The Oxford English Dictionary defines serenity as the state of being calm, peaceful, and untroubled.
Sometimes the stresses of daily life, whether big or small, overwhelm us, and we are left feeling lost, confused, and hopeless. Our hobbies become less inviting, and our passions seem less interesting.
We need to learn that we are the masters of our own minds. Dan Millman said that you don’t have to control your thoughts, you just have to let them stop controlling you.
When we are feeling overwhelmed, a common remedy is breathing; most say ten deep breaths in and ten out. The author Tao Porchon-Lynch said, “Breath is the power behind all things. I breathe in, and I know that good things will happen.”
Small, calming exercises such as meditation and breathing can make the biggest difference in achieving serenity.
If we let our thoughts control us, we lose focus of what is really important and can end up lost. Our work ethic drops and our personal relationships become strained because we cannot think logically, and we land up making bad decisions.
Kung Fu Panda, while an animated movie, actually has some wise life lessons. The sensei in the movie, Master Oogway, said, “Your mind is like water, my friend; when it becomes agitated, it becomes difficult to see. But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear.”
