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You have the power to grow your relationships, save them, or break them beyond repair by the words that come out of your mouth. You are where you are today because of what you have said in the past. You are what you are today because of the kind of words you allow to exit your mouth. That statement may seem too harsh or far fetched, but the truth is that words have the power to shape your present as well as your future.

Your words can shape your financial life, physical wellbeing as well as academic life. Your words can turn your spouse, child, or friend into an exceptional individual. Your words also have the power to send your loved ones through depression and a mountain of regrets. James 3:6 “ The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire,”- places a lot of emphasis on how much damage the tongue can accomplish despite being little.

You can change any situation with your words

If your loved ones are battling with their “inability” to accomplish anything worthwhile, you can help turn that around by saying the right words. Your words of encouragement and assurance have the power to transform your child’s bad grades into straight As. Your words have the power of turning your spouse into a productive and considerate partner. It all begins with you believing they can change. Once you are convinced of that possibility, you can start expressing your conviction in words.

If you are finding it hard to convince yourself that your 10-year stressful marriage or your underachieving child can amount to anything, say the right words anyway. As you continue expressing the right words not only to yourself but your loved ones, you will start noticing positive changes.

Using words to get the best from your employees

If you are an employer or supervisor and you are struggling with unproductive employees, it may be because of how you make them feel around the office. The only way to have incomparable employees who get everything done on time is by creating an environment conducive to such possibilities. You can only accomplish that by being mindful of what you say. You cannot say things like “you are incompetent” or “hiring you was the worst mistake I ever made” and expect positive results.

The impact that such negative words have on your worker’s mental wellbeing is catastrophic. Even if they were doing their level best, the results would never show. Expressing such negativity causes your employee to doubt himself or herself. They become overwhelmed with feelings of incompetence, and once that kicks in, there is no way of achieving anything worth noticing.

You can only be a happy employer by having happy employees, and you can only have happy employees by appreciating their worth. Begin using encouraging words that show how much faith you have in your workers. Talk about how proud you are to have them on your team. Replace all the negative talk with words like “I can always count on you” or “I know you can meet the goal and do so right on time.” Words of encouragement will not only show your employees that you believe in them, but it will also make them proud of the fact that you are their employer.

Practice using words to change the lives of people around you

You may have tried many methods to get your child or spouse to open up or become a better person to no avail. Why not try words?

If you still doubt the power of words and what they can accomplish, try putting the right words to the test. Better yet, try looking at what some of the greatest and most influential people in the world have accomplished with words. Take into consideration the impact that motivational speakers have on people’s lives. Study the way world leaders shape the world and avoid wars by taking advantage of the power of words.

Bringing it closer home, start complimenting the productivity and excellence in your child’s life today and see how far that will get them. Make it a point to say encouraging and assuring words to your child every morning, and every time he or she comes to you with a problem. Focus on “you are creative ” and “you can become anything you want,” for the next six months and see the kind of influence you will have in your child’s life. Celebrate the accomplishments, no matter how small. They will build on achievements and try greater things.

Do you genuinely believe that you are a success or at least one in the making? If you do, then your words should testify to that fact, and there is no doubt that people who listen to you should affirm the same. If you are in this category, your words always sell you out as they are full of hope, faith, and they portray confidence. If you, however, view yourself as a loser, the pattern of your speech follows suit; there is a lot of doubt, lack of faith, pessimism, and dullness in your words.

People can discern how highly you think of yourself

By merely listening to you, other people can gauge to what extent you think you are important as an individual. It is because, on a scale of one to ten, some people pass as twos in terms of importance while some are given eights and nines. An important factor leading to this ‘scaling’ is the quality of words a person says about themselves, in addition to the way they handle themselves i.e., their body language.

“I am doomed” “This is impossible” “I don’t think I will make it” -are all examples of phrases that easily escape the mouths of the unsuccessful more often than they do those of successful people. Such utterances suck the hope out of life and set you up for failure. It is challenging to be creative about formulating a solution when you feel hopeless, so, by all means, avoid words that diminish your hope.

