41 Ways To Find Peace of Mind and Inner Calm
What does it mean to have peace of the mind? According to Dictionary.com, it’s a “state of calmness and tranquility, a freedom from worry or anxiety.”
So now that you know what it is, you’re probably wondering how you can get it. There’s a variety of activities you can do and ideas you can live by to attain peace in your mind.
Having peace and happiness in your mind is possible through a willingness to make specific choices for the sake of it.
You have the power to eliminate your anxious feelings and worried thoughts. You can make tranquil thoughts a regular party of your daily life.
Here are 41 simple and effective ways to achieve a peaceful mind.
A Mclean Hospital article directly states that social media can cause anxiety. It can also contribute to depression and a number of other issues.
It’s important to learn how to use social media wisely and mindfully. When you take a disciplined approach in how much time you spend on different platforms, you’ll better manage your stress levels.
Related: Social Media Minimalism – Tips on How to Use It
2. Take a walk
Think of getting out of your house and going for a walk like getting out of your mind for a little while.
Walking, similar to other exercises, is known to increase feel-good endorphins that can reduce stress.
3. Stop watching the news
We all probably have enough in our lives weighing us down. It would seem there’s no sense adding more to that by watching the news every day.
In fact, it may be best you stop watching the news all together for the sake of your inner-peace.
You can still occasionally look up information about specific things that directly impact you.
4. Use music to relax you
There have been a variety of studies that have proven music is a great way to relax people who are feeling distressed. Here’s some of the more recent ones that have come out:
Whether it’s jazz or classical music, listen to a genre you enjoy that calms you down.
5. Be intentional about having a peaceful mindset
Ultimately, you have to be intentional about what kind of mindset you want to have.
That means making specific choices that primarily enhances your inner-peace.
Learn more about how to be intentional in life and achieve what you desire.
6. Practice deep breathing
According to the University of Washington Medicine, breathing slowly and deeply from the stomach acts as a signal to your nervous system to calm down.
There are a variety of deep breathing exercises you can try to help restore more peace within yourself.
Related: Autogenic Training – A Surprisingly Effective Relaxation Technique
7. Enjoy a pet
One research study out of Washington State University found that petting dogs and cats for 10 minutes can significantly reduce stress.
If you can’t afford your own pet, you can look for local organizations that will allow you to play with puppies or other animals.
8. Get in nature
Just as the sounds of nature can bring us peace, actually being in nature can do the same.
One research I’ve cited before found that as little as 10 minutes in nature helped college students feel less stress.
Go outside, gaze at the beautiful green trees and blue sky, and enjoy the sounds of all the birds singing.
9. Be mindful
One group of researchers discovered that just a single session of mindfulness meditation can reduce anxiety.
You can practice mindfulness by focusing on your breath and focusing on what you’re feeling in all of your senses.
10. Do some decluttering
Those of us who’ve practiced minimalism can attest to how stress relieving it’s been for our lives.
One of the key practices of being a minimalist is decluttering. If you haven’t learned this in my previous writings, a Psychology Today article noted that clutter can make people more stressed.
Take some time to reduce the items in your space. It might make your thoughts and emotions feel a little more lighter.
Related: 10 Minimalist Tips for Decluttering in 2021 That Will Make It Easier
11. Accept uncertainty
Scientists have learned in recent years that having a low tolerance of uncertainty is tied to depression and anxiety.
By simply becoming more accepting of unexpected occurrences and things you can’t control, you can have a little more peace inside.
As the old saying goes, que sera sera, which translates to “whatever will be, will be.”
Related: Focus on What You Can Control in Your Life
12. Be authentic
When we try to act in a way that pleases people but isn’t true to who we are, inevitably inner-conflict arises.
There’s enormous comfort in speaking exactly what you think and feel and acting exactly how you want.
Make it a regular habit to be comfortable being the person that you want to be.
Related: Own Who You Are No Matter What People Think
13. Practice self love
There are enough people in this world that do a great job of hating on us. Why would you be another hater to add to that list?
Since you’re stuck with you for the rest of your life, you might as well learn to love yourself.
The more you can be good to yourself, the more peace you can have.
14. Have a doctor’s visit
One way you could practice self-love is scheduling doctor’s visit. Taking care of ourselves is key to our well-being.
