It’s important to acknowledge our negative thoughts and emotions in order to make room for positive ones. This is how we find inner calm in times of chaos. Peace begins when we are unaffected by outside circumstances.
Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be. Dr. Wayne Dyer
We’ve had more than our share of storms to weather. Enduring a loved one’s battle with alcoholism or addiction has meant we’ve had challenges, we’ve seen and heard a great deal. We’ve felt a great deal. Part of life is learning to weather these storms, facing them while staying calm and centered amidst the chaos.
There is always a tendency to shy away, to turn our backs or even deny things, in resistance. No one wants to feel fear, pain, loss, or grief. This is why we ofter push it away. But as I’ve learned, it doesn’t go away, it builds up over time, waiting for you to face it.
No matter what your circumstances are , there is always a route to peace. The pathway to peace begins when we face our negative feelings, allowing them to rise and fall, to come and go, all without the need to control them. Go through the darkness. If we can approach these dark emotions, with an acceptance of what is and a willingness to go though it, we open up a possibility of peace in the present.
So how do we face our emotions and find inner calm in times of chaos? This is what I’ve learned so far:
Become Aware of Your Emotions
It all begins with awareness. It took me a long time to be able to identify everything I was feeling. Journaling helped. I started to record my thoughts and feelings in a journal. Some days all I could write was one word. Some days I fell silent. Over time, it became easier and I began to link how I was feeling with some of my bodily reactions, like clenching my jaw, tightening my shoulders, feeling dizzy or cold. When i feel these emotions or notice my reactions to them. I observe them, instead of typing to control it. Just observe. This helps it to pass.
Change Perspective
There is always an opportunity to to change our perspective, to see things from a different viewpoint, therefore changing how we perceive it. When I start to feel upset by something, I tell myself “I want to feel good.” Then, my mind starts to look for the good around me, shifting my perspective of what I am experiencing. Something can always be viewed as either a challenge or an opportunity, depending on how you perceive it.
Be Still
Learning to breathe and be still is essential for self-care. When things start to spiral, you’ll be able to take refuge in a moment of calm, to bring yourself back to center. This can be in the form of a simple one minute mini-meditation or a mindfulness practice. Over time, you can develop the practice of being still, for longer.
Here are a few wonderful resources that can help you stop and be still in the moment, creating inner peace:
Meditation for Inner Peace – Depak Chopra
Calming the Storm In Your Head – Podcast
May these resources be a source of support and lead you back to moments of inner calm during times of chaos.
Please join us in our private Facebook group and et us know if you’ve found it helpful. Let us know how you are getting on with becoming aware of your emotions, changing your perspective and developing your practice of being still. Continue your healing and learning and gain support for your practice in a safe space of people who in understand. Join the private Facebook group.
