Inner peace is high on my list of life goals because it’s existence in my life supports ongoing fulfillment in a stress-free or minimal stress environment. According to Wikipedia, inner peace is synonymous with peace of mind. It refers to a deliberate state of psychological or spiritual calm despite the potential presence of stressors. While inner peace is simple to pursue, it isn’t always an easy state of existence to attain because it requires you to let go of some long-standing habits and beliefs that promote or contribute to stress and worry. We all know how difficult it can be to drop old habits and replace them with new (and unfamiliar) ones. However, if you can successfully drop the old habits that disrupt your peace, and create new ones that foster contentment, your payoff will absolutely worth the effort.

This peace of mind leads to a sense of happiness, satisfaction and fulfillment that isn’t easily overshadowed by external factors. If you choose to live your life according to your system of values, and in spite of what others, popular culture, or your peers profess, then you can move deliberately towards inner peace. This will require you to go against the grain. In order to prioritize your happiness, you may be forced to take positions and/or actions that conflict with your current social circles and may lead to an outsider status for you, but if you live your life in a way which is aligned with someone else’s values rather than your own, you will always have an inner struggle raging within your spirit. Letting go of that struggle will put you first and will allow you to experience a deeper satisfaction.

Anything you can do to control your emotions will go a long way in fostering inner peace. A key requirement to attain inner peace is to be able to completely forgive yourself and other people. According to an article written by Greater Good Magazine, “…psychologists generally define forgiveness as a conscious, deliberate decision to release feelings of resentment or vengeance toward a person or group who has harmed you, regardless of whether they actually deserve your forgiveness….Forgiveness does not mean forgetting, nor does it mean condoning or excusing offenses…it doesn’t obligate you to reconcile with the person who harmed you, or release them from accountability.” Be sure to make things “right” with yourself and others. It will free you, so resolve to do/be better and move on! Reject any feelings of guilt associated with moving away from those things or people that stand between you and your peace. Let go of any anger, resentment, or grudges because doing so will move you towards a level of inner peace that you will likely be able to feel quickly.

Next, you will need to learn to let go of the stress and anxieties that plague many of us daily. Worry, much like guilt, is unproductive and will likely destroy your ability to enjoy personal fulfillment. To let go of worries, stress, and anxiety you must pay attention to your feelings and identify the source of the negative energy that is attacking your sense of peace. Once you have identified the source, consider ways to act in a manner that will reduce the stress and then make the necessary changes. For example, if you are experiencing worry and stress due to an approaching deadline, consider adjusting your schedule to allow for more time to finish the task at hand. Also, be sure to plan additional time for the next task in order to reduce the risk of trying to work within the confines of a time crunch. If the issue is a consistently stressful environment, try any number of stress-reduction techniques such as breathing exercises, meditation, physical activities like power walking or running, etc. It is a proven fact that physical activity is a key tool in combating stress. Also consider reframing your thoughts to focus on the positives and not the negatives. It has been said that as much as 90% of what we worry about never even comes to pass, so why worry about it at all!

Achieving inner peace is an ongoing process but if you choose to try some of the suggestions above, you may begin to see an immediate change and if you consistently use the strategies discussed, you will be well on your way to creating the habits that will lead you to sustainable inner peace!