A person who believes in their ability to bounce back from a fall (however painful it may be) would say things like: “This is only a minor setback”; “I will resolve this”; or “It is but a test, I will find a way to pass it!” Their words are a clear indication that they don’t believe they are a victim of life’s circumstances, but instead, they are victors. They have chosen to take life by the horns and find winning ways in all situations.

The decision is yours

Decide today what you want to believe about yourself: a winner, a lover, a grateful person filled with confidence, generosity, and goodness. Once you do that, then begin to choose your words to fit that exceptional description. “But isn’t it easier to first become and then be able to say that you are?” one may ask. The truth is words fuel your image of yourself. If you say it enough times, the energy in you will build up towards creating that picture you insist is yours. Whom you become follows what you confess to be.

We have seen people in positions of authority and wondered how in the world they got there as they are not in our opinions suited for such. These are the tenacious individuals who saw and spoke themselves into high places. When no one else saw the same or would cheer them onto those places, they did it themselves. Anyone of us is well able to do the same if we would focus our energies on it!

A story is told of a gardener who took on an experiment to discover the power of words on plants. He took two similar flowerpots, and each day spoke positive words to one but cursed the other every day. Despite their getting the same conditions: water, sunlight, and air equally after a couple of weeks, he noticed that one was flourishing while the other was drying up from its roots. It is not difficult to guess which one thrived.

If therefore, mere plants can be affected by words, the same applies to the human soul. It is alive and, accordingly, actively responds to words spoken to it, and the good news is that regardless of what people say about you (which may sometimes be discouraging), what finally manifests is what you believe to be true. It is up to you to validate which truths to take on and believe about yourself.

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.

“Meet each challenge with the realization – God in me is stronger than anything I have to meet. God has given me dominion over my circumstances. Let nothing in your situation frighten you, continue in that vein & you will get further spiritual understanding & you are on your way to a miracle.” Emmet Fox (Diagrams For Living)

This wallet card says it all. When I am talking to someone and they are talking about the strengths of their mountain, I casually suggest they get a bigger God.

I am out of these cards at the moment. If you are interested in getting a few, contact me and I will let you know when I receive a new batch.

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.

When you hear the word “stillness,” you probably think of the act of physically sitting still without any sounds, movements, or feelings. This is true, in a sense, but stillness also refers to a sense of inner peace and serenity (or calmness).

Because stillness involves the body, mind, and spirit, there are plenty of ways that you can practice stillness and improve your overall mental state. Let’s go over some of the easiest ways that you can practice stillness in your life right now!

1. Take Time to Reflect

How often do you find yourself just going through the motions of life and never looking back? While this is an excellent strategy to avoid harping on the negatives and reliving bad experiences, it also denies you the opportunity to reflect.

One of the best ways to practice stillness is by sitting down and reflecting on past events that have happened to you. Think about things that have happened, ideally happy moments, and think about what they meant to you and how they’ve changed you as a person for the better.

2. Focus on Gratitude and What You’re Thankful For

As humans, we spend a lot of time looking toward the future and continually setting new goals. This is great for advancing yourself as a functioning member of society, but it’s also good to slow down a little and take a look around.

Take the time to think about what you do have currently in your life. This could be friends, family, physical items, and experiences you’ve had. Just focus on the positives that have happened in your life and identify what you’re thankful for and jot them down in a gratitude journal.

3. Just “Be”

How often do you just merely “exist” as a human? We’re talking about just sitting or lying there, not doing, not thinking busy stuff, anything that’s going on in your life, and not distracted by your phone or other technology.

Take time just to relax and do nothing. You can do it in your home or at your favorite place, but only focus on breathing, passing by any negative thoughts that might be lingering, and just work on the concept of existing.

4. Try Meditation

It’s hard to go a minute in your life without being stressed by something, let alone being stress-free for an hour or more. Therefore, it’s a great idea to proactively rid your mind of the stress you’re experiencing, at least for a little while.

