Mastering Calmness: Your Guide to a More Peaceful Life

1 August 2023

Opening the Door to Tranquillity

I’ve come to realise with time that mastering calmness is a lot like becoming fluent in a new language. It requires practice, persistence, and a whole lot of patience. It got tricky especially after Lark came into our lives. Balancing work, family, and personal time while staying composed was basically like performing an act in the circus! Jake, my ever-supportive partner, was a constant pillar beside me, handling things on the days I felt like I was juggling one too many balls. This article will aim to share with you my best practical tips on how to navigate through this complex and oftentimes chaotic life with a sense of calmness and poise.

Acknowledging and Assessing the Chaos

The first step in transforming chaos into calm is acknowledging it. Let's face it, life can feel chaotic and turbulent at times. Some days, it's like surfing wave after wave of challenges, whether it's dealing with a fussy toddler or experiencing a particularly stressful day at work. The first step to finding calm amidst all this turmoil is acknowledging that it exists. Jake and I once had this profound late-night discussion about how people often mistake being busy for being productive. It’s a trap we’ve all fallen into.

Assessing the situation is an extension of acknowledgement. Here's a tip - set aside some quiet time to thoroughly evaluate your life, its rhythm, the things that consistently stress you out, and your general daily pattern. Think of it as a SWOT analysis but for your life. The understanding and perspective you gain from doing this will be tremendously helpful in your quest for calmness.

Navigating Through the Whirlwind: Practical Strategies

Once you’ve recognised and assessed the chaos, it’s time to put on your captain’s hat and navigate through the whirlwind. Developing a handful of strategies that work for you can make big difference. Here's an interesting fact - human beings, by nature, revel in routine and predictability. So, by incorporating calm-inducing routines into your daily life and sticking to them, you can create a more predictable and consequently, a more peaceful, life.

Personally, Jake and I found that developing and maintaining a daily routine helped us maintain a sense of balance, especially when life got too busy. We instituted certain rituals in our daily life- like our no-technology dinner time and bedtime story ritual with Lark- which infuse our lives with calm. A little predictability in an unpredictable world brought us a sense of peace and control and helped keep the chaos at bay.

Embracing 'Me' Time

In our quest to create tranquillity amidst the tumult of daily life, we often forget the importance of 'me'-time. As someone who once used to equate 'me'-time with being selfish or unproductive, I learned my lesson the hard way. Taking time to recharge your batteries, to relax and do things you enjoy is not just important—it’s absolutely essential. For me, it’s my early morning yoga routine, or the late-night book reading sessions. These 'me' moments may be small in terms of time, but they work wonders on my mental state.

Perhaps you like to read or paint, or maybe you like to take long walks in the park. Whatever your choice of relaxation is, ensure you incorporate it into your daily routine. Remember, a calm mind creates a calm life and a 'me' time is crucial in maintaining your mental calm.

Creating a Serene Sanctuary

The last piece of the puzzle in your journey towards mastering calm is creating your own serene sanctuary. It sounds difficult and a little intimidating, doesn't it? But trust me, it’s rather simple! It's about creating a space that promotes calm and positivity. For some, it could be a room filled with books, for others, it may be a garden, and for some, it might just be a quiet corner in their home where they can sip coffee peacefully.

For me, it's our little balcony garden. It’s my little haven where I sip my morning tea watching the flowers grow while the soft sun rays peek through. Gosh, it sounds poetic! But honestly, it’s what gets me rolling each day. Not only does this calm and serene space help to relax and de-stress, but it also provides a fantastic opportunity to commune with nature which in itself is a highly therapeutic experience.

In conclusion, mastering calmness and traversing the path to a peaceful life might sound like an uphill battle, but with acknowledgment, assessment, practical strategies, 'me' time and a serene sanctuary you can emerge victorious in this endeavour. Remember, this is not about running away from chaos but more about embracing the chaos and dancing in it. Because guess what? Life’s one big cha-cha, and all you have to do is find your rhythm and dance