Lifestyle self-growth

How to Find Peace of Mind + Serenity When Feeling Overwhelmed

find peace of mind and serenity

Overwhelm. It seems it’s a feeling that takes over a bit too easily these days. Wouldn’t you agree? Most of the time, our feelings of overwhelm have to do with our future, and, fear. Fear of failure, fear of not being able to accomplish things, not being able to get things done in time.

I mean, hello, peace of mind? What is that, anyway?

Mind that is calm, free of worries, anxiety or chaos. Free of things that keep you up at night, sometimes.

Okay, so some of these things are, unfortunately, ever present. There’s no way to turn them all off, at once, let’s just agree on that.

You can, however, try to find peace of mind and a little bit serenity, calmness and quietude in your life, even when it gets hectic AF.

 

HOW TO FIND PEACE OF MIND + SERENITY

find peace of mind and serenity

 

WRITE

What are some things you can’t stop thinking about? Your worries? Your dreams? How about some things you’ve been promising yourself you’ll try or do, but often don’t have time to do? Get a journal, or even a piece of paper and do some serious brain dumping, or mind-mapping. Just write it all out- the good, the bad, the scary and the uncertain. Everything that is weighing you down. Journaling, if turned into a habit, can bring a lot of clarity to your life.

MENTAL BREAK

Think of something you did as a child that brought you a ton of joy. Jumping on your bed? Reading? Maybe it’s a certain food, scent? Memory? Maybe there’s something, like a fun project you’ve been putting off, because you never have time? Or, simply, just for go a walk. Take some time out for yourself, doing something that brings you joy, however much time you can afford, whether it’d be 5 minutes or 1 hour. Try to make this a daily habit. I’m personally a huge fan of essential oils and while I can’t carry my diffuser with me everywhere I go, I keep a few Essential Oil Blend Rolls in my bag. I can reach for them even when I’m at work, taking a couple of minutes to take a few deep breaths, to take a little break, bring myself to a calm place.

DIGITAL DETOX

Have a good tech cleanse, a fast. Eliminate digital distractions, turn off your phone, TV- try to go at least 1 hour without any digital noise, distractions. If you can’t handle being away from any of your devices, then try to organize your digital life, instead. Have an email cleanse, take time to unsubscribe from newsletters you’re no longer interested in, etc.

STAY MINDFUL + PRESENT

Staying mindful and present is one of the easiest ways of seeing things from a different perspective. Use mindfulness bells, bring yourself to a present moment whenever you find yourself drifting away to some distant place in the future. Focus on things that truly matter, stop wishing you were some place else. Pay attention.

ACCEPTANCE + LETTING GO

There will be times when things won’t go your way. That’s something very difficult to accept sometimes. We all have an idea of how we want things to go, we all have it worked out in our minds. Then, things don’t go our way and we get angry, sad, disappointed. Whenever this happened to me in the past, when things didn’t go as planned, I would get incredibly upset and dwell on it for days, weeks. Acceptance and letting go helped me deal with this, whenever it happens, with a little more grace and peace.

Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm”
Tell yourself “this didn’t work out, because there’s something better for me out there.”

Of course, some things are easier to accept than others, but once you realize that things won’t always go your way and that it’s okay, you’ll make things a bit easier for yourself. Remember, that sometimes you have to say “NO” to something good, so that you can say “YES” to something better, somewhere down the road.

find peace of mind and serenity

WHAT’S MY LESSON HERE?

Every struggle, problem or issue carries a lesson with it. When facing a situation where you can’t help but feel stressed, overwhelmed or angry, try to shift your focus to something different. Ask yourself: what is my lesson here? What is this situation teaching me? What am I learning about myself? This is a great reminder that every situation in life has its purpose, even those which we’d rather not go through. It’s also a simple way to shift your focus from the frustration you might feel, to something a bit more positive.

There’s too much to do and not enough time to do it- I know that this is the way we all feel sometimes. I mean, there are SO many things you have yet to discover, learn, see, experience, accomplish. It can feel a bit (or very) overwhelming. Just look at all your commitments, responsibilities, goals. Sometimes, the easiest way to find peace of mind and some serenity, is to narrow down your priorities. Make things simple for yourself, set boundaries and learn to say “no” more often.

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35 Comments

  • Reply
    Kashma7
    September 2, 2017 at 1:08 am

    Great blog! Thanks for sharing!

  • Reply
    Samantha Frances
    September 2, 2017 at 6:33 am

    I love this <3 I always find myself feeling overwhelmed at the amount of things I want to do that I just end up getting stressed and not doing anything! I completely agree with all of these, especially writing things out! If ever I've got any bad thoughts swimming through my mind I just pour them out onto paper and then rip that paper up, it's so freeing to get them out of my mind! Same thing goes for planning. If I write myself a to-do list or a plan, I instantly feel so much calmer! Lovely post Paula <3 xxx
    http://www.samanthafrances.co.uk

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:43 am

      Thank you Samantha!! It’s so easy to get stressed and overwhelmed when you have so much to do! Writing definitely helps out a lot!

