- Mental health: depression, anxiety and personality disorders
- Heart health: Cardiovascular disease, heart disease, high blood pressure, abnormal heart rhythms, heart attacks and stroke
- Obesity and other eating disorders
- Menstrual problems
- Sexual dysfunction
- Skin and hair problems: acne, psoriasis, and eczema and permanent hair loss
- Gastrointestinal problems: GERD, gastritis, ulcerative colitis and irritable colon
Focus on Inner Peace to Fend Off Stress
Some experts say that a stubborn focus on your inner peace is the perfect antidote for stress. When you focus on your inner calm, you protect yourself from the stress around you. Stress is like a contagious virus that spreads from person to person. Inner peace helps you create harmony with yourself and the world around you – and it keeps you emotionally balanced so stress doesn’t interfere with your goal of lasting sobriety.Like most things in recovery, learning to be at peace with yourself will require practice and patience; it won’t happen overnight. It will take some time and effort to forgive yourself for past, poor decisions or choices and to embrace who you are and how far you’ve come in your new sober life.
4 Steps for Finding Inner Peace
Consider incorporating the following steps in your recovery to find inner peace:- Seek out moments of silence. When was the last time you just unplugged – no smartphones, no laptops, no television – and just spent time with you and your thoughts? Whether you sit still on your couch or take a peaceful nature walk, carving out time for quiet reflection is a great way to look inward and discover who you are and what you need to feel calm and happy.
- Make meditation a priority. The great thing about meditation is that it teaches you to notice your thoughts and accept them without passing judgment – and this, in turn, helps to generate inner peace. The peaceful practice of meditation can also enable you to find deeper calm as you release any built-up emotional tension.
- Say goodbye to regret. Unfortunately, a lot of people in recovery struggle with the toxic emotion of regret. Yet holding onto your pasts mistakes will hold you back from forgiving yourself and finding inner peace. Try talking yourself out of any negative self-talk that perpetuates regret. For example, tell yourself “I’m taking steps to change or "I made mistakes but I can also make amends.”
- Keep a journal. A great way to get back to who you really are is to write down and reflect on your feelings. Journaling is a safe and sacred way to connect with your inner dialogue and spirit. Make a habit of jotting down and reflecting on your feelings – for many, this process alone can be meditative.
