Finding “Inner Peace”
Holidays are upon us. Kids are back in school. Fall sports, full schedules and stressors are all in full bloom.
Some days it feels like life is balanced for a moment and then, all of a sudden it’s upside down again.
It’s hard to find inner peace. I often think about this short movie clip when everything seems to go wrong. It’s almost like some days, you just feel like it’s all going to go wrong.
With practice, we can prepare and better handle days when trouble seems to just fall from the sky.
I have found a few tips to find “inner peace” as a busy mom of three teenage boys. I can’t fix the smells, but I can remember to keep a sense of humor, and with patience.
-
Take ten minutes to do nothing. Ignore the dishes, dogs, chores, the phone and the mental to-do list. You can reset your entire day by taking tiny breaks.
-
Yes, breathing is a powerful tool. And, most importantly, you can do it anywhere. Breathe in for four counts. Hold for four counts. Exhale for four counts.
-
Distract yourself with music. Play your favorite song. A song is about three to four minutes long. You can take three to four minutes to breathe and reset your day.
-
Take a moment to remember three things you are thankful for. If, for example, a project just became a mess, what are three things that are going well (despite the mess)?
-
Reframe your thinking. It’s not all or nothing. Sometimes life is about the gray. So the project at work didn’t turn out amazing, but with the tools you have now, you can make it even better the next time.
Look for some way to find a positive. My own special reframing example is me taking Algebra 1 at least two times. I can think that maybe I am not smart, or I can reframe it and realize that in that experience, I learned how I learned. And, I learned how to persevere through a tough class. This prepared me for college studies and my future. I also learned it was okay to ask for help.
Even in the best movies created, the characters struggle. And, if you think about it, that’s what makes the movies the most interesting. Spiderman was interesting because he lacked confidence at first. He learned how to balance out being a superhero, he found friendships, and he eventually found his center. But, he was not perfect every day. And, he was even bitten by a radio-active spider. Most of our days are at least better than his worst day. And, he even used that moment to find a new version of himself–eventually.
Reagan O’Hare, MA, M Ed, LPC is a therapist that works with children, teens and young adults at our San Antonio office. Reagan is also available via telehealth services.
Resources:
Inner Peace – Kung Fu Panda (https://youtu.be/GmmrrfJKY7I?si=HuPbsvB8fNBbjV5r)
