With the never-ending demands that show up in both our personal and professional lives, day-to-day life can feel overwhelming and it can be challenging to find calm amidst the chaos. As human beings, we crave certainty and order – in fact, we seek inner peace when there is disorder in our lives. While chaos can seem ominous because we’re taught to avoid it, in reality it may be refocusing our minds and positioning our psyches for growth.
Of course, it’s important to recognize when your mind and body may be telling you that things are too hectic; it’s never good to allow things to become so overwhelming that you’re feeling on the verge of breaking down. But there can be a silver lining to a reasonable amount of chaos and stress: it forces us to refocus and can often encourage a great deal of personal and professional growth.
Although there can be some benefits to experiencing stress, living with ongoing stress will generally take a toll on you and your body. Today I’m sharing a few of my favorite tips for overcoming the stressful environments that may surround you and tapping into some much-needed inner peace.
Looking for more tips for improving your mental health and well-being? Check out: The Power of Positive Affirmations, Cultivating Habits to Boost Your Mental Health, and What Is Mindfulness and Why Should I Practice It?
Trust Yourself
When you find yourself in a world of chaos, take a moment to recenter and remember to trust your inner voice. It may feel like the universe is testing you or forcing you to change and adapt in ways you may not be used to, but try to keep in mind that chaos is an excellent motivator, as it pushes you to grow, question your habits, and renew your goals. Embrace the positive aspects of your life while learning to overcome the stressful ones.
Identify Your Stress Points
Stress is so prevalent in our lives that we might not even realize when something is a stressor. There are a number of stressors in our lives that affect our well-being and perceptions of ourselves. Take a moment to write down everything that’s causing you stress. By identifying these stressors, we can develop more effective coping mechanisms and efficient ways of addressing them rather than allowing them to take control. It can feel very empowering to take a step back and call our chaos out for what it is. When we do this, we can often remove the anxiety and fear that surrounds these triggers.
Maintain Your Routine
People tend to abandon their daily routines in order to solve the more pressing issues at hand, but this can ultimately create a bigger issue: we neglect to take care of ourselves. Whether it’s walking your dog in the morning or engaging in a feel-good nightly skincare ritual, be sure to keep up with the daily routines that bring you peace and joy. When we have a sense of structure and stability in our lives, it can make tackling the bigger issues feel more manageable.
Remember to Breathe
Breathing exercises are generally effective at calming things down when we’re experiencing moments of stress. When things begin to feel overwhelming, hit pause and focus on your breathing. You can use this 4-step breathing technique to recenter yourself: Inhale through your nose for 4 slow seconds, hold your breath for 4 seconds, and exhale through your mouth slowly for 4 seconds. Repeat this process 3 times or until you feel yourself becoming more calm.
Practice Appreciation and Gratitude
When we reflect on the good and bad things that happen to us, it’s natural to sometimes fixate on the negatives or perceive that the negatives far outweigh the positives. A powerful tool you can easily implement into your daily life is to focus on appreciation and gratitude. Doing this allows us to feel positive about ourselves, our loved ones, and the little things in life that bring us joy. A great way to begin practicing daily gratitude is with The Five Minute Journal, a specially crafted notebook that encourages positive manifestation and improved confidence so you can make the most of your day!
