4 Mindset Changes to Start Bringing Peace Into Your Life.

These are the start.

I wrote a similar blog a few days ago, and it inspired me to think of the foundational mindset changes I had to undergo to understand how to have peace.

At the start of my journey, I thought peace meant not having challenges or obstacles— everything is smooth sailing.

But as the saying goes, calm seas never made a skilled sailor.

That's exactly what these mindset changes will allow you to acquire — the skill set to deal with anything that life throws at you and, as a result, peace.

Conflict is not inherently bad.

Conflict is a part of life, and learning how to deal with it is key to creating peace.

Dealing with conflict is a skill necessary to deal with the challenges that life will throw at you.

Life will never, I repeat, NEVER be void of problems or obstacles.

Whether it's financial, professional, health, etc.

When you confront challenges, you develop tenacity, persistence, perseverance, and determination — attributes necessary for anything worthwhile.

You also build confidence — the belief that you can find a solution no matter what comes your way.

This mindset brings peace because you believe in your ability to deal with, well, anything.

Some people get stressed about the idea of having problems to the point that their entire day falls apart without anything actually happening.

Imagine having your day, week, month, or year ruined by an idea.

If we want lasting peace, we must see conflict as a necessary aspect of growth.

When you shift your mind to be less afraid of conflict and instead see it as a growth opportunity, peace begins to enter your life.

Discipline and organization are a requirement.

Discipline and organization are about doing the things that need to get done so you can enjoy your downtime without worries, stress, or anxiety.

I once heard someone say that discipline equals freedom.

I didn't understand fully what that meant until I moved out and became responsible for every aspect of my life.

I'm responsible for my health (mental and physical), my apartment (rent, cleaning, organizing, decorating, etc.), my car, my cell phone, etc.

At first, it felt like a lot of things to keep track of.

With time, I began creating systems to make sure everything was being taken care of.

Now, I'm the most organized and disciplined I've ever been, and in turn, this has brought peace because I do not worry about how or when these responsibilities will be dealt with.

I keep a budget that lets me know exactly how much money I make and spend.

I know I will pay my rent and don't have to worry about a roof over my head.

I don't worry about paying other bills.

I don't worry about living in a clean environment because I have a weekly cleaning day.

I have good health because I am organized with my nutrition.

I can lay back and enjoy my free time whenever I'm done taking care of my responsibilities.

You can have peace if you first do what you know needs to be done.

Less is more.

You don't need to own a million things.

The more simplified your day-to-day is, the more peace you have because you experience less stress.

I have been decluttering and weaning out of products for the past few months.

This has been a great stress relief because I don't have piles and piles of stuff cluttering my bathroom cabinets, kitchen drawers and cabinets, vanity, and bedroom closet.

To have peace and joy, I realized we need less.

We don't need to buy more stuff to feel fulfilled — what we need is to simplify the way we do things.

For example, I used to get worried about cleaning my apartment the 'right way.'

I had five different soaps in my sink cabinet, which overwhelmed me just thinking about them.

I simplified all this by just taking one good soap (they all have the same ingredients anyway), and I clean all of my surfaces with that one product.

Having fewer bottles cluttering my sink cabinet and having a simple yet effective cleaning method gives me peace of mind.

I do a similar process with my clothes. I declutter every few months and only keep what I like and use.

I also make a promise not to buy more because the more filled my closet becomes, the more overwhelmed I get.

The less stuff we have cluttering and taking over our space, the more peace we have because we have just what we need.

None of your priorities should include making other people happy.

You cannot please people and build a life of peace.

It's important to have the discernment to know who you should listen to.

Most people's opinions won't apply to your life and goals.

The only time you should consider pleasing someone is when you're with a romantic partner and genuine friends — compromise.

To have a life of peace, you must live a life authentic to your values and beliefs — that means you will have haters.

But haters are usually people you don't know or have no effect on your life, so their feelings of jealousy and resentment toward you are just wasted energy.

I used to be afraid of being a disappointment.

Now, I'll happily wear the label if it means I get to build and live a life that is true to me.

It doesn't matter how much criticism you face; your life is yours. No one can step in and take the wheel for you.

I love when people say that if you don't pay my bills, your opinion has no bearing on my life because it is 100% true.

If you don't have a financial obligation to the person criticizing you, their words mean nothing.

Side note — emotional obligation is called manipulation.

You may love your family, parents, siblings, friends, etc. You don't owe them your life for what they may or may not have done.

You can thank them, but if they constantly remind you of something they did for you recently or a long time ago to guilt trip you to do what they want, that's manipulation.

Don't fall for that trap. Set clear boundaries about what is acceptable and unacceptable for you.

Start exercising your right to say no to things you disagree with and make you uncomfortable.

When you set clear boundaries and standards, you have peace because you honor who you are instead of betraying yourself for the sake of pleasing others.

All of these changes are easier said than done, but when you start to analyze your life, how you make decisions, and where you're going, you'll begin making small changes.

Small changes over time add up to big, monumental changes — momentum.

Your life will transform.

It happened to me, and I was the biggest scaredy-cat, afraid of rejection and being seen as a disappointment.

If I can choose to change and begin living authentically, you definitely can.