13 Practical Steps To Sustained Inner Peace

Unflappable inner peace.

That is such a wonderfully descriptive phrase.

We have all known people who have found internal peace.

They exude an inner calm even in the most trying circumstances.

They are fully present with everyone — gentle and accepting of themselves and others.

They are slow to anger.

Even their faces look serene, open, and content.

When the world is storming around them, they maintain equilibrium and calm with a strong center to support them.

However, most of us have lives so over-scheduled that we are always frantic and preoccupied.

It’s hard to relax or fully enjoy life with all of the distractions and upsets.

So many of us exist in a cloud of internal and external chaos.

You probably know people who are prone to creating problems and crises.

They even get off on the drama in a weird, unhealthy way.

But inside they feel anxious, unsettled, and rarely content.

In a culture that venerates busyness and constant stimulation, you have to make peace a priority if you want to reap the benefits.

They include mental and physical health and well-being, self-confidence, better relationships, and a more intense and joyful experience of life.

You’ve heard or read about the value of finding inner peace, but understanding what it means and how you access it for yourself is challenging.

If it were easy, the world would be a safer, happier place.

What does inner peace mean?

Inner peace is a state of mind and psyche in which you feel content and composed no matter what life throws at you.

You’ve gained the experience and wisdom to know that most life challenges are temporary and that even the most traumatic events are part of the human experience. You’ve learned not to resist but to flow with life through acceptance and letting go.

How do I find my inner peace?

Some people are born with a disposition that is calm and not prone to agitation. That’s a lucky head-start, but lasting inner peace and the desire to make it a priority in life is a learned trait.

You must desire to foster it and develop the wisdom to accept things you can’t change and weather the storms of life without being carried away by them.

What gives inner peace?

Inner peace is more often cultivated than given. The ideas we’ve outlined below can help you achieve internal peace over time if you practice them.

But sometimes peace descends upon us for no apparent reason. Those who are religious might call this “grace” or a moment of spiritual awakening.

Or, after a period of extreme stress or anxiety, you may get a sense of calm and peace as your mind and body can no longer handle the intensity of your emotions.

What does inner peace feel like?

It’s hard to describe a feeling in words without diminishing the profound power of it. We can describe what it’s like, but we think you’ll recognize it when you feel it.

You may feel:

  • Connected
  • Integrated
  • Grateful
  • Unworried
  • Unruffled
  • Spontaneous
  • Joyful

In short, inner peace feels like that moment at the end of a deep breath — but for a sustained period. Your mind is active but calm.

Your body is relaxed but ready. Your heart is open and accepting.

Finding peace within is less of a search than it is a practice of habits, mind-shifts, and actions that pave the way for it.

As you review these suggestions, consider where you need to focus your energy first.

You don’t need to tackle them all immediately. Just continue working toward a sense of peace in your life day by day.

How to Find Inner Peace: 13 Actions to Foster It for Yourself

1. Have nothing unresolved.

As opposed to just having things finished, completely clear up the larger unresolved issues in your life, both personally and professionally, that sap your energy and create other problems in your life.

woman praying how to find inner peace

Procrastination about these issues creates an accumulative emotional burden that drags you down.

Take the first action and get the ball rolling. You will feel a weight come off your shoulders.

2. Surrender and accept what is.

Finding inner peace is about leaning toward rather than struggling against. It’s about being fully present and focused on the task at hand and not ruminating on the past or future.

Rather than resisting and fighting, just stop struggling. Resistance blocks energy and creativity.

How can you find a solution when you are flailing about and tensed up?

Take a deep breath and let go. Unhook yourself from the situation or person and view it from a detached perspective.

Often, once you surrender, the solution makes itself known to you.

3. Take responsibility for your reactions.

Other people don’t make you behave in a certain way. You choose your behavior.

Decide who you want to be in all circumstances. Mentally prepare yourself and plan for a calm, unflappable response even during trying times.

If irritation or anger bubble to the surface, acknowledge and breathe into the feelings. If necessary, step away until you can return to the situation in a calm frame of mind.

4. Embrace feelings rather than ignoring them.

Embrace your own feelings as well as those of others. Don’t shove away feelings because they are uncomfortable.

They are sending you a message. Take time to poke around those feelings to discover what is behind them.

If you don’t, the feelings will come back in more unpleasant ways and really disrupt your peace.

5. Tell the entire truth.

Resist editing, lying, or translating. Be real.

