When your life seems out of control and
you've got endless demands tugging at you from all directions, it's easy to
feel overwhelmed, fatigued - and just plain stressed out! It can seem like what you are having to deal
with plaques you and only you! No
one else could possibly understand what you are going through and it would most
likely be an impossibility to make the situation any better. And getting your life back into balance is
never going to happen without some type of major transformation!
Believe it or not, balancing your life does not necessarily require massive changes. You don't have to quit your job, abandon your family and escape to a remote retreat in order to feel peaceful and happy. In fact, true balance is something that starts WITHIN YOU, first and foremost - no matter what else is happening in your outer life circumstances. Below you'll find three simple ways to begin building a greater sense of inner peace and harmony:
1.
Quiet time.
One of the first things we tend to
sacrifice when we're busy is our personal time.
Instead we devote all of our energy and attention to caring for others,
multi-tasking, meeting responsibilities and "being productive." Over time this depletes our energy and we
begin to feel more and more burdened by our responsibilities. Then others not only personally suffer, but
our “tank” of energy is too depleted to help ourselves!
To live a more balanced life, quiet time for yourself is CRUCIAL. You may believe that you don't have any time available for yourself, but something amazing happens when you consistently MAKE time; you find yourself feeling happier and more energetic, your focus improves - and you will find you get more done that you thought possible! Just a few minutes spent sitting quietly in reflection or reading a book can do wonders in transforming stress into peace and happiness. An interesting article “5 Ways to Find Quiet in a Chaotic Day” may be interesting to you. https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/imperfect-spirituality/201312/5-ways-find-quiet-in-chaotic-day
2.
Self-care.
You may think it unnecessary, and perhaps
even to some degree personal vanity, but beyond making time for things you
enjoy, there are other ways to nurture and love yourself on a daily basis. Getting a full 8 hours of sleep (or as much
as you personally need) is a great start, as well as eating nutritious foods,
exercising daily and speaking kindly to yourself can provide a wonderful uplift. And you men, don’t think this point of
self-care is only for the ladies. You
too should spend some time taking care of your personal needs. Here are some suggestions https://www.byrdie.com/how-to-pamper-yourself-5112735
Have you ever noticed that when you're really tired or stressed, even the smallest problem can seem like a nightmare? On the other hand, when you're feeling well-rested and centered, you're much better able to handle upsets. Caring for yourself is one sure way to consistently replenish your energy, inner peace and joy - which means you'll have the strength to handle whatever comes your way.
3.
Flexibility
Did you know that one of the biggest
causes of stress is rigid expectations?
We all do it from time to time; get a mental picture of how our lives
"should be" or perhaps the way we think we want it to be
- and get really annoyed when our outer circumstances don't cooperate! One of the biggest gifts you can give
yourself is a flexible state of mind. In
other words, learn how to detach from unrealistic expectations and go with the
flow. Nothing is probably going to
happen the way you think it will. And
you will never have all the answers to the problems in life that you are going
to face.
However, when you have a flexible
mind-set, you're able to deal with crises and problems much more easily because
you're not working against a preconceived notion of how things "should
be". You're able to tap into your
creative problem-solving skills and move through challenges without all the
drama and frustration. Be like the tree
that bends with the breeze - and you're much less likely to break! Developing this flexible mindset is a learned
activity. Visit here for some suggestions: https://www.lifehack.org/498595/life-keeps-giving-you-lemons-probably-its-because-you-lack-this-mindset
These inner changes can make a dramatic
difference in your state of well-being, but you may also want to examine your
outer life circumstances and see if there are other small changes you can make
to help support your inner work.
For example, you might choose to let go of
certain obligations that are no longer meaningful or enjoyable to you. Just because you agreed to host weekly
meetings for a support group three years ago doesn't mean you have to keep
doing it forever - especially if it's become a drain on your time and energy!
Be willing to let go of activities that no
longer complement the lifestyle you desire, and you'll create a space for
greater fulfillment, joy and peace. This may take a serious debate with yourself,
and it may require convincing yourself that you CAN let these activities
go. Remember it could be a real struggle
because we’re only human!
QUOTE TO CONSIDER
"Your body can successfully multi-task,
YOU can not!"
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