If you’re active on social media, specifically TikTok, you’ve probably heard of being ‘That Girl’. The term resonates with girls who live a specific lifestyle; waking up early, eating healthy, going to the gym – the whole spiel. Being in the midst of a new semester and a new year makes it the perfect time to finally integrate the workout videos you saved to ‘watch later’ on YouTube.
But incorporating new habits can be daunting, plus, the best change starts on the inside. Inner peace stems from achieving a spiritual calm despite stressors in life. It allows us to calm our minds and see our goals clearly. Instead of deteriorating with every setback, inner peace allows us to see each challenge as hurdles instead of threats – but how does one achieve this?
Here are five ways to achieve inner peace and begin your journey to being ‘That Girl.’
- Boundaries
Most have heard the common saying, “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are,” but have you ever reflected on the truth behind it? The people who surround you inevitably have an impact on your mood, mental health and who you are as a person.
If you’re surrounded by people who are inconsistent, flaky and are never there for you – they may not deserve your consistency and efforts. If you find yourself wanting to maintain distance with specific people, you might want to establish boundaries. Protecting your inner peace starts with putting your sanity and mental health first. Boundaries don’t have to be scary and difficult; maybe the next time you want to share your achievements with a friend who never seems to be happy for you – don’t. To learn more about boundaries check out @nedratawwab on Instagram, a therapist and boundary expert!
- Saying No
This is my least favourite incorporation because doing it makes me want to fling myself out the window, but it’s important! Saying no allows you to protect your time and efforts and to create respect in a relationship. Reading Chidera Eggerue’s book “What a Time to Be Alone: The Slumflower’s Guide to Why You Are Already Enough” was groundbreaking to me and made me realize that I deserve the same respect and understanding I give to the people around me. If you don’t want to go out with your friends after working a ten-hour shift, say it – even if you said you would! Forever friends will stick around no matter what storms arise.
- Self Reflection
The realization that we might be wrong in a situation is a tough pill to swallow — but a necessary one. Unfortunately, people make mistakes and we aren’t perfect. Sometimes it’s important to reflect on a situation, relationship or just ourselves as individuals to become better versions of ourselves. Journaling helps with this a lot! Finding journal prompts online and taking a few minutes out of your day to reflect is a sure-fire way to better understand yourself and attain calmness.
- Plan
We all have goals that we want to achieve, whether that be attaining a 4.0 GPA or learning to cook – nothing is unrealistic as long as you plan. Creating small goals can be more achievable and less daunting than one point-blank dream. For example, saying you want to move out might be less realistic than saying you want to start looking for a job to save money to move. Creating a vision board can also motivate you to achieve your goals! Here’s a video on how to set goals and create a vision board!
- Making time to learn
As humans, we’re always learning, growing and experiencing, so it’s important to remember that life isn’t static —and if you don’t like the way life is going — surprise! You aren’t going to feel like this forever. Journaling and reading books (specifically self-help books) might sound generic but it actually does wonders in realizing that your habits make a huge difference in how you experience life. Remember to put time into things that are important to you, whether that’s faith, relationships or hobbies.
At times, life can feel stagnant, like doing things that you love and putting time into yourself won’t make a big difference to you as a person. But I promise you that time spent on yourself is time that never goes to waste.