As we leave behind a contentious election and head into the hectic holiday season, the idea of finding your peace might feel more impossible than ever--especially for a busy lawyer such as yourself (who may or may not have December compliance looming ahead). That's not going to stop us from sharing a bit of advice, though. Cultivating your inner peace is a surefire way to improve your mental health and live a happier, healthier life. Here are six strategies to help you find your peace.
And as always, PBI is here to help your compliance be stress-free. We'll be bringing you all sorts of options for live and on-demand courses throughout the next two months so that you can check December compliance off your list early. Check out what's coming up here!
Be present. Sometimes, it's really hard to live in the moment. You might be dwelling on the past, thinking ahead to the future's lengthy to-do list, or simply lost in the digital depths of your phone. This present moment is where life is taking place. Let go of the past (which cannot be changed), the future (which cannot be predicted), and put down your phone to look at the world around you.
Learning to be more present will create stronger memories for you to look back on. It also drives home the fact that our time is precious. Don't let the consumption of media completely overtake your life. Be present in the important moments, and even the little moments that don't seem to carry so much weight. You will feel better for it.
Commit to yourself. We make a lot of promises to ourselves that we don't always follow through on. "I'm going to eat better...I'm going to get that task done...I'm going to spend less time staring at my phone..." As always, easier said than done. Humans come well-equipped with excuses that prevent us from achieving every single one of our goals. "I'll start eating better come tomorrow...I'm too tired to do that task today...my phone makes me happy so I'll just keep scrolling..." It's too easy to dump everything on your future self, but the fact is, your future self is not going to be much different from your current self, and will continue to keep putting off self-improvement.
Take accountability for all versions of yourself. The more times you break these promises, the easier it gets to do so. It weakens your will. You will feel so much better for following through on these commitments. Not only is it an investment of self-improvement, but you will grow a stronger will and learn to trust yourself.
Embrace contentment. People are obsessed with the idea of chasing happiness, but happiness should not be the goal. Most days are ordinary. Happiness is never a constant and arrives for short periods of time, as anger and sadness do. If you're in the constant pursuit of happiness, you may find yourself disappointed and always wanting more. Reframe your goal and set your sights on embracing contentment. To be content with what you have, with living in each moment. Happiness is wonderful, but temporary. Coming to understand this will aid you in finding that inner peace.
One shining rule in pursuing contentment is to never compare yourself to others. Focus on your own life, value what you have, and know that everyone is fighting their own battle, no matter how it looks from the outside. Never use others' lives to judge the value of your own.
Be kind. From a young age, we're told to be kind, that it takes very little effort...and yet, we all too easily seem to forget that. Each day, you should set an intention to treat others with respect, kindness, and patience, because you have no idea what challenges those around you are facing. Think of your loved ones and treat strangers with the same kindness you'd hope to see your loved ones receive from others.
Remember that the one thing no one can take away from you is your character. At the end of the day, people might forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.
Practice gratitude. Our minds tend to focus on the negative. We covet what we don't have. We dream of what could make our lives better, easier. What if we put that energy towards being appreciative instead? Take time to reflect on how far you've come or what circumstances have improved in your life. Learn to appreciate the little things like the sun on your face, the joyful song of a robin, or the act of a friend reaching out with something that reminded them of you. Don't take the little things for granted. Taking time to practice gratitude can completely shift your outlook on life.
As we approach Thanksgiving, keep an eye out for a future blog post on the many different ways you can practice gratitude in your life.
Focus on what you can control. As we mentioned before in this blog about mindfulness, not everything is within your control and the sooner you accept that, the more at peace you will be. Let the things you cannot control drift away like leaves down a stream. Worrying about them will only stress you out. There is nothing to be gained from this. Spend your energy on what you can control instead.
All of these methods can serve you in achieving inner peace. All it takes is training your mindset and forming good habits. And if you ever do find things getting to be too much for you in this stressful profession, help is always available.
We at PBI wish you a peaceful rest of 2024 and a stress-free compliance period!
