7 Steps Toward a More Peaceful Mindset

"Yesterday is only a dream and tomorrow is only a vision; but today, well-lived, makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope."-Sanskrit Text

Here are seven concrete steps that you can take to help you feel more at peace in your life. According to ancient Hindu wisdom, you can constructively take steps to create a better, happier, more fulfilled life.

1. Breath
Your breath is a vital part of your life. Breathing also gives birth to your thoughts. The breath, without which you cannot even exist, is necessary to transform an idea into a living reality. Deep breathing indicates healthy lungs, which in turn manufacture prana, the subtle form of breath or life force, responsible for giving you strength and energy.

2. Thought
Deep, balanced breathing-in which the cycle of inhalation and exhalation is effortless-creates a state of inner calm in which clear, objective thinking can occur. You can become more focused on the immediate issue without losing sight of the greater context.

3. Action
Life can be challenging. However, once you are able to think clearly about a situation or a problem, you will know how to act. You will be able to discriminate between what you want and what you need, between attraction and love, and between what is really good for you and what is not.

4. Character
Habits provide the foundation of your character. Once a series of repeated actions becomes unconscious habit, you realize that you have begun to change your past tendencies.

5. Habit
Repeated appropriate actions create a positive habit. While these actions may require conscious effort at first, over time they become second nature. Practice makes perfect. Practice what you do want not what you don't need to have.

6. Behavior
Your behavior reflects the changes in your character. Others will perceive you as wiser and more loving.

7. Circumstances
With a more positive attitude and behavior, the circumstances of your life will improve. You'll find greater harmony in your work, in your personal relationships, and in your spiritual life.