How to maintain calm and joy in life in a turbulent world 

How to maintain calm and joy in life in a turbulent world 

The dynamics and complexity of changes of all kinds have begun to give a sense of “saturation” to the majority of people, regardless of age, position, and status. In recent years, we have all experienced unexpected events that have shown us that it is not easy to cope.

We struggle to maintain the old mindset and habits that do not help us much in a new world, where everything is continuously updating. We spend a lot of time, energy, and money updating our knowledge and qualifications professionally, neglecting the need for an update at the level of self. I believe the latter is most important.

Change at the level of self is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Often, our thoughts dwell on how unhappy we are with one thing or another. We repeatedly ask: “How can I regain the joy of life? How can I make things work? What should I do?” Unfortunately, they remain just questions, because even if we realize the need to work on ourselves, we do not truly commit to doing something concrete about it.

We continue to blame circumstances or find excuses for why we cannot change—at least at present, even if we feel overwhelmed and threatened by burnout.

The truth is that the only person capable of positively changing your life is you. And for that, you must change. You are the only one who can exercise for yourself, communicate with your partner, or do what is necessary to thrive in your career, with colleagues and collaborators, etc.

You are the only person who can change your life. So, what’s stopping you?

To change your life, you need to fundamentally change the way you think, act, and feel—essentially, your personality. Why is personality so important? Because it creates your personal reality. Therefore, if you want to transform your life, it is crucial to make changes to your personality.

Major changes at the level of self and personal reality often fail because we stop the related information at the mental/theoretical level. After being selected according to us, the information must be integrated at a psychological, emotional, physical, and spiritual level.

We are the collection of thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors we have practiced the most. For genuine transformation, we need to discover ourselves deeply through SELF-AWARENESS, then program true changes at the psychological level. In other words, self-update. This requires time and self-training.

The past years have shown us how unpredictable life is, how quickly and unexpectedly everything around us can change. I believe it has sent us the strongest message: “It’s time to update yourself to continue enjoying life in a new and different world.”

Studies show that 95% of our actions are determined by the subconscious, where we store the memory of past experiences, limiting beliefs, fears, regrets, frustrations—the so-called “programs” that intervene and create an unpleasant state that cannot be easily explained. It’s time to address this inner world—a neglected world.

We’ve become accustomed to being conditioned by the external world to feel good inside, yet at the same time, anything negative from the outside affects our internal state. We all know it’s easy to maintain a great internal state, to feel full of love and acceptance when things are going well externally, especially when it seems like all opportunities are available to you.

But what do we do during challenging times, like the one we’re going through? The era we live in is one of constant uncertainty, transition, and upheaval—a time when we seem to have little control over what is happening around us. The truth is, the only control we have is over what happens in our inner world.

To master it, we need to live in accordance with our hearts, maintain a state of inner peace and love, and constantly rebalance ourselves, even when facing painful and unpleasant things such as betrayal, failure, unpleasant news, loss of health, and other losses leading to fear, anxiety, frustration, anger, pain, suffering, and the activation of old programs created in the past and stored in our subconscious.

The key is to maintain a state of well-being for as long as possible and to return to it when necessary. It may seem difficult, but it is possible.

From personal experience, I can say this, emphasizing that it takes time, patience, and self-training. I don’t mean that you reach a life where nothing negative exists: no upset, pain, or loss, nor that you should deny your emotions, but rather that these periods will be significantly shortened and will no longer have power over you. You will have a new perspective and be able to manage your emotions.

Here are four strategies you can use to improve your inner world and create a dominant sense of well-being despite external world conditions. You can apply them regardless of your life context or profession!

Work with your thoughts and emotions! Generally, there are three forms of stress to regain our balance: physical, chemical, and emotional.

In the case of physical and chemical stress, it is much easier because we might turn to a chiropractor, acupuncture, proper nutrition, yoga and pilates, short vacations, etc.

But dealing with emotions involves a more complex personal transformation process.

Even if guided by someone, we need to work alone, especially with our thoughts, which generate emotions. After all, we are emotional beings.

