How To Find Inner Peace — Even When The World Feels Like A Great Big Garbage Fire

With all of the negative background noise these days, it’s easy to think of inner peace like the horizon — an imaginary line that recedes the closer you get to it. But, as elusive as it can seem, inner peace is something we can all achieve to some degree. And oh how it can come in handy the next time you’re in line at the grocery store when your little one spills the entire contents of your purse or when you finally take a day off for some self-care yet can’t seem to get centered. If you’re wondering how to find inner peace, you’re surely not alone. The good news? You don’t have to join an ashram or live on a mountaintop to find it.

In fact, the question shouldn’t be “how to find inner peace” but, instead, “how to create inner peace.” Because the truth is, we all have the ability to create it in every moment. Finding inner peace becomes less of a search but more of a decision to make it a part of your day through intentional habits and a conscious mindset.

With the help of implementing conscious practices into your every day, finding inner peace will become easier than finding your car keys.

How to Find Inner Peace

Adopting these soothing practices will help you ride the waves of life and help prepare you for when the occasional storm — or hiccup — hits you.

1. Pay attention to what you can control and what you cannot.

A lot of our stress involves things we can’t control. Being able to discern what’s truly in and out of your control will help alleviate you from some of the burdens that don’t belong in your life, so you can focus your attention on what you can change.

According to Dr. Gregory L. Jantz for Psychology Today, safeguarding your emotional energy in this way is one of the best things you can do in your campaign for inner peace. “Most of us would agree that emotional energy has become a precious commodity in our lives,” Jantz explained. “When we feel emotionally depleted, then anxiety and stress are the natural by-products. Left unchecked, stress can lead to feelings of being out of control.”

2. Implement a morning routine.

Getting your morning off to the right and calming start can be the most powerful and peaceful action you can take. Whether that’s carving out time to meditate first thing in the morning, journaling your feelings, having a quiet moment for yourself before the kiddos wake up, or all of the above.

3. Spend time in nature.

Mother Nature is the biggest stress reliever, and luckily, it’s free and accessible for all. Taking time to go outdoors regularly — whether it’s going for a walk through a local park after work or hiking in the mountains over the weekend — can help bring you some major calm.

4. Be true to who you are.

So often, we compromise our dreams or beliefs to fit in or, ironically, keep the peace with others. For example, we might struggle with remaining in a relationship or at a job that doesn’t really fit us, knowing full well that it doesn’t give us peace of mind. Staying true to yourself and being in your integrity immediately bring you closer to peace.

5. Remember to breathe.

Being conscious and deliberate with your breathing will almost instantly cause a sense of calm to wash over you. Yes, even when you’re in the middle of a fight with your mom or your toddler is driving you batty. Taking a few deep breaths and repeating some calming mantras can offer you the chill pill you need.

6. Don’t underestimate the power of connection.

It may seem counterintuitive to be around other people when you’re seeking peace, but peace doesn’t always come through solitude. In fact, human connection is more important than ever to inner peace.

“Our greatest human need, after food and shelter, is to connect with other people in a positive way. From the moment we’re born until our last day, we have a deep and profound longing to belong to one another. And when we fulfill that need, it brings us more calm: The oxytocin and natural opioids that we release when we connect may exert a calming influence on our bodies, and the knowledge that we have the support of others can soothe our minds,” said Dr. Emma Seppälä for Psychology Today.

Inner Peace Quotes

Even after you’ve begun to master the above steps toward inner peace, you’ll need help from time to time to re-center yourself. Keep the following quotes close by to get you back into the right headspace.

• “The measure of wisdom is how calm you are when facing any given situation.” — Naval Ravikant
• “Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset.” — Saint Francis de Sales
• “Those who are free of resentful thoughts surely find peace.” — Buddha
• “You should feel beautiful, and you should feel safe. What you surround yourself with should bring you peace of mind and peace of spirit.” — Stacy London
• “Do not let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.” — Dalai Lama
• “Neither seek nor avoid, take what comes.” — Swami Vivekananda
• “Peace begins with a smile.” — Mother Teresa
• “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” — Lao Tzu
• “This is my secret. I don’t mind what happens.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti
• “I am content; that is a blessing greater than riches, and he to whom that is given need ask no more.” — Henry Fielding
• “Nothing gives one person so much advantage over another as to remain always cool and unruffled under all circumstances.” — Thomas Jefferson, Letters of Thomas Jefferson
• “It’s a funny thing about life, once you begin to take note of the things you are grateful for, you begin to lose sight of the things that you lack.” — Germany Kent
• "Being relaxed, at peace with yourself, confident, emotionally neutral loose, and free-floating — these are the keys to successful performance in almost everything." — Wayne Dyer
• "No person, no place, and no thing has any power over us, for 'we' are the only thinkers in our mind. When we create peace and harmony and balance in our minds, we will find it in our lives." — Louise L. Hay
• "You will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously. You will find peace not in denial, but in victory." — J. Donald Walters