3 Tips for Finding Inner Peace When Making a Decision
You know the kind of peace where you can go about your day feeling grateful that the sun is shining, the birds are chirping, and you don’t have anyone or anything disturbing your peace? It’s like no matter what is going on in your life (like having four projects due and approaching deadlines) you know you are right with yourself and you’re naturally in tune with what your body, heart and mind are telling you. Inner peace is defined as spiritual calmness and serenity, free from the daily stressors of life. It doesn’t necessarily mean stressors aren’t present, but despite the circumstances–you know how to deal with them calmly to maintain your peaceful mentality. Maintaining your peace is a daily practice. Ask yourself if you are ready to truly find the peace you’re looking for in order to move forward.
1. KNOW YOUR VALUES
Is there anything that you feel threatens your emotional state? This can have anything to do with a job, a relationship, a friendship, an environment, or a situation that threatens your peace. If it doesn’t make you feel emotionally stable, worthy, joyful and fulfilling, then it most likely isn’t aligned with your inner needs. Take the time to know what you value, and consider whether it aligns with your current path and choices. If you’re going through a long period of doubt or anxiety, your intuition may be reminding you that something should be up for review. Gather the momentum and willpower, and follow what your heart is telling you!
Similar posts you might like: “Signs Your Intuition is Telling You to “Take the Next Step.”
2. THE INNER BATTLE: YOUR HEART VS YOUR HEAD
Your heart will never misguide you. It knows what you want before your brain does. There’s a difference between listening to the needs of your heart (soul) and your head (ego). If you repeatedly have to remind yourself that you want/need something, make sure you’re doing it out of a place that’s true to your values/morals. For example, let’s say you deeply value commitment and loyalty, but a man says he can’t fully commit to you. You’ve over-analyzed the situation so many times that you’ve actually convinced yourself “maybe I really don’t need commitment right now” or “maybe I’m asking for too much.” You start believing he might be worth all of the questioning and self-doubt, and maybe he will eventually come around. Fact of the matter is… unless it aligns with your hearts desires, do not wait for him to come around, do not wait to eventually become “worthy of commitment.” Do not settle.
Do not settle for a relationship that makes you wonder if you deserve better. Do not settle for a career that hinders your aspirations and leaves you feeling empty. Do not settle for a friendship that makes you feel that you can’t be who you are, that makes you feel you can’t shine, or that lacks trust. You can tell your mind to settle, but you can’t keep your heart from wandering. Yes, this will take emotional strength and a lot of willpower, but it’s nothing your heart isn’t designed to handle. Regardless, stop pushing a situation when your heart is pulling you in a different direction. This inner conflict is disrupting your peace–learning to discern between your heart and your head is a test of faith.
3. BELIEVE THAT YOU DESERVE PEACE
…And your potential! Know exactly what you deserve. Think about your current situation, whatever it may be: Maybe it’s that job that promises a stable, future career but your interests may have grown apart from what you were conditioned to enjoy–maybe you have a dream that seems less realistic to achieve. Maybe it’s that relationship that gives you a feeling of security, but also leaves you questioning your future together–do you see yourself together long-term? Maybe you have that friend, or group of friends that offer you the time of your life when you all go out together, but on your off-days they suddenly disappear. Or maybe their friendship brings drama and unnecessary issues that only adds stress, but you feel the need to stay for the sake of your social life. Sometimes our peace is disrupted just by our own negative thoughts about ourselves or our own inner critic. Events don’t always have to take place to realize we need a change.
Right now, my advice would be to focus on you by giving yourself the attention you deserve. Look inward and discover what makes you so wonderfully made. This probably sounds super cliché, but it really works! Believe that you deserve the happiness you’re looking for. You have to find it in you first, and the rest will come. Once you practice the art of positive thinking and self-love, your actions will eventually follow.
It goes without saying that once you truly recognize that you can attain exactly what you deserve, the ability to walk away from something that no longer serves its purpose in your life becomes habitual. Fears and doubts are replaced with certainty and conviction. Your comfort zone has entered unknown territory, and instead of fearing it you may feel free. You made a decision for you! The light is at the end of the tunnel, and instead of turning back around, you’re going full force into the unknown, because something in your heart told you to keep going until you’ve reached it. Your heart led you to the end of the tunnel, and it isn’t just the end–it’s actually a new beginning. A new beginning of peace, and where darkness can no longer exist. In fact, the tunnel was only as long as your mind made it. And just like the darkness, the light is actually a reflection of you. Cultivate that light within you, and it will shine through.