Find a comfortable spot and play some soft music or a guided meditation track. Focus on taking deep breaths, clearing your mind of any lingering stress.

5. Explore the World

When was the last time you went any further than 30 minutes away from the house (and not to go to work or the department store)? Now, think about the last time you went off the beaten path and explored nature a little bit.

You don’t have to go on a road trip or go anywhere further than the local hiking trails at the park. But, spend a little time engulfing yourself in the beauty of the world around you, and you’ll begin to recognize that there’s much more to life than your little world.

Final Thoughts

When you begin to practice stillness in your life actively, you’ll start to notice that you feel much calmer than you usually do. It takes a little bit of time and effort on your part, but this is honestly one of the best ways to achieve a sense of inner peace. My book on Gratitude will help you practice stillness. Use the link below to purchase my book.

Okay, so besides the typical day to day hustle and immense stress of daily living in the modern world, we now have a pandemic to contend with.

Unfortunately, dealing with anxiety has become somewhat of a normal part of life for many individuals in the world today. Although this problem is not necessarily a new phenomenon, there are certain aspects of modern times that have served to exacerbate the issue.

Due to our world being so connected through the internet, social media, and other forms of media, people today are not only exposed to the issues in their immediate environment. Instead, we are shown all of the bad things taking place across the entire globe. Furthermore, we are expected to juggle so many more responsibilities at one time, all while being as productive as possible. 

Although anxiety certainly varies in intensity and frequency from person to person, there are a few ways to deal with the problem that is beneficial for anyone experiencing this issue. This article intends to discuss a few of these techniques in order to alleviate some of your anxiety, hopefully improving your overall quality of life.

Live In The Moment 

Although it may seem obvious when stated, the only point in time in which you will EVER exist is right now. Ironically, most of us dedicate the bulk of our mental energy to the past or future. Anxiety is great at causing us to replay past mistakes in our head and constantly worry about things that have yet to occur.

A big part of dealing with anxiety is to live in the moment. This means focusing all of your physical and mental energy on what is going on right now. Not only does this simplify life, but it also allows you to get the most out of your limited time. 

Trying to deal with your entire past and future on a constant basis makes it virtually impossible to appreciate what is right in front of you. 

Control What You Can Control

The truth is, many of the issues causing anxiety in your life are beyond your control. This includes global and community issues as well as problems in your personal life.

What you need to realize is that the weight of the world is NOT on your shoulders, even though it can certainly seem like it at times. Anxiety tells you that you should be worried about solving problems that are way out of your hands. 

In reality, focusing on the issues that you can resolve is a much healthier response to a problem-filled world.

It’s Okay To Not Feel Okay

Another side effect of anxiety is a feeling of isolation. People experiencing anxiety on a routine basis tend to feel like they are the only ones dealing with this issue. 

Because of this perspective, we often feel like everyone else is much happier than we are like. We won’t be accepted if anyone else knew the extent of our anxiety. It is so important to realize that this is far from the truth. 

Everyone around you is experiencing some degree of anxiety or mental hang up. You are far from alone. Don’t feel like you have to go through life, acting as if everything is okay when it isn’t.

Get Help If You Need It 

Finally, if your anxiety is something you are having trouble dealing with on your own, then don’t! There is absolutely nothing wrong with seeking professional help for this issue. Ironically, our society welcomes getting help for even minor physical ailments but acts as if doing the same for a serious mental problem is taboo.

Consider this; if you had the flu, you would most certainly seek the appropriate doctor to take care of it. Why would you not find a doctor that is trained in alleviating mental health issues if you are dealing with anxiety? There is help out there. Get it if you need it!

Your boss just came over to your desk in the office and told you about a big project that he wants you to start in the next few weeks. After speaking with him, the first thing you thought to yourself was, “I can’t do that!”

