt before you bought the “things.”

Contrary to popular belief, that multi-million dollar home, expensive jewelry, exotic cars, and world travel doesn’t bring automatic happiness to your life. There’s no doubt that money can make your life easier, but it can’t make you happy unless everything else falls into place.

The world is full of mega-rich people and families who live their everyday lives in the throes of depression and unhappiness. There are many reasons why money isn’t making these people happy.

Lousy health could be one reason, and fighting and angry discourse about the money they have could be another. Inner happiness isn’t determined by how many things you can buy or how many degrees you’ve obtained – it’s an emotion that’s both elusive and attainable – if you know how to pursue it.

Pursuing happiness is the right of all of us, but it may not be easy for some. It helps to visualize happiness as a circle which is linked together by several happiness goals and methods of achieving those goals.

When there is happiness in each link of the circle, true happiness is achieved, but a break or crack in a relationship can cause the sphere to weaken, and your joy won’t be complete.

Rather than spinning your wheels in trying to bring happiness to your life on outside pursuits, it’s far more effective to pursue happiness from the inside. Studies of history and recent research prove that materialistic comforts haven’t led to complete satisfaction.

Part of the problem is not knowing what will make us happy – and part of it is not knowing how to pursue it. Whatever we seem to do and acquire, happiness remains out of reach.

Just as true happiness is often confused with acquiring things, the pursuit of happiness can be confused with having a “perfect” life – which isn’t attainable. We can reach a level of contentment that makes us complete without always having things go our way.

Problems and obstacles are needed in our lives so we can learn along the way. It may be challenging to feel grateful for a problem, but viewing it in that light can bring a type of happiness into our lives.  

Giving Happiness a Chance

After you take a careful look at your present life and what makes you happy – and what doesn’t, you’ll be better able to formulate a plan for happiness. Rather than waiting for it to arrive at your doorstep, you’ll have a clear path of how to pursue it.

Rather than spending your hard-earned money on things that will make you happy for a few minutes or a day, spend it on gathering knowledge and experiences that will improve your outlook on life and make you a better person.

One way to make yourself happy is to become debt-free. Pay off those high-interest accounts and begin to save money for pursuing what you love in life. Maybe you could take more trips or invest in the education of a child.

Those types of things you can do for yourself will serve to bring more lasting happiness than material things and boost your self-esteem and life-experiences. Donating your time to a worthy cause rather than writing a check is also a great way to get in touch with who you really are and what makes you happy.

If you don’t have peace of mind, begin now to discover what happiness means to you and how you can pursue it successfully. It’s a journey that will bring you much satisfaction and finally complete the circle with links that genuinely make you happy.

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