“Be still – Stillness reveals the secrets of eternity”
~ Lao Tzu

Life is described as many things, but rarely is it referred to as peaceful, calm, or tranquil. Our lives are a busy juggle of work, chores, responsibilities to ourselves and to others as well as many unexpected things that creep up day to day. Sometimes meditation, quiet reflection and even time alone seem like a distant dream within our hectic lives.

So what can we do? Apart from feel helpless and put it in the “I’ll worry about that quiet-time-for-myself-stuff later” basket? The good news is that stillness is within us. We do not need a quiet garden, secluded beach or a zen den with candles flickering before us in order to find it. The amazing thing about our consciousness and personal power is that we can find stillness, wherever we are and whatever we are doing, in any moment we wish to.  It is a deliberate and very empowering choice.

Here are five tips for creating stillness with ease within your everyday life:

1. Breathe.
Whether you are on the subway, on a conference call, in the line at Starbucks, be aware of your breath. Take a few deep, slow breaths and notice how your body and mind feel as you tune into them and slow down for even 30 seconds.  Everyone has thirty seconds to one minute a day to be calm and get centered.

2. Give yourself a minimum of 30 minutes of electronic downtime.
It is surprising how many people go through all of their waking hours with a tablet, phone, TV or laptop constantly present, including as we fall asleep at night. I like what is referred to as the “electronic sundown” with no electronics active in the hour leading up to bed. Better sleep is much more likely this way, too!

3. Wake up 15 minutes earlier.
This is a trick many successful people take advantage of. They wake sooner, before the rest of the world is awake and before the wheels start turning on all of life’s demands. The first 10 minutes after you wake up are the most important in setting the tone for the whole day.  Don’t reach for your phone, tap straight into your to do list and awaken any dormant anxiety.  Take ten minutes for yourself, to set an intention for the next 24 hours – how do you want to feel?  This has the power to change your mindset for the entire day.

4. Be aware that you create your own energy.
External conditions do not. Marianne Williamson said in her book A Return to Love, “Everything we do is infused with the energy in which we do it. If we’re frantic, life will be frantic. If we are peaceful, life will be peaceful.”  It begins and ends with you.

5. Learn from the greatest spiritual teachers – choose peace within the chaos.
Apply Deepak Chopra’s wisdom by making stillness your daily mantra. Mr Chopra recently said to Oprah as her guest on Super Soul Sunday, when she commented how extremely busy he is and how tricky it was to get him on the show, “My body may be busy but my mind is still.”

Remember, you create your life.  We experience our lives from the inside out.  Peace begins with you.

What do you do in order to find stillness?

With love,
Susie