You’re playing in your high school’s basketball game and you find out that a recruiter from a big-name college is coming to watch you play. You think to yourself, “Okay, I can do this. I’ve been playing for 10 years.”

Though these are both extremely different scenarios, they both involve the concept of self-talk Now we’re going to go over the benefits of using positive self-talk and how you can apply this new skill to your own life.

What is self-talk?

In simple terms: Self-talk is your inner voice. It’s the conversation you have with yourself in your head about what’s going on in your life and in the present moment. Depending on your mindset and the situation, self-talk can be either negative or positive.

• Positive self-talk. This is the best type of self-talk that you can practice in your own life. It’s encouraging, motivating, and makes you feel better about yourself and your qualifications.
• Negative self-talk. This is the type of self-talk that puts you down. It’ll convince you that you’re not good enough, not fit for a job or task and that there are no positives in a situation.

Obviously, positive self-talk is what’s going to change your life for the better. Plus, it’s actually pretty simple to do!

Using Positive Affirmations

Think about a task or job you’ve been given in life that you didn’t exactly feel qualified for. Maybe you didn’t feel like you were smart enough, pretty enough, or old enough to do in the way it should be done.

This type of situation can cause an overwhelming sense of stress and anxiety. That’s why using positive affirmations can help you to focus more on the positive qualities that you have that prove that you’re actually more than capable of doing what you set your mind to.

To use positive affirmations, select a phrase or sentence that highlights a part of your personality or physical body that you’re insecure about. So, if you don’t feel smart enough for a job, you can say to yourself, “I’m great at learning new things.”

Simply repeat the phrase to yourself when you’re feeling down and, eventually, you’ll begin to believe the words that you’re telling yourself.

Shifting Your Perspective

Affirmations are a great start when it comes to using self-talk to keep you calm. But, for a more permanent solution, you’re going to need to focus on shifting your perspective and mindset to generally being more positive.

Let’s say something happened to you that you perceive as negative. Now, you’re completely allowed to feel sad, angry, anxious, or stressed about what happened, but you can also start to view it in another way.

So, rather than harping on the negatives of something, try to identify at least one positive aspect of what happened. At that point, you can then use your self-talk to remind yourself of the good that came out of it and reduce the stress and anxiety commonly linked to that kind of negative event.

Final Thoughts

Life is full of stress and anxiety. Yet, using self-talk is a beneficial way to help you to remain calm and tranquil, regardless of the circumstances. The best ways to do this are by using positive affirmations to boost your self-esteem and shifting your perspective to focus on the positives.

Rituals can change the way we view the day and can improve our well-being and quality of life. Having a set routine helps us develop good habits and reach our goals and aspirations, while rituals improve our mood and shape our beliefs. They allow us to keep ourselves accountable and stay motivated on the days we do not want to get out of bed.

Morning rituals are the best way to set our days up for success and stay in control of the day, regardless of outside factors. The way that you wake up each morning will dramatically increase your quality of life and balance your stress levels, allowing you to feel calm and at peace throughout the rest of the day

What is a Morning Ritual?        

Both routines and rituals are crucial to a positive state of mind and maintaining mental stability. However, it is important to know that they are not the same thing but that they complement one another. A morning ritual takes on a task that may be part of one’s routine and puts meaning and intention behind it.

Rituals are habits that an individual develops to nurture and build a healthy mindset. They allow us to appreciate the benefits that our routines provide to us for our daily lives and provide value beyond completing a task.

Rituals are self-empowering and allow us to change our perspective on reality. They allow us to reinforce habits with the reasoning behind them that can be very effective in improving our mental health and emotions. 

Examples of Morning Rituals

Gratitude

Gratitude reinforces happiness and can set the tone for a positive outlook on the day. It allows you to appreciate the little moments that occur throughout the day and finding ways to be grateful for whatever the day presents.

One way to practice gratitude is throughjournaling. By making a list each morning of the things you are most grateful for, you will train your mind to look for moments of appreciation throughout the rest of the day. Starting your day off with a grateful mind is the best way to stay positive and full of joy each day.

