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.

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.

“The great days lie ahead. All of the greatest achievements of the human race are still unborn. Turn your eyes to the future. The best is yet to be.” Emmet Fox (Make Your Life Worthwhile)

Today is either a stumbling block or a springboard. Which one it is going to be is my choice. Since the beginning of mankind, every day has been an improvement on the day before.

It is easy to think that today is as good as it can get or in the good ole days. It relieves me of all responsibility. I no longer need to demonstrate my inspiration found in prayer.

Till my last breath, I will make this a better world. Today is a better world because I lived yesterday. This being a better world does not depend on what my fellow man does. It depends on only me.  

One of the joys of mindfulness is that you can do it anywhere! You don’t need to sit in silence for hours, chant mantras, or even close your eyes. Mindfulness means bringing your attention to the present moment and keeping your feet and your mind in the same spot, not distracted by memories of the past or anxieties about the future.

Right here, right now.

Here are some great mindfulness hacks you can use to stay present and grounded no matter where you are.

1. Breathe!

You can use the 3 Breaths technique to anchor your awareness firmly in the present. It’s so easy you can do it right now as you’re reading this. Pay attention to your breathing – breathe in slowly; follow your breath. Feel your diaphragm moving in and out. Slowly breathe out, again paying attention to the movement of your breath. Can you feel a subtle energy shift, a calm peacefulness? That is how mindfulness feels.

You can be mindful anywhere at any time, and no one will know that you are practicing mindfulness.

2. Check-in with your senses

If you’re finding it hard to access your inner peace or you find your mind is distracted, keep at it. Make a conscious decision to focus your awareness on what you can see, feel, hear, smell, and taste. With practice, this will ground you in the present moment anytime you feel stressed or harried.

3. Seize opportunities

An opportunity to practice mindfulness is in every moment. It’s especially useful to use times where you might feel frustrated and impatient, like waiting in line or while you’re stuck in traffic. Let the breath breathe you—don’t control it. In no time, your frustration will start to pass.

4. Use mindfulness to create space

No matter how busy you are, you can use mindfulness as a stealth tactic to build some more space into your day. When sending an email, take the time to focus your breathing, then reread the email and decide if you want to send it. When walking, watch your diaphragm, notice the horizon, the trees, flowers, and other people enjoying the day.  Engage passers-by with a smile and see their reactions.

Choose to ignore or switch off all your devices for a while. When having a  conversation instead of jumping in with a reactive response, really listen. This is done by giving the other person your full attention and respect, and you’ll have a more meaningful and productive conversation.

You’ve probably noticed there’s a lot of discussions right now about mindfulness in magazines and across social media. Mindfulness and its partner mediation have been shown to have a wide range of social and health benefits. But there are also a lot of mindfulness myths that are worth detangling.

Here are some of the most prevalent mindfulness myths.

1. Mindfulness is just for meditation

Mindfulness can be practiced everywhere and at any time. It is simply turning the mind’s attention to what is happening in the present moment, whether you’re walking along the street, preparing a meal, or sitting on your cushion practicing meditation. Mindfulness is quieting the chatter in your mind, bringing your attention back to the experience of living in the moment, its sounds, sights, smells, and feelings.

2. Mindfulness is easy

Mindfulness is a simple concept, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy! We are so focused on getting things done, being available 24/7, and keeping track of our busy lives. Actively choosing to slow things down and simplify your life can be quite a challenge.

Sometimes mindfulness is easy, sometimes it’s not, depending on what is going on in your life. But like any exercise or practice, the more you do it, the easier it becomes.

3. Mindfulness conflicts with certain religions

Although the concept of mindfulness derives from Buddhist teachings, it is not a religious practice or connected to a particular belief system. These days mindfulness is seen as a useful technique for taking control of your life, reducing stress, and building resilience.

4. Mindfulness is passive

Mindfulness is more than positive thinking and can be far from passive. Mindfulness is actively engaging in the present moment. As well as leading to significant calmness, it can be a useful way of problem-solving. When your mind is calm and focused, it is much better at coming up with considered and innovative solutions to problems. 

5. Mindfulness is always joyous

Just as life is not always joyous, neither is mindfulness. If your present moment includes arguing with your children, being in pain, or dealing with other stressful situations, focusing on that moment will not be pleasant. While mindfulness will not turn you into a Pollyanna or ensure that all your life events are full of joy, it can help you deal with whatever is in front of you right now.

When you’re attuned to mindfulness, you are less likely to bring the wounds of the past and the anxieties of the future to what is happening in the present moment. So, you’re less likely to over-react or be triggered, because you are more in control of how you respond to pain or conflict.

“Don’t fight your rheumatism, debt or the uncongenial job, or even your critical tongue (if you have one), but build health, prosperity, harmony & goodwill into your consciousness, and the unwanted things will disappear.” Emmet Fox (Make Your Life Worthwhile)

In 2011, I decided to lose 50 pounds. I followed Emmet Fox's recommendation. I did not remove anything from my diet. Nor did I start to exercise. I introduced fresh fruits and vegetables, along with more water into my diet. I paid no attention to the things that are "bad" for you. I lost 50 pounds in a year. All the junk food, processed foods, and meats left my diet without a conscious decision or effort on my part.

In 2012 I wrote a book on my experience of losing 50 pounds in a year. It started with my unwillingness to move up to larger pants size. When something becomes unacceptable to you something has to change. I reached that point and became committed to losing 50 pounds. I did not say I will try, or I will give it my best shot. No, I am not going to larger pant size.  You can read the whole story by following the link below and purchasing the book.

"People often say, I try to do this, or I try to do that, but I fail. They wonder why things will not come right. The explanation is contained within the words themselves. You should never "try" you should "let" – let God. Let go and let God, this is a wonderful recipe for overcoming fear & getting out of tight places." Emmet Fox (Find & Use Your Inner Power).

The word "try" is a trap. It is a self-destructive trap. When we were children, adults told us, "give it a try, and you may like it. How do you know if you can not do it till you try?" As children, this was sound advice. We need to try new things to find out our talents and build confidence. The problem is we never gave up childish things. As adults, we enter a new challenge with the childish thought and escape mechanism of at least we gave it a try. This lets us feel good after failing. "I tried." When I hear myself using the word "try," I know that I am not committed to completing the adventure to a successful conclusion.

I need to go to God in prayer to resolve the doubt in me and to solidify our partnership. Everything I do is in partnership with God. I talk to him in prayer. Study his laws that govern our actions and give me the determination to see it through till the end. In our partnership, we are 50/50, and God is the managing partner. As the managing partner, he only asks for 10% of the profits instead of the 50% he is entitled to as a 50% partner. Why would you not let God be the managing partner?

“A good housekeeper sees to it that dirt and dust do not accumulate in nooks & corners. Too often in our spiritual lives, we allow negative things to accumulate in the corners of our mind. Clean out every nook & corner of your thoughts & He will make you worthy of great accomplishments in the future; a Great way to begin anew.” Emmet Fox(Around the Year)

 I am on guard for negative thoughts. I do not want them to get into the corners of my mind. The corners are the hardest spots to clean. God said if you have anything against your brother do not waste your time with me. Go first to him and make it right. Then come to me with your gifts.