How many of us have abandoned our dreams and allowed external forces to have authority over our happiness? Living in a world filled with so many voices, opinions and viewpoints, it becomes increasingly more challenging to find ourselves. Everything in modern day society screams go this way. Inner peace begins the moment we choose to not allow others to control our emotions and our thoughts, and we tune into our inner voice and find our freedom.
5 Ways to Protect Your Inner Peace
1. Love Thyself - Be your own biggest cheerleader. You have to be in love with yourself first. When we love ourselves, we open up a space for others to see that inner light that shines within us. You have a natural glow about you that’s infectious and inviting. We must love ourselves fully including all of our imperfections. This unconditional love creates peace from within that’s unbreakable. Ever heard the saying - be careful what you wish for? Similarly, we have to be mindful of our thoughts and know when to quiet the mind. When the negative thoughts start to flow internally, shut them down. Instead, speak positivity over your life and your goals. Shift your thoughts to things that make you feel energized, charged up and ready to take on the world. Words have power, so speak things that you want to manifest into existence.
2. Connect with Nature - Explore the beauty of nature. Take walks along the trail, visit parks, do yoga outdoors or plant a garden. There is nothing like breathing in the fresh air and enjoying the gifts that mother nature has to share. Ever notice how you gain clarity after going outside? Our minds quiet and our soul begins to breathe when we are in nature. In fact, there's healing power and spirituality deeply routed in nature.
3. Channel the Haters - Rather than ignore the haters, use them to help sharpen your vision. Instead of internalizing the negativity, redirect this energy into further igniting your flame or look for ways to improve upon your skills. Sometimes there is a lesson that can be learned from learning how to respond to criticism, constructive or not. Let the experience become motivation to help you grow.
4. Find Your Passion - Immerse yourself into your passions, be it writing, painting, dancing, designing, whatever it is that you enjoy doing, do more of it. When we engulf ourselves into our creative spaces, we become more alive. For some of you, if you do not know what your passions are, think about what you use to do when you were younger that gave you joy. Was it cooking, making clothes, doing hair, writing or helping others? If you can tap into that thing, you will find peace there.
5. Be the Change - We can find peace through service. There is something gratifying about helping others. Connect with a cause that benefits the wellbeing of others. When we teach someone, often times, we too can learn something new in the process. When we cook for someone, we are also feeding our inner soul. When we all support or provide service to one another, we serve the universe as a collective. What a peaceful feeling!
“She was so full of love and light,
that nothing could break her inner peace”
-Tye Renee