”3 Tips for Finding Tranquility in Everyday Life” is a collaborative post. Please see the disclosure page for more information. Disclaimer – always verify medical information with your doctor or a professional.
Have you been feeling stressed lately?
That’s almost a trick question, because the reality is that virtually everyone seems to be stressed on an almost daily basis at this period in history and searching for finding tranquility.
There are plenty of things that contribute to a sense of chronic stress: things may not be going so well at work, the kids may not be doing so well at school, you may have health concerns, your bills might have become more expensive, and so on, and so on.
What’s more, on top of those directly tangible everyday causes of stress and anxiety, there are also plenty of things that are hard to pin down and properly define. Like a feeling of never being able to stop and think things through deeply enough, or a creeping suspicion that you are not living properly in alignment with your values.
It’s telling that there are so many people reflecting on topics like finding tranquility these days, ranging from psychologists to websites like Prosperity Alaska.
Here are a few tips for taking a deep breath and finding tranquility in your everyday life:
Reduce the amount of time you spend staring at screens (and increase the amount of time you spend reading books)
Digital devices are amazing bits of technology and offer a lot of incredible opportunities for each of us to explore. At the same time, though, they are certainly a double-edged sword. For many of us, they probably do more harm than good on an everyday basis.
There is ample evidence showing that people who spend more time on social media, for example, are more depressed and anxious. It’s difficult to ever pause and appreciate what’s right in front of you if you are constantly flicking through the channels on your satellite TV or are surfing the web relentlessly.
If you doubt that these activities can be an issue, consider the evidence that Nicholas Carr presents in his book “The Shallows” that the internet ruins our ability to focus. Or, for that matter, Adam Alter’s reflections in his book, “Irresistible,” that digital technology is addictive.
Spend a bit less time staring at screens every day, and spend more time reading books. They are a great way of slowing things down. Having trouble getting off the screen? Set a time or a notification within the app that you are using so you know it’s been too much time wasted.
Get out into nature on a regular basis
Since time immemorial, people have known that getting out into nature on a regular basis is essential for feeling “grounded” and maintaining a sense of connection to what’s important in life.
The famous naturalist John Muir once advised that everyone should “break clear away from the city” on a regular basis, get out into nature, and “wash your spirit clean.” That advice applies more than ever, today, with so many more of us living in urban environments.
Make a point of going for regular nature walks when you can manage it. You’ll likely find that your sense of tranquility and well-being increase exponentially. Plus, it’s important to get your fill of Vitamin D directly from the sun itself for you health.
Be physically active every day – it really helps to take you out of your own head
If you are constantly held hostage by your own ruminations and thoughts, it can be very useful – important, actually – to find strategies for getting out of your own head and reconnecting with the world around you.
Daily physical activity is an excellent way of finding tranquility. It’s difficult to spend a lot of your time overthinking when you’re working up a sweat in the gym, or jogging in the open air.
Always strive for balance between your connection to the outside world, and your connection to your own “internal” world. Exercise is a great way of maintaining that balance.
Finding tranquility is not easy in our over busy world. We are all so worried about getting this or that done, paying or buying whatever is the latest and greatest, or just holding on to our health by a thread. Being content with all circumstances and at peace seems near impossible but it is so important for our overall mental and physical health. One last bonus tip is to start a gratitude journal. Write at least one sentence each night about what you are thank for. This can literally reroute your neural pathways in your brain. Essentially, you can retrain your brain. The benefits of having a grateful attitude(way of thinking) in life is being studied more and more and shows that it is of upmost important for your mental and physical health. There’s not much in my opinion that can bring you more tranquility than that!
Below is one of my favorite groups of verses in the Bible; I’ve had inexplicable peace in times of trouble because of prayer.
This is from the book of Philippians chapter 4 NIV – 4 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! 5 Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. 6 Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. 9 Whatever you have learned or received or heard from me, or seen in me—put it into practice. And the God of peace will be with you.
If you are feeling down or depressed for more days than not, please seek medical attention. If you are feeling like you cannot go on, please call the suicide hotline at 1-800-273-8255 or chat here>>> https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/chat/ Or visit the suicide prevention lifeline at https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
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