Life is loud; sometimes all we crave is calm- a quiet mind, rested body, and peaceful home
When the world is immersed in commotion and chaos, I find myself craving calm. There's a reason why over 1 billion results pop up when you google "how to find peace." It's something almost everybody wants. And while much of the current chaos is out of our control today, what can we do to find peace of mind, body, and home in our daily lives?
Matters of the Mind
While sometimes the busy thinking and planning is a necessary part of the day, how much of it is busywork? Too often I find myself preoccupied with thoughts of the future, concerns about the world around me, even emotional turmoil over hypotheticals that will never come to fruition. I try to refer myself back to the facts to prevent that anxiety hijack in these situations.
Next time you're struggling on a mental battlefield, give a few of these tips a try:
These can be scary and tumultuous times. So much is happening in the world that will threaten to rob you of the peace that is gifted by God to those who seek Him. Some days it may seem that experiencing a peace of mind is unattainable, but remember that "...the mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace" (Romans 8:6, NIV). When we run to Him, He will strengthen, help, and uphold us and that is a promise! (Isaiah 41:10)
Body Wellness, Not Worship
Sometimes it feels like my body fails me. It is uncooperative, rebelling against my mental instructions. I demand it to operate gracefully and still manage to trip up stairs every now and then. Waking up with that annoying neck cramp, a sudden illness, or lack of coordination is a reminder of the inevitable- our bodies do let us down. They malfunction, age, and disappoint. But they're also a tremendously complex gift.
There's a fine line between treating our bodies well and treating them with worship. Culturally, we pursue standards of physical beauty and feats as a holy grail of young life. We change our wardrobes to "keep up," force ourselves through rigorous diet and exercise routines, even surgically alter ourselves to defy age and gravity. A research survey discussed in one newsletter declares the "physical peak" of life to be between the late '20s and early '30s. We race through youth to get to these years and spend the rest of our lives trying to stay in them.
Peace in regard to our physical body requires discipline. It's not a worship, elevating your body to an unqualified position, but treating it well as the gift it is. It's choosing a walk outside instead of an hour of mindless social media scrolling. It's sometimes setting an alarm for yourself to go to bed earlier so you get a solid night of sleep. It's seeking to maintain a healthy balance when it comes to diet and exercise. Maybe it means acknowledging your unfamiliar postpartum body as an incredible instrument God designed to house and hold two heartbeats at once.
The body is to be protected and guarded as a means of bringing glory to the Creator who knit you together in the womb. It does matter what you put in your body (1 Corinthians 10:31), that you are able to exercise discipline and self-control (1 Corinthians 9:27), and how you use your body to represent who you are and what you stand for (1 Corinthians 6:19-20.)
Bringing Peace to Your Home
I can think of many times growing up as the oldest of four when our household was anything but peaceful. Kids arguing, toys strewn about, laundry piled high- such is life. But a few key things stand out that my parents instilled in us that I hope to do in my own home.
Practice loving your neighbor.
It seems like a no-brainer but I'm shocked at how often I'm caught not following through with this. Your neighbor includes your household, your actual neighbors, strangers you interact with outside the home (so pretty much everybody.) How you engage with others is directly transferred into the home environment. Baking cookies in your kitchen to bring to the elderly woman next door. The kindness extended to the homeless man on the corner. Sending a card to someone you haven't seen in awhile. These things contribute to a peaceful home life. If you have children, they're watching your every move and will want to emulate this kindness to others. I like this statement by C.S. Lewis:
"Don't waste time bothering whether you 'love' your neighbor; act as if you did."
Forgive.
While we hated this as kids, apologies were an essential component of discipline in our household. Saying "I'm sorry," to someone we hurt, even when unintentional, became an expected conclusion in the sequence of an argument. Don't get me wrong, it's not natural and I'm not sure it ever will be while bound to a selfish nature. But it teaches one humility and the belief that our relationship is more important than my pride. It also helps to confront hurt in the household and prevent that from festering and allowing resentment to build.
Look for laughter.
Laughter together is crucial to building memories, strengthening relationships, and warming a home. Find things that you can all enjoy, whether it's a weekend outing, light-hearted TV show, or game everyone can play together. Remind each other of family inside jokes often.
Check the Attitude.
Some come naturally with a cheery disposition, but others may have to perform an attitude check on the daily. There's always a to-do list and things that need to be done, but how these things are done makes a world of difference. When tasks are completed with grumbling and complaining, what overall effect does this have on your environment? At our house my mood shift most definitely disrupts a peaceful space and this is felt by everyone. Being aware of how impactful your attitude is on everyone else is a responsibility, but also a reward in knowing how prominent your role is in creating a joyful household.
Pray Together Often.
We've been trying to get better about praying with our son before bed. Kids are never too young for you to start praying over and with them, modeling what a love and trust in the Lord looks like. It's not just a habit before mealtimes, but also teaches young minds where to go when they are scared, anxious, or sad. If prayer is a part of your daily life, just like brushing teeth or eating vegetables, your kids should be able to point this out as something that is important to you. Pray for peace over them and over your home, then have faith in a transformation.
As a young kid, I could visit friends' homes and easily point out which ones felt safe, comfortable, peaceful. People can do the same with your house. It doesn't mean the laundry pile won't tower to dangerous heights or kids won't bicker. It certainly doesn't mean that you yourself will always feel peaceful. But it does mean that there is security and safety, that people who reside there love each other and are seeking good things.
Practical tools can offer relief and guidance in times of trouble and evaluating the state of your mind, body, and home may call for some uncomfortable changes. But while a few clicks of the keyboard grant access to a wellspring of resources, the world can only offer us so much. The God-gifted brand of peace is beyond even our own understanding sometimes, a secure confidence that the Author of life has already overcome anything robbing your mind, body, and home of peace today.