Lay it on the table in a gentle and authentic way to yourself and others. Hiding the truth doesn’t serve you in the long run.

Staying true to your integrity and values brings peace of mind. Acknowledging your strengths and weaknesses affords clarity.

Speaking your truth, even when it’s uncomfortable or might risk offending others, relieves the inner tension of pretending.

6. Know your higher self.

Distinguish between your self versus your mind, ego, needs or past experience. Take the time to understand who you really are.

What are your values, goals, and passions? What does integrity mean for you? Those are what define you and make you authentic.

Who are you beyond the roles you play in life and the reactions you have to those around you?

7. Unhinge from adrenaline.

Adrenaline is the drug of choice in our stressed-out culture. It gives us a jolt of superhuman energy when faced with a threat. But mostly we use it to get that rush to blast through the day.

 steps to inner peace

An adrenaline lifestyle can do soul-damaging things: becoming a workaholic, being greedy, insistence on getting ahead or winning even at the expense of relationships.

Kick the adrenaline dependency. Slow down and find balance — or risk losing your health, your relationships, and your peace of mind.

8. Know what pushes your buttons.

What makes you bristle or rattles your cage?

There’s a reason you react, and understanding the truth behind these feelings is the first step in addressing the problem or letting it go.

Keep asking yourself, “Why do I feel this way?” until you know the real answer. Then deal with the answer directly.

9. Step over nothing, even the small stuff.

Don’t ignore even the smallest tolerations or imbalance in your life. Pay attention to the relationships that cause frustration or have unresolved problems.

You may not be able to change everything, but awareness and the ability to manage tolerations in a healthy way can bring you peace.

10. Prioritize peace ahead of performance.

Make an estimated guess on the days you have left to live.

 steps to inner peace

Do you want to look back at your life and celebrate the rushing around, the completed “to do” lists, and the stuff?

Or do you want to reflect on days of calm, connectedness, great relationships, wonderful experiences, and peace of mind?

The most profound impact of inner peace is the peace it spreads to the world outside of us. Peace between families, communities, and countries begins with each individual. Inner peace is contagious.

As you find inner peace for yourself, you become a model for others and spread the seeds of peace everywhere you go.

11. Use relaxation techniques.

Whether you enjoy yoga, long walks, long soaks in the tub, or meditation, make physical and mental relaxation a daily and weekly priority.

These techniques support your mental health and make inner peace more accessible to you (not to mention those who live with you).

Practice mindfulness to help you make relaxation a habit you’ll enjoy. Be present with those around you and with what you are doing in the moment.

Mindful relaxation gets you closer to peace of mind and reminds you of the good things in your life that are too easy to overlook when you’re busy.

12. Declutter your world.

The less clutter you see on the outside, the less cluttered you feel and the easier it is to find inner peace with yourself.

Take a few minutes each day to clear your space of everything you don’t need, use, or love.

Make it easier to maintain order and tidiness in the spaces in which you spend most of your time.

The fewer visible distractions you have, the more peaceful you’ll feel and the more time you’ll have for the things that matter most to you.

13. Disconnect and escape for a while.

Take some time each week to disconnect from technology and get reacquainted with who you are without it.

Escape and enjoy simple things like a hike and a picnic lunch, a walk on a quiet beach or lakefront, or a quiet soak surrounded by candles and relaxing music.

Part of finding peace is disconnecting from things that steer you away from it. Whatever you enjoy that doesn’t involve technology, allow yourself to enjoy it mindfully.

Relax into it, accept and let go of the thoughts that come (because they will), and savor the things you love about your life and about living in general.


More Related Articles

25 Mindfulness Journal Prompts For Present Moment Awareness

Heal Your Shadow Self With 9 Mindful Shadow Work Exercises

Enhance Your Mindfulness Practice With 13 Mindfulness Worksheets


Are you ready to claim inner peace?

As Dr. Norman Vincent Peale reminds us, “The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence.”

But creating that life may take some work on your part.

If you’ve led a life that is stressful and disconnected from inner equanimity, you need to commit to a new way of being. You must learn new mindsets and take the actions outlined in this post.

Are you ready to get started on your own journey to inner peace?

What changes do you need to make first to disconnect from the adrenaline lifestyle and find that place of calm inside of you?

Today is a great day to get started. Choose one of these steps and begin your journey.

And may your inner calm and joy infuse everything else you do today.

Practical steps to find inner peace. Discover what is sacred with mindful practice. Actions for finding peace in a hectic world.

Leave a Comment