Goals and Aspirations

Writing down your goals and how you will achieve them is the best way to stay motivated and keep yourself accountable. It is easy to say a goal out loud, but writing it down and staying attuned to it each morning will make you more likely to achieve it and stick to it.

Along with your gratitude journal, writing down the ways you will try to achieve your goals and make progress each morning will get you closer and closer to your goals. Goals that you think about every morning will keep you dedicated and committed no matter what obstacles arise.

Meditation

Meditation is a great practice to keep your mind healthy and productive throughout the day. By clearing your mind for a period of time each morning, you will notice the positive impacts that meditating has on many different components of your life. 

Research has shown that meditation has direct links with happiness, reduced anxiety and depression, balanced emotions, and alertness. When you acknowledge and sit with your feelings, you will notice that they no longer follow you throughout the day and prevent you from completing your daily tasks.

Meditation has tons of benefits that will improve your perspective on reality and your calmness throughout the day. Meditating will also help you realize gratitude and focus on your aspirations while staying as productive and dedicated as possible.

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.

“There is a big difference between what you really believe, and what you think you ought to believe, or what you want to believe. You demonstrate what you really believe.” Emmet Fox (Power Through Constructive Thinking).

This was hard to comprehend at first. I thought everything I shot my mouth off about, I really believed. But why was I filled with remorse and regret after some of the things I said? When I started to make changes in my life, I had men in my life that would stop me from talking when I started to talk from my head. We would talk and as soon as I stop talking from my heart they said stop. I thought they were crazy. I could not tell the difference. By watching my insides as I talked I gradually was able to see the switch. Now I talk from the heart, my true beliefs.

"The way he acts speaks so loud. I can not hear a word he says." Henry Thoreau 

Anxiety takes energy. Your heart speeds up, you sweat, and your muscles tense. Anxiety might be better if it had the decency to burn more calories, but there isn't an upside. Having a restless mind destroys your focus, concentration and can cause many a sleepless night. An anxious mind drains you. Then, when it's time to sleep, it won't turn off.

If your mind is restless, read on for some tips on how to calm it. It takes practice and determination, but the anxious mind can be made calm. Like most hard paths, it's worth it. The benefit is making informed decisions because you won't be in survival mode, and you will be able to relax more.

Cognitive Distancing

The restless mind is trying to protect you. It is warning you of future dangers, but it can get out of control. Realize that your mind is only guessing what might happen. It doesn't know.

Distance yourself from your anxious thoughts. Step back and think about facts. How likely is it that the thing you fear will happen? What can you do to prevent it? Breathe, step back, and make a fact-based plan.

Focus on the Moment

Focusing on the moment is a mindfulness practice that teaches you to get out of your head, out of the past and the future. The restless mind indulges in all kinds of horror fantasies that are not based on reality or the task at hand.

If you focus on the moment, your mind gains tangible facts and details with which to construct your reactions. Your mind will be unable to lose itself in worry if you are focused on a conversation, delicious meal, or game, for instance. So put your mind to work focusing on the moment.

Take Action

There's nothing worse for a restless mind than sitting around. You can't just take any action, though. You have to calculate how to make your life better. You won't be good at it at first, either. You'll need to act like a scientist. Try some things out, evaluate your results, and then try something new. When you see yourself making progress, your mind will calm down.

Don't Indulge Useless Thoughts

PsychologyToday.com points out that "just because a thought is true doesn't mean that it is helpful to focus on—at least not all the time. If only 1 in 10 people will get the job you seek, for instance, and you keep thinking about those odds, you may become demotivated and not even bother applying."

Your mind identifies trouble so that you can take action, not so that you convince yourself not to try. There is a myriad of useless thoughts we often indulge. Does this person like me enough? Am I doing the right job? Will my car break down? These are vague worries that do not help you in life. They weigh you down, so do not indulge them.

