Inner peace has always been associated with psychological or spiritual calmness. But that’s not all to it. It’s also an internalized state of mental strength. In fact, it has been shown that inner peace and mental toughness go hand in hand.
There’s no wonder why people with strong minds are always able to deal with whatever life throws their way. They may not solve things right off the bat sometimes, but they will eventually.
Mentally strong people can always control their emotions, accept failures, and prioritize self-improvement in the face of adversities. In addition, listed below are other things mentally strong-minded people do to maintain their inner peace.
Meditate
Scientifically speaking, meditation turns the parts of our brains associated with problem-solving, emotion regulation, and mental resilience larger and denser. As a result, these areas have better overall functioning and become stronger.
In other words, if you meditate, you’ll be able to:
- Manage stress;
- Reduce negative emotions;
- Be more patient and tolerant;
- Improve self-awareness; and
- Focus on the present.
Of course, meditation has other benefits that aren’t mentioned here. But, in particular, you’ll achieve an emotionally calm state through meditation, which is the mental state of peace of mind.
Don’t Chase Happiness
Like any emotion, happiness is just fleeting. It has never been transcendent nor permanent. And since it’s only a temporary state of being, constantly chasing this state of blissful nirvana is exhausting and dissatisfying.
Instead of chasing happiness, strong people strive for inner peace. Doing so allows them to experience everything in life, whether they’re incredible moments or horrible times. They don’t shelter themselves from pain because they believe they learn and grow from it. Instead, they accept that emotions and your circumstances are just fleeting and then move forward.
Manage Living with Toxic People
Toxic people oppress others, criticize them constantly, and even manipulate them. Even worse, the shame others felt from this toxicity could drive them to engage in destructive behaviors.
Since interacting with a toxic person takes a toll on your well-being and even constitutes emotional abuse, it would be best to remove them from your life. However, they’re usually your loved ones. While cutting relationships with them can give you temporary comfort, being away from them may not give you peace of mind, especially if they’re your family.
Instead, don’t waste your energy trying to change toxic people. You can’t change them without them putting an effort to change themselves. Doing so solely will only sour your mood and make you less capable.
It would be better to establish healthy emotional and physical boundaries with them, where you will:
- Do respectful disagreement;
- Avoid jumping on the complaining train with them;
- Be aware of how toxic behaviors affect you;
- Make open conversation with them and let them realize their actions are unacceptable;
- Offer compassion but don’t change them;
- Say no and make yourself unavailable;
- Set boundaries; and
- Have exit strategies.
Mentally strong people understand that there are things that they can’t control. And since toxic people could be someone dear to them, they usually don’t leave them. Instead, they manage how to live with them with inner peace.
Take Right Accountability
People with strong minds do excessive self-blame. They understand that everyone falls short of expectations and makes mistakes occasionally. So what mentally strong people usually do can be summed up into four things:
- Fess up;
- Take responsibility;
- Move on; and
- Improve.
In addition, while they might acknowledge that they’re responsible for their choices, mentally strong people know that other bad things are always beyond their control. Whenever they mess up, taking stock of what went right and wrong, evaluating what could have been done better, then putting the problem behind them gives them peace of mind.
Leave Comfort Zone
Our comfort zones satisfy our needs for certainty. They’re situations where we know what to expect and react to, so our psychological state feels safe. Being in familiar and controllable situations lowers your stress, reduces anxiety, and improves your well-being.
The thing is, just like certainty, uncertainty and growth are also our immediate natural needs. It’s basically a paradox. Immoderate certainty may cause us not to fulfill our need for growth and new experiences, while extreme uncertainty can also cause us anxiety and lack of productivity. Hence, to bring the right balance between the two, leave your comfort zone regularly yet positively.
As stated earlier, mentally strong people always take the right accountability—admit faults, then improve. They’re not afraid of failures and consistently achieve excellence. Hence, they always push their boundaries, which helps them to leave their comfort zones easily. As a result, they’re more adaptable, creative, and productive.
Getting out of their comfort zones easily also means they can master their emotions well. To be clear, they don’t repress emotions but consider their guidance. These positive reactions, from accepting failures and positively leaving comfort zones to emotional mastery, are signs of peace of mind.
Avoid Complete Self-Reliance
Aside from not being afraid to make mistakes, people with strong minds aren’t scared to ask for help from others. Whether it’s a partner, family member, friend, higher power, insurance, professional help, or anything they can lean on, they know they gain strength from others.
People with strong minds know the difference between acting tough and being strong, and believing you can do everything by yourself is a good example of the former. As mentioned, they know that uncontrollable situations are inevitable in life, so there will come a time when they need to ask for help from others. Knowing they don’t have to know everything and relying on others gives them a renewed sense of inner peace.
Final Thoughts
Everyone can cultivate and experience inner peace anytime, anywhere. It’s a way of life where you aim to achieve emotional well-being through nurturing your curiosity, acceptance, and self-control. However, it isn’t something you can quickly achieve overnight. There’s no one-size-fits-all for its process, but it always requires a lifelong journey, commitment, and willingness.