Until we find inner peace, life is, for so many of us, relentlessly chaotic. But it shouldn’t have to be that way. Life is short, our time here is precious, so if you’re struggling to find inner peace, here are some ways you can begin to manifest it:

• Understand that you are perfect as you are
  It’s great to strive for self-improvement, but you don’t need to get better in order to already be perfect. You are exactly who you are supposed to be right now, and your worth is not reliant on the goals you reach or even the struggles you overcome. Understanding this will help you to relax and take it easy as you go about your day.
   
• Take back your power
  Every time you let other people affect your mood or define your self worth with their actions,  you’re giving them too much power, you’re giving away the power that you’re entitled to. Elizabeth J., a college student on the east coast, summed up the phenomenon perfectly, writing, “For as long as I can remember, whenever somebody said something about me, I automatically assumed they were right, or if they told me my opinions were invalid, I simply believed them. Realizing that nobody knows me better than I do, and that no human on earth has the power to redefine my truth, was a hugely liberating experience.” 
   
• Practice living in the present moment
  Almost all of our stress and distress comes from dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Our thoughts about the past and the future are so loud that we mistake them for the truth, though actually both are literally figments of our imaginations! You have no idea what is going to happen in the future, and your memory of the past is faulty. So why bother suffering over either? When you’re able to live in the present moment, focusing ONLY on what is happening RIGHT NOW, you’ll see time and time again that everything is okay. Being present is a huge challenge for most people, but it helps to start small, practicing mindfulness for only seconds at a time. If you’re depressed about the past or anxious about the future, take a time out to center yourself in the present moment by looking at your surroundings and taking note of all the things you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel. When you focus on the senses you’re experiencing right now, you can’t and won’t be able to regret what was, or trip out over what may be. 
   
• Let go of your resentments
  When you’re consistently angry at somebody or something, it does nothing besides weigh you down. It’s in your best interest to say goodbye to your resentments right here and right now. But how?! It’s easier than you might think. Resentment is the result of not accepting the way something is. If you resent something that you can change, then great, go ahead and change it and you won’t be resentful anymore! Even if it takes a long time, just do it. But if you resent something that you don’t have the power to change, being angry about it will drive you insane. This is when it’s time to accept. Understanding that you will gain nothing from being resentful, suddenly it’s not so hard to let go. 

There is so much in this life that we can’t control, but there are some things here and there that we can. The chaos we experience stems from both our attempts to control the uncontrollable, and the insecurity to take control of what we can! How insane does that sound?! So, from here on out, practice accepting the things you can’t change and striving to change the things you can. But remember: everything, including you, is exactly how it’s supposed to be. This has been your introduction to finding inner peace, why not start today?