  • Reply
    Mollie Quirk
    September 2, 2017 at 7:43 am

    What an amazing post – I adore this!!!

  • Reply
    Elizabeth Apps
    September 2, 2017 at 1:34 pm

    Such a good post, I think it’s really good to write things down, it’s something I really need to start doing! I’m just worried someone would stubble across it and read it haha! But it is important to take a break and do things you enjoy! xx
    http://www.pagesfrombeth.co.uk/

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:47 am

      Haha You can always rip it up after you’re done dumping your thoughts/feelings! I agree, that’d be scary haha ;)

  • Reply
    Very Much Mia
    September 2, 2017 at 1:41 pm

    This came at the perfect time for me. Usually, I’m good at handling stress…but lately I’ve been incredibly overwhelmed and haven’t been coping with it in my usual healthy ways. Thank you for this post, Paula!

    Mia | http://www.verymuchmia.com

  • Reply
    Diana Maria
    September 2, 2017 at 2:00 pm

    What a wonderful post, this could not have been better timed for me! Lately I feel overwhelmed with all that I want to do. Mental breaks and digital detoxes are my go-to’s and always leave me feeling refreshed and ready to keep pushing forward. Thank you for these wonderful tips!

    Sending light & love your way,

    My Lovelier Days

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:48 am

      Thank you, Diana! It’s so important to take those small breaks, even when you don’t think you need them, rather than waiting until you’re completely stressed, overwhelmed and exhausted. Can’t pour from an empty cup! :) Sending love right back! x

  • Reply
    Song Ebbesen
    September 2, 2017 at 5:19 pm

    Lovely words. Writing is always my go to, and if that is distressing, I default to a good book and let myself go. Not only does it give me a mental break, but it also sparks ideas and inspires me to start again!

    Song xx

    honestlysong.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:49 am

      I find writing to be a bit like therapy. Books are amazing too- they literally let you escape for a bit ;)

  • Reply
    Arden
    September 3, 2017 at 5:20 am

    I did digital detox last week which was AWESOME. Thanks for sharing x

    Arden | HELLO ARDEN

  • Reply
    Ariadna Morell
    September 3, 2017 at 5:07 pm

    I personally love to write when i’m feeling overwhelmed as it helps me see things more clearly! x

    Ariadna || RAWR BOWS

  • Reply
    KELLiLASH/Kelly
    September 4, 2017 at 8:05 am

    I really have missed you posts and this is why. A great read and one we all can relate too! Kelly xx
    Glad to be back catching up!
    http://www.KELLiLASH.com

  • Reply
    peonies passionfruit
    September 4, 2017 at 8:20 am

    Lovely post, thanks for sharing these tips they really are very helpful.

    Eme xo

    http://www.peoniesandpassionfruit.com

  • Reply
    Lisa Autumn
    September 4, 2017 at 10:31 am

    I have recently started meditating and it really helped so far!

    xx Lisa | lisaautumn.com

  • Reply
    Melina
    September 4, 2017 at 9:11 pm

    I love whenever you write about anxiety relieving type stuff. I feel like you and me have semi-similar issues when it comes to anxiety. These tips aren’t necessarily new information for me, but they are the reminder that I need just when I need them. Sometimes when I get in thees zones, I completely forget what would be the best way to help me, so thank you xxx

    Melina | http://www.ivefoundwaldo.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:44 am

      Aw thank you, Melina!! I think we all tend to forget to do small things that help us stay sane! :)

  • Reply
    Aleksandra // bunniesaremagic
    September 5, 2017 at 4:03 am

    From my little corner of the world I can definitely recommend curling up on the carpet too – so relaxing :)

  • Reply
    Natalie Redman
    September 6, 2017 at 6:42 am

    Great tips! A Digital Detox is a must!

    http://www.upyourvlog.com

  • Reply
    Cole Beckwith
    September 6, 2017 at 11:47 am

    Hey Paula! I really loved this post. I just recently starting a blog of my own centered around finding serenity and peace of mind. You added some great thoughts!! I would love it if you would follow my blog findingserenity2017.

  • Reply
    clxelouise
    September 7, 2017 at 5:21 am

    I love this post so much! I have seen so much on how journalling can help, but I’ve never tried it! Definitely think I want to give it a go!
    Cloe X http://clxelouise.blogspot.com

    • Reply
      Paula @ thirteenthoughts.com
      September 8, 2017 at 11:45 am

      Journaling might feel a bit strange at first but it can help you dig up some feelings you don’t even know you had, discover why you get angry or frustrated- it’s a bit like therapy :) Definitely give it a try!

  • Reply
    Jess Acorn
    September 8, 2017 at 6:06 am

    Blogging has helped me massively but you do need a combination of different techniques I think

    Jess | http://acornlifefitness.com

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