In the last post, we talked about how we choose to perceive our problems and difficulties influence how we experience the reality of our situations. A positive attitude has the power to change our negative situations into positive ones. Keeping peace of mind in times of uncertainty, or difficulty, is another challenge we all face, but that empowers us to create happiness ourselves by taking control of our inner world.
The first reaction to problems, worries, and situations with an unknown future, is to wish that our outer circumstances were different, and we wonder, “Why did it have to happen to me? What did I do wrong to deserve this? Why now?” Some of us may feel stuck and lost, while others may react by jumping into action. But often times, both of these choices don’t lead to solutions the way we’d like them to. We don’t find the answers we were hoping for and we can’t change our environment or the people around us the way we’d like them to be.
Here are three tips for creating a peace of mind and turning our fear and anxiety of the unknown future, into calm and positive experiences:
1. Be patient and give it time
Difficult times will pass. Someone wise said that life’s cycles of ups and downs come in 7 year intervals. We can’t change these cycles or control them, because in the end, they have a positive purpose to teach us something important. So rather than reacting to it with emotions like anxiety, anger, frustration, or sadness and aggravating our minds, we can choose to respond with acceptance and patience. And that will lead to peace of mind.
2. Create a habit of quietude
Very often, these are times when our inner calm and strength is being tested. So on days and nights when fear and anxiety creep in, make time for complete solitude and quietude. Drowning out those thoughts and emotions through talking, watching tv or movies, or listening to music work only temporarily. Being alone and becoming present with our thoughts and emotions, and seeing them as they are is an important step toward creating peace of mind. When we recognize them, we’ll know the next step we need to take: focus our mind on calm and positive thoughts, do constructive things we can do right now, and keep on going.
2. Remind yourself that you’re not alone
Feeling alone can exaggerate our fear and anxiety, especially when we feel overwhelmed by the situation. Remembering that there are and were others, past and present, who are facing the same problems and circumstances reminds us that we’re never alone in our struggles. There is always someone who has already been through it, and we’ll always find support.
