A New Year's Resolution for 2017: Make Peace of Mind a Priority

Difficult times present us with a choice – to retreat, check out through old habits, fall into overwhelm, despair or anger--or to use the challenges we face individually and collectively as an opportunity to become more present for ourselves and others.

You likely know some of the things that would help you, such as taking a yoga or exercise class, making time for lunch with a supportive friend or a walk in nature. There seems to be no energy or time left in the day.

But when you consider how much time you've spent to achieve other goals--hour upon hour of work to get a college degree or achieve career success, practicing an instrument or tending a garden to get delicious results--why wouldn't you consider putting at least some effort into creating more peace of mind?

Consider making one small change today--ten minutes of sitting quietly with a cup of tea in the morning or evening, finding a meditation app to use at lunch, posting reminders to stop and breathe three slow, deep breaths during the day, especially in situations you know trigger a stress response. You can place healthy limits on exposure to disturbing input through media or negative conversations and replace those with positive and inspiring inputs.

You can build new habits to help create more inner peace one small step at a time, just as you have for other important goals in your life.

Journaling exercise: What is a more peaceful, relaxed mind worth to me? What are the potential benefits to myself and others? How have I reached other important goals?