3 things to start doing now

Do these things to bring about more peace

Conscientious consumption matters, in all areas of your life. What you are bringing into your mind and body impact your ability to feel experience peace. Doing these three things may seem simple, practicing them consistently will be challenging at first, but as you do them consistently you will replace the habits and naturally feel more peaceful.

Seriously you can be addicted the your own stress response. When you feel stress you release the hormone cortisol, this release gives you a “natural high” by activating the arousal and attention centers in your nervous system. In addition to releasing cortisol, you also experience a release of dopamine. Dopamine is usually associated with happiness, however dopamine is more directly related to the anticipating of a reward. If you have become addicted to fear, stress, and doom, you will release dopamine as you anticipate seeing or experiencing something that will bring about an increase in the feeling of fear, stress, or emotional pain. The body’s desire to get a rush of dopamine will drive you to seek out those things that cause the rush, keeping you on the hunt for unpleasant things.

At first when you turn off the exposure to these things you may experience feelings of withdrawal. Being prepared with the knowledge that this is normal, and having a replacement activity will help you with the process.

Put is down. Walk away. You’ve heard the saying you can’t see the forest even though you can see the trees? This means you’ve become hyper focused on the details, the things right in front of your face. Putting those things down, doesn’t mean you are never coming back, it means when you come back you will have a fresh perspective and new solutions to the things you are dealing with.

Go outside and play. After spending a lot of time on my phone, when I can tell it’s no longer serving me, I will joke and say “I’ve come to the end of the internet, I guess it’s time to go outside and play.” It’s 100% true for me though, not only turning it off, or putting it down, but taking a break and doing something fun! Moving my body, laughing with my family, cooking a meal I love, intentionally seeking joy, can help me experience peace. The more often I feel it, the more familiar I will be with it, and the easier it will be to sit with that feeling. You can to!