Do you ever feel like your life is in turmoil? Like you’re being pulled in 50 different directions and you’ve lost control? Do you stress about the unknown enduring unbearable times for future outcomes that may are may not transpire? Does time always seem to slip past you, without you even giving it a passing glance?

If so you may able to benefit from some of the life-style changes I have adapted to live a more peaceful life.

♥ Stop responding to negative people. Firstly, it’s all too easy to respond to negativity. Trust me I’m a rebel I know. I vividly recall the need to respond to a statement anyone said regarding me, because after all I know myself and If what you are stating is untrue or if it negatively affects me I want the chance to defend myself. What I realized is that when you have a conversation with negative people you inadvertently began to become negative. I’ve learned to not let the behavior or words of others destroy my inner peace. So, walk away and became indifferent to the Negative Nancy’s and Paul’s! Don’t give them your energy, don’t let them steal your peace.

♥ Take it one task, one day at a time. There are so many things we try to get accomplished in a day. Single mama here, and I for one can say I put on many hats throughout the course of a day. It’s ridiculous when you take a step and really look at it. We get so bogged down thinking of what we must do next, what is on schedule for tomorrow, how is this going to get done. It can begin to be all too much!!! Note to self I don’t have to take this day all at once, I don’t even have to have all the answers today. But rather take things, one step, one breath, one moment at time. After all, I am only one person. Things will get done when they get done!

♥ Create time for solitude. In addition to taking things one day at a time and staying clear of negative people. It’s important to take some time for yourself. Solitude, is the opportunity to stop doing for others and to surprise and delight ourselves instead. It’s changeling to let ourselves slow down, we live a complex life and the culture surrounding our existence is so fast paced. As the days have passed us by, we come to the realization that we haven’t slowed down, we haven’t devoted a single minute to simple relaxation. We all have a few minutes a day to do this, but we convince ourselves that there is always something that needs doing, always someone who needs our attention. Practice doing nothing, sit in a quiet corner, take a few extra moments while sitting in the garage before you walk inside, at the red light or in the shower while the house is asleep. Relax and think about nothing. Discover what makes you feel alive, engage in an activity that brings you joy. Dive into a passion of yours and pursue it to your hearts content. Do it for you. After all you can’t pour from an empty vessel.

♥ Take a Social Media Sabbatical. In today’s society, social media is life. We can easily access the goings on in the world, discover that latest tea, and keep up with all the newest fashions all with the press or swipe of a finger. The media has a way of making us feel like were insufficient. It can be a breeding ground for people who suffer with anxiety and depression disorder. You may not even realize you have either of these disorders until you dive into the alternative life that is social media. Social media is made to be perfect. No one really discuss, or display trying times or take natural unedited pictures. Darn the women and men that we see aren’t even the way GOD created them to be…if you get my drift. Taking a social media break you’ll realize you have way more free time on your hands as you’re not aimlessly scrolling through the masses. But another thing I realized in taking a social media sabbatical is that you get to experience your own life. If you find yourself doing things “for the gram”, then you definitely need to delete those social media apps and live your life through memories, not through photos and likes. I once saw this meme that stated, “Temporarily closed for spiritual maintenance” HANDS UP if you occasionally feel the need for this as well.

♥ Express Gratitude. Expressing gratitude can bring a calmness of well-being. Expressing gratitude is the beginning of showing appreciation for the people and things you have in your life in the present time. Typically, grateful people are happier people. Being grateful makes us more optimistic while reducing negativity and stress. That in itself is a huge reason to make acts of gratitude a daily habit. Developing an attitude of gratitude will transform your state of mind. Try it, spend a few minutes each day listing or reciting things and individuals for which you are thankful. If you begin to prioritize gratitude and recognize things that you appreciate most, eventually it will become second nature.

These are just a few simple life-style changes I have adapted that’s really helping me to live more PEACEFULLY! I’ve started this new year on a better foot, and I promise that if you at least try a few of the life-style changes I talked about here, you’ll notice a drastic change in your everyday life.

It starts with you!

♥ Happy Peaceful Living!!

-Latoya