Keeping calm at all times is rooted in the total acceptance of life, which permeates deep down into your being. By acceptance, I don’t mean passivity, but a wholehearted response to whatever the moment brings forth. So instead of fighting life, you become one with it, riding each moment like a surfer rides a wave.
But this acceptance is not an aspirin pill, which you can pop in whenever you are faced with a difficult time.
This acceptance takes root in you over time as you consistently and consciously practice awareness of self. Life then becomes a series of conscious and empowered choices rather than a whirlwind of unconscious confusion.
There are three simple practices you can adopt to build your awareness:
- Meditate daily – Meditation allows you the much-needed mind space to view life from an expanded perspective. You no longer feel bogged down by situations or easily overrun by emotions. But mediation reveals its benefits only when practiced consistently and regularly over a period of time. It’s like building your mind muscle. If you stop practicing it or are not consistent, you dissipate its energy. So spend at least 20 minutes every day for meditation and watch its benefits unfurl to reveal a wiser and calmer you.
- Remain in touch with your breath- Breath is the link between you and your awareness, your center. Whenever you feel stressed out, or overwhelmed, gently bring your attention back to your breath. Place your hand on your lower belly and take at least 10-12 slow deep breaths. Feel your belly rising with every inhalation and going in with the exhalation. Don’t rush through the process. Take your time. At the end of the process, you will witness a shift in your state of mind. The emotional energy surrounding the situation will lessen in intensity. You will much calmer and in control of the situation.
- Examine your beliefs – Most of our most ardently loved beliefs are in fact a product of deep-rooted conditioning brought about by our parents and society or our own hasty observations about life. Beliefs carry great power and the wrong ones can limit your life force leading to frustration and misery over time. So examine your beliefs from time to time, test them against your experience and drop the ones that don’t support your life purpose or limit you in any way.