Step Back and Think

Re-evaluation is essential for progress. If we don't step back to think now and then, we keep doing the same things over and over. Insanity, as they say, is doing the same things and expecting different results. So, step back for a minute and think.

When you step back, find a way to measure progress. If you've got fitness goals, you can weigh yourself and decide if you need a better workout. If you've got money goals, evaluate how much you're spending and what you can do to earn more. You got this.

"The art of life is to live in the present moment and to make that moment as perfect as we can by the realization that we are the instruments and expression of God himself.” Emmet Fox (The Sermon on the Mount)"

If I have one foot in yesterday and one foot in tomorrow, I am wasting today.

If I spend all my time in prayer with God and I am discussing yesterday and tomorrow with him, I am still wasting today. I can not be of two minds. I can not focus on yesterday or tomorrow and live in today.

If I petition God in prayer about today and spend my time discussing yesterday, tomorrow and the worries of today with my brothers, this shows God where my heart is. This cancels out the petitions I had in prayer. You can not be of two minds.

I must have a singleness of purpose to be effective in prayer. No matter how much I struggle with not discussing with my brothers my tales of woe, I am still focused on the singleness of purpose and will ultimately demonstrate living in the moment.

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.

Someone cuts you off on the freeway. You're so angry you're slow to honk your horn because you're busy shouting and swearing after them.

You sigh loudly and often stuck in the slow line at the supermarket.

A social media post has your hackles up and before you can stop yourself, you're typing an angry reply.

These are just a few of the common actions of an emotionally reactive person. Quick to react to a delay, an issue, controversial idea, a mistake, traffic jam, miscommunications or other problems. You might know someone like this or, you may be realizing that you are also one of these people.

You can feel it flaring up throughout your day. You might not realize it or not, but it's making your life incredibly difficult. You are imprisoned by your own emotions.

Imagine this.

Someone is walking the dog. The person is using a leash which allows them to guide and control the actions of the dog.

That's what a reactive person truly is – the human and the dog.

So, when a dog spots a pigeon it immediately wants to rush to it for further inspection. The person is then required to leap into action to prevent this from occurring.

It's the exact same when dealing with someone who is reactive. You see something you don't like, and your unconscious reaction is akin to chasing and barking at it. What you need to learn how to do is become the human master who pulls you back in before you react.

Pause

When you feel it rising up or you recognize a trigger, it's important to pause and take a breath.

For example, you're in traffic and someone cuts in because they hedged their bets and raced to the front of the crowd before a lane closes. It happens every day. Don't immediately allow yourself to get angry – shift your energy through breath.

Label

What exactly is your reaction? Is it anger? Frustration? Insecurity or anxiousness? You have been cut off in traffic, you react with anger. As you go through your day record your reactions.

Ask

Ask yourself why this has triggered you in the way it did. Did the event or situation itself trigger you? Probably it is related to a previous event. The point is to make yourself aware of your blind spots and triggers.

Often, the emotion in our reaction is down to something simmering below the surface. It's more than just being cut off. Rather, you might be reacting angrily because now you are going to be late. Think about this, have you ever cut someone off because you have been running late? Probably. That doesn't make it right, but it should help you put it into perspective.

Choose

You've paused, called it what it is, and asked, now it's time to choose a new reaction. This is an essential step in the process. Think about your goal, what matters most, and a productive response. Is getting angry going to help you achieve your goal?

No. The goal in our example is to get to work (or another destination) on time. Getting angry is going to relieve you of the responsibility of leaving early enough to be on time. A better response would be to shake it off and focus on the drive.

Empower

Finally, it's time to empower yourself! You can only move forward if you possess the awareness necessary to create better outcomes for everyone. Of course, it isn't easy, but with practice, you will find yourself shifting away from reactive emotions and calming yourself more effectively. It's all about building your capacity for self-reflection.

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.

Chronic stress kills! It plays a key role in heart disease, diabetes, weight gain, anxiety, and many other conditions and it is rampant in our modern hustle and bustle society.

