Switching of tasks, dealing with fatigue, and working hard beyond your abilities—these you deal with. However, you can get stuck in a situation where you learn how hard life can be.
Soon you realize that you are going round in circles doing the same activities each day. You want to ake hold of your life and make it happen your way, that is when peace becomes a priority.
Escape the chaos, or even feel peaceful amid the chaos, by embracing certain changes.
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Here are 12 ways you can find peace in the chaos:
1. Resolve what makes you restless.
What is it that is causing you pain?
Get rid of whatever makes you feel down. Sit in silence and think. Use introspection to ask yourself why you feel so low. Is it because your work life has turned hectic? Are you concerned about your relationship? Does the thought of not having a secure future concern you?
Act for yourself, be wise and decide what you can do to step out of the dark side of your life.
You are already powerful. Start acting on it.
2. Think from a higher perspective.
Life is like a maze.
You come to a standstill and lose your ability to think beyond whatever you are dealing with each day. You fail to see the brighter side and become stuck in a loop which doesn’t let you imagine what the future might lead you towards.
Ruminating on your past might make it hard for you to recover. Think from a higher perspective and your problems will appear tiny, as people on top of a hill are seen from below.
Eventually, you will get over all your problems.
3. Plan your future.
Uncertainty of the future causes dread.
The future can make you uneasy,. Ignoring it is like closing your eyes and expecting nothing bad to happen. Maybe anxiety regarding it is signaling that it wants to take charge of you.
Planning gives a direction to follow. It sets you on a way which assures you that you can bring your life back to normal when something goes wrong. Each step you take for a better future, no matter how small, takes away some tensions from your life. It puts an end to the insignificant thoughts which occupy your mind after which you have fewer reasons to create stress.
Create plans for your future and set some goals you wish to achieve. They will act as your destinations and inspire you to work more sincerely.
Ideas to implement:
- Become positive about professional development, learn new skills.
- Decrease your worry about the future of your family, invest in life insurance.
- Lessen your concerns about your health, exercise on a regular basis.
4. Do nothing.
Forget everything.
Sit down in peace and let all that is distressing you vanish for a while.
Exist in the moment. Be blank. Lie down under the silver moonlight and gaze at the stars. Feel the cool breeze touching you. Breathe in until you feel at one with your surroundings. Do it your way.
While your frantic life keeps you tangled and seems to be controlling you, you can pause it whenever you want to and regain your energy and peace.
Ideas to implement:
- No phone calls or answering emails.
- No thinking over what your boss said to you at office.
- No imagining anything related to your regrets or plans.
5. Meditate.
Meditation can bring stillness to your life.
A session of about 5 minutes at the start of each day can keep you refreshed and tireless all day. Alternatively it can make your fatigue disappear if done at the end of the day.
Meditation is not only for yogis; it is for anyone who wants to calm emotional and mental agitation and be more alive. Meditate using a method which suits you. You will experience a change with every sincere effort you put in.
Meditation, on its own, can clear your mind from worries and allow needless thoughts within you to vanish.
Ideas to implement:
- Start with yoga relaxation practice such as yoga nidra using audios from the Internet.
- Go to India and visit the places where Lord Buddha started or where the Dalai Lama stays.
- Go where you can cut yourself off from the world, like Julian Mantle of ‘The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari’.
6. Spend time with your loved ones
You are already blessed.
It is sad if you have been ignoring this part of your life.
Although you might not notice it, life passes too quickly. Your parents grow old sooner than you think. Your children grow up fast. It seems like all the days you can recall happened a few weeks ago.
Your loved ones inspire the best in you with their presence and remind you that you are not alone. They’re your strength. Their love can work like a magic wand and instantly put a smile on your face.
Spend more time with them. It won’t be time spent but time lived.
Ideas to implement:
- Call your old friends on a Sunday evening.
- Play with your children or nephews.
- Watch a movie with your siblings.
