Inner peace or peace of mind is a state wherein a person is mentally and spiritually at peace despite facing conflicts or stress whether at home or work.  Challenges faced in the society today have become so complex that everyone strives to achieve inner peace.  Through prayers, meditation, yoga or Tai Chi, people find it important to achieve a state of consciousness and enlightenment to be able to cope with today’s difficult times.  Although difficult, it is possible to increase peace of mind with these simple yet effective ways.

Quiet time

A person should take the time to rest frequently, meditate or pray.  With all the demands at work and at home, it is inevitable that stress can wear out the spirit.  Take the time to sit quietly in a comfortable spot to unwind, relax, free your thoughts of stress or worries and meditate.  If it is possible, take naps.  Meditating is very important when you feel your thoughts are driving you crazy.  Even for only 20 minutes of clearing your mind of everything and focus on the emptiness, it can bring so much peace in your mind. 

Simplify

There is no rush to do everything at once.  Simplify by doing the first 3 important tasks at hand.  One has to limit what he can do in a day rather than trying to achieve everything and ends up doing nothing. 

Focus on today

Think and make the most of today.  There is no point thinking of what happened or what will happen.  The past is something to learn from and the future will take care of itself.  A lot of people worry too much of tomorrow that they try to overachieve what they can do today.  In the process, they miss out on important things like bonding times with family and friends.

Acceptance

It simply means accepting what life throws your way.  Flowing with the tide makes it easier than swimming against the tide.  It doesn’t mean you have given up but accepting the inevitable makes your mind free from the hold problems can do to you.  It helps the mind to think clearly.  You can focus your energy on what you want and the appropriate actions you have to take.

Forgiveness

Forgiveness means letting go of the past.  This is very important because if you don’t forgive the person who has wronged you, your thoughts will return to what the person did over and over again causing you an endless inner turmoil.  Forgiving is releasing yourself from the person, the act and the agony. 

Be happy; stay happy

Happiness is a choice.  A person should not bank his happiness on another person.  The moment you depend your happiness on others, you will be disappointed.  Do things that make you happy.  If you are not happy with your present job, why continue?  Work should be something you find happiness in doing so that your best will shine out.  Take time to enjoy nature and appreciate the beauty around you.  Appreciate the family that you are blessed with.  Most of all, be pleasant to everyone you meet. 

Increasing inner peace may be a difficult task but it is worth gaining in this tough world we live in.

“When you find peace within yourself, you become a person who can live at peace with others.” Peace Pilgrim