Knowing that your body is physically well can potentially have a calming effect on you.
15. Visit a counselor
Just as you should get yourself physically checked out, getting a mental and emotional check is just as important.
A good counselor can give you the necessary tools you need to better manage your thoughts and emotions.
Here’s where you can find a therapist, psychologist, or counselor.
16. Find humor in life
Everything doesn’t have to always be so serious. Sometimes you just need to laugh about things to be less stressed by the imperfection of life.
Take things seriously when necessary, but also learn to make light of situations when you can.
You can watch comedians as well to give you laugh and feel a little more peaceful.
17. Check in with yourself
Are you happy with your life right now? That’s a good question to ask every now and then.
If you realize there’s something you’re not satisfied with, then it’s time to start making changes.
You can establish new priorities in your life. The greater your satisfaction in life, the greater calm you’ll have.
18. Start living in the moment more
Let go of your past and stop worrying about your future. The present is right here and right now. Enjoy each moment of it as much as you can, and you’ll be less stressed.
Related: 5 Great Ways to Start Living in the Moment
19. Create personal goals
Something about having an objective to pursue really gives you some stability in your life. It can give you a sense that you’re taking control of your destiny.
Set some personal goals to focus on and improve your life. The comfort of having a direction you’re going in will help you have a little bit more calm in life.
20. Break free from worry
Worry does not have to be a regular part of reality. It’s true we will feel concerned about things in life at times.
But we can have a perspective that can lessen our anxieties and allow us to have more peace.
Here’s how to stop worrying about the future.
21. Focus on yourself
We all need a little alone time every now and then. You may be busy often taking care of others, but the first person you should always take care of is yourself.
To paraphrase another writer, taking care of yourself is not selfish. When you’ve fully taken care of yourself, you can be better able to take care of others.
Related: How To Focus on Yourself Without Being Selfish
22. Stop feeling guilty
Feeling guilt won’t do anything for your reality other than making you feel down on yourself. We all make mistakes and we all mess up.
Learn to be okay with not living up to the person you want to be sometimes. With each failure, you can learn from it, and continue to get better.
23. Make gratitude a part of your life.
Everyday you can wake up and think of all the things you’re grateful for. As research has proven countless times, gratitude makes us feel good.
When we focus on positive things, we focus less on negative things, and we reduce our anxiety. If you’re unsure of what to be thankful for, here’s a gratitude list of 101 things that can give you ideas.
24. Be with loved ones
It’s great to have someone you can go to that can make you feel calmer whenever you’re anxious.
Make an effort to spend time with loved ones that comfort you in the midst of your storms in life.
25. Release the negativity
Sometimes just doing some kind of activity can help you release the negativity inside you and feel more peace.
It could be hitting a boxing bag at the gym, doing an intense dance class, or jamming on an instrument.
Choose an activity that allows you to do something physical to get out that pent up emotion.
26. Practice selflessness
It actually makes you feel good when you choose to be selfless towards others.
A Berkley University article points out that altruistic behavior can produce positive feelings inside of us.
You might find it helpful to learn more about the value of selflessness.
27. Learn to live slow
The technology age has us all trying to keep up with everything and move faster than we ought to.
All of that constant moving is bound to build up our stress levels to potentially a point of burnout. Learn to live life at a slower pace and relax a little more.
Related: Slow Movement: How You Slow Down in a Fast World
28. Compare less
Looking around and measuring your life in comparison to others will usually lead you to feel down about yourself.
Everyone’s life is different. Live in the peace of knowing that your journey moves at a different pace for a variety of reasons and that’s okay.
Related: How to Stop Comparing Yourself to Others
29. Save money
There are few things in life that can wreck our calmness than having money trouble.
You can save yourself the stress of that by doing your best to save money when you can.
Financial stability will strengthen your overall peace in life.
Related: 8 Secrets to How Minimalism Saves You Money
30. Speak positive affirmations
When you speak positive words about your life and your future, it can make you feel good.
It can also keep focused on things that might help you get to the reality you desire.
Practice speaking affirmations every day to put yourself in a calmer state.
31. Follow the principle of less is more
As a minimalist will tell you, there’s peace in having less around us. You can embody the principle of living with less by having less of things that stress you, and more of the things that make you happy.
