Setting aside some time every day to quiet your mind lets you find peace with yourself. Review your day in calmness and try to see your experiences from an objective perspective. If you find any negative emotions, try to replace them by more peaceful and understanding thoughts. Although it may be hard at first, repeatedly practicing this will let you find joy from deep within.
Hold your temper
Rage often comes from the feeling that you have been treated unfairly or that you deserve better, and this feeling disturbs our peace of mind. Anger is often caused by our ego trying to protect ourselves from hurting our pride or self-worth. But this is precisely the moment when you have to realize that you are on the brink of losing something very precious—the freedom of the mind. We have a choice not to feel miserable by what others do or say. Even if someone has flung harsh words at you, remember that you are in total control over how you react to them.
Be tolerant
Sometimes we meet people whom we just cannot stand. Being with them may disturb your mind and make you feel uncomfortable. This is when tolerance comes in handy. Being tolerant means to understand that no one is perfect. It is to know that everyone has both positive qualities and negative qualities. So it may be that we just haven’t seen the good qualities of the people we have difficulty with. A Buddhist saying goes, “hatred cannot stop hatred.” If you feel that you need to correct the wrongs that have been done to you, it is not resentment that will solve them. Remember that only a compassionate and understanding heart can resolve conflicts.
Give it time
We all make mistakes, not necessarily because what we did was wrong, but often because the time was not right. We may make haste to get results or come to a conclusion about some people without taking the time to really get to know them. We simply cannot avoid hardships and conflicts with other people. If you feel stressed out by difficult situations, one way to deal with it is to give it some time. All things are in constant change. We may be at different stages of life, but we are all trying to improve ourselves and move forward with our lives. In tough times, simply believing that things will be better, and that your relationship with others will improve, helps you face the situation calmly and with peace.
Be the first to reach out
We cannot avoid hurting people with what we say, no matter how well-meaning. If you see a hurtful reaction on their face or in their eyes, apologize immediately and make up for the damage you have done. This will not only help them find peace, but also help you calm your mind, too. You may also be tempted to keep your distance from people who are forever complaining and angry, so as to protect your inner peace. But only those who know how to maintain a calm state of mind can help others to quiet their troubled minds. When you concentrate on helping others attain inner peace, you will be surprised to find that you have freed yourself from worry and are walking on the path to happiness.
