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Over the past year many of us may have been feeling like we’ve been getting off track with our daily schedules, finding it hard to stay motivated and be positive. Being trapped at home, missing the feeling of connection with loved ones, and you have a recipe for becoming susceptible to loneliness, food cravings, and unhealthy habits (hello quarantine fifteen). As we know by now, connection equals wholeness and connection feels good on a primal level. A holistic approach to taking care of yourself so you don’t energetically feed bad thoughts is vital for finding inner peace. Remember that you have the power to shift the energy.

Routine is really important, whether you thrive on a regular schedule or crave spontaneity. It’s important to take stock and notice your rituals, your exercise habits and eating patterns. Take time in the morning to ground yourself. Breathing and connecting to ourselves on a spiritual level is really important for anchoring ourselves during these uncertain times. Ultimately, it’s more than about the physical world which is usually the source of our insecurity and unsettled feelings. When things are uncertain in the physical world outside our door step, it’s important to anchor ourselves and go within, to the parts of us that don’t change or fluctuate. The breath, the present moment with ourselves is our greatest asset. Very early in the day when you wake up, make it a habit to practice some form of breathing and meditation, even while you’re still in bed. Leaning into that present moment with yourself as the first action you take for the day, before you check your phone or engage in social interactions, is going to fortify you for the day ahead. If you fall straight into the toxic patterns of the physical world, mentally and emotionally your inner world will feel unsettled. The added bonus of this practice is that you will immediately experience a mental shift.

Whether you’ve had a hectic day or not, make an evening routine of changing your clothes as soon as you get home, go for a walk, take a shower, find ways to anchor again. Find your stability internally with whatever resources you have whether that’s rolling out your yoga mat, doing some gentle stretching or meditation. You’ll be shifting your mood and energy to feel grounded even when the day left you feeling worn out and destabilized. Whenever you need to connect to that deep, still space, the pathway always available to you is meditation. That could look different for many people, whether it’s a minute or two spent focusing on the breath, or just sitting quietly in nature. When we go inside into oneness, and to a state of being versus doing, we separate from all the labels. When we listen, a connection and intuition will emerge. Start to come from your authentic voice that is often drowned out by the noises outside. Since by this time of the day everything has slowed down, it’s a perfect time to journal, meditate, breathe and go into nature and ask a question: “Who am I?”. Ideas, opinions and passions will quickly start to come up. Don’t worry about the how, the rest will fall into place. The first step is listening to your internal voice.

Last year has given us an opportunity through a forced retreat from real life. It may be confrontational for some people to sit with their emotions and feelings after years of distraction after distraction. Feeling like you’re enough, without having to do things or tick boxes on your list, is incredibly healing. Once the business of life has been taken away, we can strip back the layers and look at what’s important. Letting go of perfectionism that plagues most of us who strive for improvement is one thing to work on during this time. Practice forgiving yourself. Forgive yourself for mistakes you’ve made, things you’ve said that you regret, and anything else that you keep holding onto. Change the conversations you have in your head with yourself. Instead of saying something negative, replace it with something positive. It’s a habit that will grow stronger the more you flex that muscle. Be grateful instead of critical. That extends to others and to yourself. It really can be as simple as stopping yourself when you have a critical thought, and telling yourself to rephrase it in a positive way.  Relaxing into yourself and being kinder with your words and your thoughts are cornerstones of finding inner peace.

Stop people pleasing. Connecting with yourself and feeling that voice within means being authentic. People-pleasing is a rapid way to throw your sense of inner peace off and grow resentful. Learn to identify narcissists and negative people and detox them from your life. If you really can’t give them the boot, set some boundaries to protect yourself. People pleasing means you generally put the needs of others before your own. It may work short term, but long term you’ll find your cup empty and in need of a refill. Even if you don’t fit the typical profile, when was the last time you checked your likes on Instagram or scoured the comments on your pics? Seeking approval externally, vying for attention and approval from others is a toxic trap to fall into. Challenge yourself and see how long can you go without social media or checking notifications? You may surprise yourself.

Remember that ultimately, you’re in control of being in that place of power and authenticity. When you know that you are true to yourself, you will feel peaceful. The world outside will always be chaotic in many forms, so this is a skill that’s important to master if you’re looking to find inner peace.