- Talk for a long time to your mother during a holiday afternoon.
- Ask your father to talk about random events from his life with you.
7. Take time out for yourself.
Your work, the people around you, your goals, all matter. What matters more is you.
Not finding time and trapping yourself in the chaos of life ruins the purpose of your existence. Relentless efforts worsen your ability to handle existing situations by reducing your energy. You find you just can’t do it anymore.
That is when you realize both the cost of neglecting yourself and your worth. Your well-being becomes your foremost priority.
In such a situation taking some time out for yourself is one of the most genuine ways you can use to recover. You already know what makes you happy.
Ideas to implement:
- Listen to your favorite song and sing along with the lyrics.
- Go bird watching with a pair of binoculars and connect with nature.
- Read a nice book while sitting comfortably in a cozy spot in your room.
- Cycle through less travelled roads and observe your neighborhood.
- Play the video games you love during breaks at work.
8. Switch to a healthy lifestyle.
Bad health is the cause of many of the problems that worsen your life.
Bad health drags you down even when you give your best. As long as you underestimate the role of your health, it will keep affecting you in all areas of your life. Sudden headaches, changing sugar levels, obesity—you might shun these problems, but they all appear when you underestimate your health.
Find ways to better your health and resolve to follow ways to have a healthier body.
Although this won’t directly end the chaos in your life, it will definitely prevent it from occurring anew in future.
Ideas to implement:
- Get enough sleep.
- Eat right and choose a proper diet.
- Exercise and engage in more physical activities for better health.
9. Engage in learning new stuff.
Participate in recreational activities. Do what you’re passionate about.
This is the only way to keep growing while stuck in life. Release yourself from the grip of busyness.
Doing new activities will not only set you on a path to constant learning but will also clear the belief from your mind that your life is controlling you. The chaos in your life isn’t a limitation. Instead use it as an opportunity to manage your life more effectively.
Learning and accepting change is the only way to add new freshness to life when what you do loses its liveliness. Life is not meant to be stale.
Ideas to implement:
- Try cooking.
- Learn to play a musical instrument.
- Write poetry.
- Study a new language.
10. Cherish the little blessings in your life.
Count your blessings and you’ll be happy, forever.
You may not become the next millionaire, but you have enough to fulfil your family’s needs and take care of your loved ones. Happiness comes from the little things which go unnoticed. They are seen as unimportant, yet they are the ones that matter the most.
These things matter more than is explainable. Celebrate every moment that brings joy to you and you’ll learn a reason to be happy forever.
Ideas to implement:
- Dance with your daughter in the rain.
- Make your son laugh by giving him his favorite treat.
- Talk about life with your wife on an evening walk.
11. Work productively.
Your work derives its value from the outcomes it brings.
You lose faith in your ability when you slog all day and yet don’t move on any further. Your life loses meaning and it becomes tough to go on.
Sometimes, this is not because you are lazy or because you are not working hard enough, but because of the disorganization of your work practices. Change that and suddenly everything will fall in place.
Chaos arises when find yourself unable to handle your duties. This is when it gets out of hand. Perhaps you already know this truth in your heart, but have been ignoring it.
There is always a simpler and better way to do whatever it is that you do. You just need to find the one that suits you.
12. Take life less seriously.
Laugh, act crazy, don’t conceal your feelings—you’re not meant to be so serious.
While you’re worried about the extent to which life is going wrong, think about whether all your worries are really worth your attention.
Your surroundings, troubles which occur to you, bad events which you cannot control—whatever the reasons behind your uneasiness—can only affect you as much as you let them. When you stop giving them attention, it all disappears. Maybe all the chaos which was affecting you only existed in your mind.
Conclusion
Peace does not come by staying in a peaceful situation, but by being peaceful, in spite of all the chaos and turmoil around you.
You already have the ability to deal with whatever affects you. Listen to your instincts and you will learn all the wisdom that you need to live your best life.
—Photo Credit: flickr/AJ Cann