Disclaimer: I am not a licensed professional. All context of this article is based off of my personal experiences. I’m familiar with the negativity and chaos of the mind, and have found methods on how to heal from it.
To obtain a more peaceful state of mind, you must learn how to be actively aware. When you are aware, you are cognizant and conscious of what’s happening either with yourself or your surroundings. Active awareness enables a state of mind that’s better able to process stimuli, current self-thoughts, and possible future actions. Achieving a peaceful state of mind helps you go through life with the ability to let go much easily, or even quickly, allowing for the contemporary self to create less resistance to the happenings in life.
For a couple of years, I lived with depression, a panic disorder, and an eating disorder. I don’t know which mental illness began first, but they all hit me pretty hard. I became isolated, pushed away people I loved, hated myself, ate too much or too little, and cried and slept too often. It was a constant, exhausting war of the mind. The worst thing is that I wasn’t aware that it was happening. I was merely existing. Gradually, I found ways to help me cope with my reality. I now see how transforming my way of thinking was crucial to begin my healing process.
I still have bad days, weeks and negative thoughts, but I am much better at sitting with my emotions without automatically breaking down. Through practicing active awareness, I can process and acknowledge how I feel in most situations and prevent hurting myself or others. Sometimes, we are too focused on ourselves that we forget that other people hurt and feel like we do, which leads to forgetting how to connect as humans. By practicing active awareness, we can learn how to find calmness within ourselves. Here is some advice for achieving a more peaceful state of mind.
Focus on the positive
The mind’s ability to build strength through the development of thoughts is powerful. The discipline of continuous positive thinking is key to elevating our state of being. The more we focus on the positive, the more we allow for the feeling of calm to engulf us. If we are always focusing on the negative, we will stay stuck. When I start heading down a “dark thoughts” path, I think of all the good I’ve received in my life and how this state or situation will soon pass. The hardest part of anything is getting through it, but with positive thinking, it makes the process bearable.
Be conscious of your response
What is going on around you? How do you respond to what is happening around you or even within you? These questions require paying attention to small detail; it that may not seem significant at first, but it can amount to something greater. Why did this situation or person annoy me? Why did I get angry? Asking a lot of questions about yourself, such as identifying what brings you joy, will help you understand yourself better. In better knowing yourself, you can recognize unhealthy patterns and throw away anything that hinders growth.
Think one step ahead
This piece of advice is complex. Sometimes our emotions are too strong, making it harder to control ourselves. I’m not telling you to hide your emotions, but rather, feel and think simultaneously. When we think and feel, in the moment, our mind recognizes that our body is in a certain state. Often, when we have strong and intense emotions, we perform actions that we may later regret. You may feel angry right now, but if you say something hurtful, you might feel worse or potentially lose a friend. Being unkind to yourself will put you one step back in your healing progress and self-growth journey. Remember, actions have consequences.
When I speak of active awareness, I don’t suggest remaining passive. Sometimes people’s bad thoughts, speech, and actions need to be addressed, but how this is done is something we can decide through thought rather than impulsivity.
Developing a more actively aware mind is going to take time. One of the most difficult parts of growth is time. As someone who tends to be impatient, learning all of these important lessons was brutal, and I still struggle with it. Like anything else, being positive, focusing on how you respond, and thinking one step ahead, will take practice and discipline. However, it will eventually amplify the strength you already have. It’s so powerful and life-changing, and definitely well worth trying.
If you are in need of mental health support, please visit the UC Irvine Counseling Center.