What Gives You Peace of Mind?

This is a question that is very similar, perhaps, to the question I answered a few months ago about a contented life and transcendence. But I thought this was good to write about since I don’t believe one can truly be content without peace of mind. A number of people, much smarter than I, that I researched in preparation to write this story, agreed with me on that. I will talk further about their thoughts below.

But first, and with some further research, I came up with this definition of peace of mind: “Peace of mind is feeling safe, letting go of things we cannot control, and keeping life simple.” From my experience that is easier said than done.

Those of you that know me well know that I am by nature a worrier! I have written about this before and freely admit that I come from a long line of worriers, particularly on the Torborg ( my mom’s side) of the family. For me, finding and keeping peace of mind is a continuous journey simply because life changes, stuff happens, and then worry sets in. My guess is that is true of most of us.

There is a fair amount that has been written on the subject of peace of mind. For most of us, we seek peace of mind relative to areas of our life like financial well-being, our health, our relationships, our emotional health and our spiritual life. This is certainly true for me. I tend to go a little overboard on thinking (worrying) about our finances and, of course, my physical self. Again, anyone that knows me well can attest to that.

Dr. Rick Hanson, a noted psychologist, writes a fair amount about peace of mind and life’s journey in pursuit thereof. He outlines four kinds of peace that I will share below.

1. The peace of ease. This occurs when your nervous system stops feeling threatened and can let go of fear.

2. The peace of tranquility. A serene stillness in both mind and body free from internal agitation and struggling.

3. The peace of unchanging allness. The comforting realization that beneath the “shifting waves” of life, foundational truths and the greater universe remain stable and reliable.

4. The peace of transcendence. A wordless sense of the sacred, eternal, or unconditional that surpasses ordinary mental comprehension.

My uneducated and unsophisticated mind reads 3 and 4 above and thinks of God and all He has created…

Another area that I researched said that our habits and mindset help most people stay calm. This makes sense, at least to me, especially the older and more mature we are because we have experienced unsettling things before and can stay calm with a more peaceful mind in the face of change and uncertainty. Those items like keeping order in our lives, seeking quiet times and just letting go of those things we cannot control help us in this regard.

There are a number of specific things that help me along my never-ending journey to find peace of mind. Here are a number of them in no particular order of priority

1. Knowing that I am loved which allows me to live in a state of equanimity.

2. Knowing that I love my family and we are able to live in good (albeit not perfect) harmony with each other.

3. Having daily/weekly habits that give me purpose, help keep me healthy, and bring me joy. My morning coffee with Connie, walking frequently, my daily prayer life, precious alone time, serving others through the Catholic Church, and my writing are some of these habits and rituals.

4. My large network of friends that keep me grounded, accept me (for the most part) as I am, make me laugh and support me when necessary, bring me peace of mind.

    And, of course, there is one other above all else. The peace of mind knowing that God loves me and has blessed me, my family and friends. Also, that I can, and do, call on Him in my times of earnest need. It doesn’t escape me, however, to understand that I need to consciously keep Him ever present in my mind. When I don’t, and think I can take care of things on my own, my sense of calm and peace of mind quickly erodes.

In the final analysis it’s that certainty that helps me above all. There is the beautiful passage written in Paul’s letter to the Philippians 4: 6-7 that says “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.” Amen to that.