Life happens to everyone.  This is the truth no matter how beautiful they look or dress, and no matter how amazing their Instagram is.  Life happens!  It is critical to do our very best to create as much peace of mind in our lives as possible.  With peace of mind we have the clarity to move through life with grace while living our life purpose.

You are alive to bring something special to the world that only you can bring.  PEACE and LOVE are the most powerful emotions to experience and live by.  Just knowing this makes it very clear to me why the media and news strive so diligently to keep peace of mind so far away.  Here are 7 steps to creating more peace of mind in your life.

1. Forgiveness

Just take a deep breath.  Forgiveness is one of the biggest gifts that we can give ourselves.  It has nothing to do with how awful a person or situation is in our lives.  It is not about letting something happen to us over and over again either.  Forgiveness frees us from an emotional cloud that would otherwise rain thunderstorms on us daily.  When it is hard to forgive ask your God to help you.

I have noticed that once I forgive I have the mental clarity to speak the truth powerfully.  I’m no longer accepting an identity of victim from this point.  I also strive to forgive myself for anything and everything that I wish that I could undo or redo.  Forgiveness is FREEDOM!

2. Pay Off Your Debt & Save

Take another deep breath.  No one can deny that money can be a HUGE stressor in life.  We desire to create more, or we may not always spend wisely.  Yet then we have crazy bills to pay.  When you decide to look at money as simply a means to an end, all of a sudden money looks much different.

Money is not meant to be a stressor in life, but we often give it more power than it deserves.  I’ve worked with and around many “powerful” and “wealthy” people as a professional dancer, especially in Los Angeles.   I’ve seen with my own eyes that this power, wealth, and fame does not create true happiness.

When we continue to use money in unhealthy ways versus a means to an end, we often create debt.  I used to have $20,000 in debt mainly from clothing and beauty consumerism.  I shared how I paid off that debt here.

I’m also just realizing that years prior I had also saved $20,000 after doing one my first professional jobs on a Broadway tour.  It is ironic that my Hollywood insecurities at that time created the exact opposite in debt a few years later.  Once you take full responsibility for your finances, you empower yourself.  Saving a portion of your income monthly will add up no matter what the amount.  Yes, please focus on paying off your debt.  Yet also plan to save, save, save.  When we can feel comfortable and confident in our finances, we can be more generous to others in need.

3. Declutter

Whether your personal aesthetic is minimal or not, everyone enjoys a clean and clear place to relax.  This is why a beautiful and minimally decorated hotel room feels so good when we first arrive.  It may not stay that way once we unpack our suitcase, but there is always that initial relief when we walk in.

Decluttering is so powerful for creating more peace in our lives.  It can sometimes be hard to let go of things that we own even if we do not use them or love them.  Yet true peace of mind has everything to do with letting go, and has nothing to do with holding on to the past.  It is much easier to relax in the present moment when we are not bombarded with unloved unused items of the past.  You can find powerful tips on decluttering here and here.

4. Do One Dream Task A Day

No matter what your current circumstances are in this very moment, it is critical to complete one dream task a day no matter how big or small it is.  For example, if you truly desire to be an author, spending a few minutes a day to write will help you accomplish your dream.  Even taking a few moments to brainstorm ideas, write down your goals, and/or create a plan of action helps tremendously.

There is more than enough time in each day for us to accomplish our dreams.  Time management plays a large role in this truth.  Often we are distracted by things or people that waste our time and energy.  Once you get clear about your life purpose, spend a few minutes each day to do something in regard to accomplishing those dreams. This brings joy, and you can also soothe stress by taking action steps to change your current circumstances.

5. Eat Healthy & Exercise

As a new mom I can completely understand why this can be one of the most annoying things to hear.  Now mind you I didn’t do the best job with this tip the first two months of my son’s life.  I still had not figured out exactly how to make this work for me.  Yet I had to figure it out for my own peace of mind and for my health.  Moms don’t have much time to spend on themselves, and this has been my exact experience.

I learned how to improve my nutrition versus just eating “cute” foods after getting a Cron-O-Meter account and using it.  I shared more on CRON-O-Meter in this article.  I have also showed you how CRON-O-Meter breaks down nutrition in a good amount of my healthy recipes on Minimalist Beauty.

As for exercise, depending upon your current health and schedule, you can only start from where you are.  There is no need to compare yourself to anyone else.  I’ve desperately been wanting to take dance classes as often as I used to. But I haven’t been able to at this moment.  Instead I spend around 20-30 minutes to do some stretches, or exercises with my Pilates rings in the evenings once my son has gone to sleep at night.

Even if it is only 15 minutes of exercise a day, it is better than nothing.  Do what you can do right now.  When you can do more, do more.

6. Spend time in nature

There is nothing more healing than being in nature.  Take your shoes off and let your bare feet connect with the earth.  No matter how “granola” this sounds, it is good for the soul.  Just walking in nature in silence is a moving meditation.

I’m beyond my tree climbing days, but when I was sitting in the trees as a child I was always happy or consoled.  If you live in the city like I do, try to get in some form of nature at least once a week.  You will feel the difference.

7. Spiritual Practice & Devotion

This year did not begin for me with the ease and grace I had hoped it would.  Regardless, I would not have gotten through the rough start or continued to push through if I was without my faith and daily devotion.  There is something powerful in having faith in God, and trusting Him no matter what.  Like I said earlier, life happens to everyone.  When you can pray, meditate, read scriptures or other spiritual texts, you build your faith.  By continually building your faith you have more and more peace of mind.

What brings you true and honest peace of mind in your life?

One Love!

(Image by Dawn Michelle)

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