32. Sleep well
Sleep is a major factor to our mental and physical well-being. A UCLA study found a correlation between getting adequate sleep and happiness.
When you lack sleep, you’re more likely to feel anxiety. Do your mind and body a favor and try to get to bed earlier.
The Mayo Clinic offer some great tips on how to get better sleep.
Related: 10 Ways to End Your Day Right To Have a Great Morning
33. Procrastinate less
It’s hard to have much peace when you’re doing everything last minute.
While it may feel good in the moment to push something off, you’re only adding to the level of stress you’ll experience later.
Do yourself a favor and take care of things sooner so you can feel more relaxed.
Related: How Procrastination Affects Us in Life
34. Avoid drama
When you’re young, it’s easy to feel like you have to get caught up in everybody’s business. At times, you may even be the one causing all the drama.
But as you get older, you start to value your sanity more. Do what you can to eliminate any cause of drama in your life to gain more peace in your mind.
Related: How to Avoid Drama in Your Life
35. Stop being jealous
Envy generally brings negative energy to your life, which isn’t good for maintaining peace.
Learn to stop being envious and jealous and appreciate what you have.
36. Choose happiness
Happiness is a choice you can make every single day. People may complain that that’s insensitive to say, but no one ever said it was an easy choice to make.
In fact, some days, you may even fail to make that choice, which happens.
But you can choose it, and you just have to try your best. Happiness and peace usually go hand in hand.
37. Practice simple living
When life is complicated, life is less peaceful. Practicing simple living can be a good way to make life easier and more calm.
38. Have fun
Having fun connects with not taking life so seriously. When you’re experiencing fun in your life, you’re able to let go and relax more.
Do something spontaneous or plan a nice night out with friends.
39. Do some journaling
Getting your thoughts out through writing might be just what you need to settle your mind. Find a journal and spend time detailing how you’re feeling.
Here are 10 self care journaling ideas to nurture yourself.
40. Be less bothered
Sometimes when we’re stressed, we can let any little thing in life bother us, which hinders our peace.
Learn how to not be bothered by the little things and maintain your inner-calm.
41. Live honestly
Lying adds unnecessary stress to your life. While being honest isn’t always easy, it’s always the best route to having calmness in life.
Learn more about how honesty is the best policy.
Final thoughts
Use all these tools to shift your focus away from worry and anxiety. Live an active life that allows you to not sit around and ruminate over things.
Doing your best to do all of these things will give you the best chance to have a peaceful mind.
Love these helpful thoughts! Great work; simple to read and often matters we tend to over look. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Kelly!
Peace of Mind is not something you just aquire over time, it takes work to keep it flowing.
I am trying to keep drama out of my life but it reared it’s ugly head from a sibling recently, someone who should follow these steps but doesn’t take real accountability for her actions.
I started reading a great book called Essentialism, The Disciplined pursuit of less by Greg Mckeown. It couldn’t have come at a better time in my life. The book is geared a lot to one’s professional career but applies a lot to everyday life.
Life is about making informed choices & setting healthy boundaries, but sadly some people demand life on their terms, and when you try to talk about boundaries with them, rather than respect that they come up with a laundry list of conditions. I is also about inner reflection & healing old wounds, not digging up the past of what happened when you were a child and beyond, trying to suck your whole family into a situation that is destructive, and admitting it may be time to get professional help.
On a more positive note I have been attending a virtual Mindfulness/Stress Class & one of the first things taught was to write 3 things down every day you are grateful for. This helps me to get grounded first thing in the morning & set the pace of my day.
Indeed, it’s an ongoing work in progress, and sometimes external forces outside of our control can make it more difficult. But it’s great that you’ve found a resource in your mindfulness class to help you have peace in the midst of those difficulties. I’ll have to get around to looking into that Greg Mckeown book someday.
Thank you for sharing effective tips
1. “By staying calm, you increase your resistance against any kind of storms.” – Quotes about keeping calm by Mehmet Murat Ildan
2. “Nothing can bring you peace but yourself.”– Ralph Waldo Emerson
3. “Do not learn how to react. Learn how to respond.”—Buddha
4. “You can’t always control what goes on outside. But you can always control what goes on inside.”– Wayne Dyer