I once read these 7 steps and as I found them so powerful, I would like to share my thoughts about them with you.
Step 1: Serenity
Being in a serene state gives you peace, makes you live in the moment, makes it possible to accept what life brings to you. I am not saying that you have to passively undergo all that is happening around you, no. But just by accepting that there are things that will, and do, happen beyond your control, you can feel more relaxed, you can learn how to react in a more peaceful way. That’s not the same as being a fatalist.
Choosing to be your best you, your real you, choosing to live your life no matter what the circumstances are: that brings you peace, that brings you serenity.
Step 2: Regularity
Creating a routine, having a schedule brings you calmness.
Don’t see having regularity in your life as something that holds you back. No, having a certain regularity in life, gives you peace of mind, creates space to do things because you’re not wasting any time anymore. You know what to do, when you’re going to do it, and so you also know when you have time to spare, when there is space in your agenda. That brings calmness and so you can breathe easily and live life more peacefully.
Step 3: Absence of vanity
When you stop being vain, when you stop thinking, it is all about you, when you stop letting your ego run the show:
you’ll start listening to others,
you’ll stop comparing, as Mark twain said: “Comparison is the Death of Joy.”
you’ll start noticing all the beauty around you,
you’ll start being more loving, more compassionate,
and that will bring you joy.
Step 4: Sincerity
Speak the truth, act in accordance of how you are feeling, of what you are thinking. Always be respectful but do say what you are really feeling. Drop the mask, drop the act, be honest with yourself and with others. That’s the only way there can be a real connection.
Feeling connected, feeling you belong somewhere brings you joy.
Step 5: Simplicity
Keep life simple, keep things simple. The less* you have, the easier, the clearer life becomes.
Return to your True Self**, to your Source.
Choose what is important to you:
you can have anything but you can’t have everything.
Choose wisely.
When your attention is divided towards a lot of things, nothing gets your complete focus. So, choose what matters most to you and give it all of your attention.
That way you’ll live a fulfilling life.
Step 6: Veracity
Don’t ‘work’ the facts, don’t twist the truth.
Be reliable, act upon your promises.
Be truthful.
What you think, what you say and what you do, must be one and the same.
Step 7: Equanimity
No matter what is going on around you, keep your own mood peaceful. Always be a loving, kind, compassionate person.
Joy and pain are part of life. We all have to deal with it.
Don’t let it dictate your mood, don’t let it rule your world.
Be in charge of how you feel, of how you react.
Everybody benefits from a respectful, calm behavior in any situation.
I invite you all to think about these steps, reflect upon your own behavior and you’ll know where you can improve, where you can become a better, more peaceful, more loving person.
The beauty of it is, that EVERYBODY benefits from your improvement: YOU in the first place, because you’ll feel so much better, so much calmer, so much more fulfilled. And when you feel better, everybody around you, will start feeling these loving vibes, and will be influenced by it. I wish you all a very joyful, peaceful, calm week!
Thank you all for reading me and for supporting me on Medium too! If you want unlimited access to all of my articles and many other authors, you can become a Medium Member and you’ll be supporting me and all the other authors. Many, many thanks to you all!!!
Katrien
*’Less is Yes!’ by Katrien Degraeve.
**’We Are a Soul in a Body, not a Body with a Soul’, Medium article by Katrien Degraeve.