So, you have a plan to make your life less stressful. Maybe you’ve even scheduled an appointment with a professional to start dealing with your anxiety, but that’s not for a month. You need to reduce your stress right now, but you don’t know-how.

Don’t stress about not being able to reduce stress! You’ve got enough stress already. What you need to do is kick back, and read on. Here are five ways you can reduce stress today.

Light Some Candles

Candles, especially the scented kind, are great stress reducers. Finding a good candle can be fun too. Go to a store with scented candles and sniff a bunch of them! Find a scent that makes you feel happy and calm. Get a couple so that the smells won’t get old for you.

Then, maybe after the sun goes down and you need to unwind, turn off all the bulbs and light some scented candles. Put on some relaxing music, too. This will immediately put your mind into a more relaxed space.

Put on the Right Song

Songs drive our emotions. They can take us back in time, calm us down, and amp us up. Use songs to your advantage and find some that help you relax

So, put on the right song when you feel stressed. You’ll start feeling better and pretty soon the things you’re doing to help you in the long term will kick in. Your hard work will pay off.

Laugh

There have been many studies that prove laughter can reduce the physical effects of stress (like fatigue) on the body. So, put on a funny video and laugh it up! We developed laughter as a way to feel safe in an uncertain world.

Making jokes can also be a great way to focus yourself and laugh at the same time. Channeling energy into a creative outlet is a fantastic way to relieve stress and it will give you something to be proud of. Write a comedy sketch or standup routine if putting on a funny movie isn’t enough.

Keep a Journal

Keeping a journal can be a great outlet. It also serves as a way to log progress. Sometimes spilling words out onto a page can be cathartic. Journaling is like being your own therapist. When you write everything out, you can see new possible solutions. It will help you organize your thoughts and become less stressed.

So next time you’re feeling stressed or overwhelmed, get out your journal and write about it. That alone will calm you down. Some days you may need to analyze your writing and make a plan for the next day. Keep it up and read your old journal entries to see how far you’ve come.

Hit the Gym

On top of the many health benefits to working out, hitting the gym blows off steam. Sometimes people feel stress because they have too much energy. Working outspends that juice and releases endorphins to make you feel happy. It is especially good at relieving pent up aggression.

Regular workouts will improve your heart health and keep your back from getting sore as you age. Don’t forget to diet, too. Improper diet and exercise can make your body feel stressed all by themselves. Try it out! Go for a run and you will feel less stressed immediately.

“God is Light and in Him, there is no darkness at all. God is Life and that Life builds every cell in your body. The tide of Divine Life sweeps through your body, carrying before It any toxins, any foreign things that should not be there. It reforms, re-creates, regenerates every organ and tissue, and charges it with Its own Divine Life. I claim that the peace of God surrounds you and fills you. That peace goes with you as a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. In that peace, and that health, and that harmony you dwell. I claim that the power of God goes before you and makes your path straight. It opens your way for true prosperity, for freedom, for unlimited spiritual growth. I claim that God will bring into your life the right people who can help you and make you happy and that those whom you do not wish will fade out of your existence and prosper elsewhere. I claim that all that God is, is now working to move you into your true place. The outer thing is but a picture, and the power of God is changing your picture now and moving you into your true place. One Presence, One Power, and One Mind. One God, One Law, One Element. You are part of that Divine Presence and in that Presence, you dwell forever ... And according to your faith, it shall be done unto YOU.” Emmet Fox meditation (Stake Your Claim)

I must not try to force this perfect healing. I can only demonstrate to the level of my faith. Educating myself on the causes and effects of foods on my body is essential for me to demonstrate good health. One example is most headaches are caused by dehydration. The second cause is stress. God put a warning system in our bodies it is called pain. Although not impossible, I wonder how much faith I would need to drink alcohol excessively and pray for my liver to be healed and it would be healed. "And according to your faith, it shall be done unto YOU." Emmet Fox (Stake Your Claim)

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.