It Takes Just a Few Moments to Find Your Inner Calm
As caregivers, we know how things can change from relative peace to chaos in the blink of an eye. But did you know that the opposite can be true, as well? With a little courage and mindfulness, we can disrupt the chaos, tap into our inner calm, and gain the strength we need to manage the stress of daily life.
Of course, we can't eliminate stress totally from our lives, but we can learn how to cope with it. Finding our inner calm helps us cope with emotions that can disrupt our peace. Recognizing what we can and can’t control is a big first step. Understanding that our needs are also important, making ourselves a priority in that moment, and reconnecting to things that bring us joy can also help us find our inner calm.
But I know, it can be hard to let go sometimes. We want so much to stay in control of things, even when things are not in our control. That’s why it takes courage and commitment to step back for a moment when we need to restore our inner peace and balance.
Quick ways to connect to our inner calm include taking a walk outside, doing a few exercises, listening to music, playing with a pet, doing some deep breathing, or meditating. Anything that brings you joy can work.
And here are five tools that may help you cultivate inner peace:
FOCUS: Focus on what’s in your control (or in your influence), and let go of what’s not in your control.
NURTURE HEALTH: Nurture your overall health and wellness through SLEEP – MOVEMENT – NUTRITION.
PRACTICE MINDFULNESS: Try to take a few moments every day for breathing and meditation.
BE PRESENT: Caregiving can pull us in all kinds of directions. Keep it MICRO, and focus on the little things – being present – with yourself and with others.
EXERCISE SELF-COMPASSION: Remember that the only person we can change is ourselves. We can love and support others, but they must want to change and act on it themselves.
And remember ... YOU have the choice of how to respond to stress. You can either let it get the best of you or find the COURAGE to tackle it head on with your very best coping strategies. I choose to cope by finding my inner peace. How about YOU?