Many people engaging in emotional management misunderstand it, believing that we shouldn’t feel or express emotions. Nothing could be further from the truth! It’s important to pay attention to them but not to dwell too long on destructive ones.

Let’s see what you can do initially:

Always be aware of what you are thinking, if those thoughts are relevant, and if they help you in any way!

Once you’ve identified a particular problem, focus your attention on solutions and avoid lingering on questions that only aggravate you!

Do everything possible to direct your attention to thoughts that make you feel good, to what you want to achieve, and how you would feel when achieving it!

For several years, I’ve been using a practice that helps me significantly: I ask myself, “Does this thought lead me towards what I want?”. We all know that where your attention goes, your energy flows, and any thought influences your emotional state, affecting your actions and, consequently, the results you seek.

Another practice is focusing on the desired result rather than its absence. There is a significant difference you immediately feel emotionally. You can ask yourself: “How would it be to have that thing?”. Think about it only as long as you feel good; otherwise, direct your attention elsewhere.

Stay centered and maintain a state of well-being!

Regarding stress, we know it is unpredictable and can take over when it becomes too much. Thus, your mental and emotional balance disappears, and your inner resource state diminishes considerably. Fortunately, you can intervene in such situations by staying centered, meaning consciously returning to a state of calm and inner balance.

Einstein beautifully said, “No problem can be solved from the same level of consciousness that created it.”

Here is a simple focus exercise you can apply starting now! Whenever feeling agitated, distracted, restless, scattered, or at the limit, take a few minutes and center yourself.

Find a quiet place, close your eyes, take a few deep breaths, and focus on the center of your chest—the heart area. Stay still and breathe normally until you feel calm and centered. Even if your attention wanders to other thoughts, bring it back to the heart area and notice your breath.

For amplifying the sensation, think of a loved one and fill your heart with love or anything else that makes you feel good.

The quicker you intervene—at the first signs of stress—the faster you’ll regain your balance. The key to this practice is repetition. Use it as often as possible during the day, whenever you feel you’ve lost that centered state. You’ll achieve a pleasant inner peace that calms your mind and allows you to return to balance.

Create a morning routine!

How you start your day, or better, how you prepare for it, is essential. Just as an airplane is prepared for its journey.

Upon waking, there’s a moment when you feel very good, but immediately thoughts and worries may arise that influence your state. Remember that in the morning, you have the highest resources because you’ve just slept, recovering your strength. If you fall victim to worrying thoughts, your inner resource state quickly decreases. That’s why it’s important to do something that helps maintain a good and productive state.

You decide what to do and how much time to dedicate to it.

For example, I meditate, then do some yoga exercises, and afterward enjoy coffee and dark chocolate while writing in my journal or reading/listening to something I enjoy before moving on to other activities. It has become a routine for me, something I do just like brushing my teeth.

In any case, it is important to have something that is good for you and fits your schedule, something that delights and revitalizes you. Even just 10-20 minutes can be enough!

Create time and space for yourself!

In other words, MAKE ROOM IN YOUR LIFE! Throughout the day, it is very easy to become overwhelmed by all the activities on your priority list—the so-called TO DO list. Your interactions with others—whether loved ones, colleagues, or strangers—can create stress and sometimes even anxiety. If you have children, a partner, a house, a career, or an older parent, it can be difficult to find time for yourself. However, it is necessary because it helps you navigate your day and its tasks more smoothly.

The most important thing is to find balance in everything and connect with things that truly make you happy. Think about activities, places, or things that fill your soul with joy and make time for them during the day.

This time should be non-negotiable and truly prioritized.

Take care of yourself first and foremost, because otherwise, you cannot optimally care for others who need your assistance! If you are a parent, for example, it’s better to spend quality and calm time with your child, during which they feel your love and not your frustration from uncompleted tasks. So, center yourself before spending time with them.

You might say to yourself, “I don’t have time for that!!!” However, the better and more balanced your state, the faster and better you can handle tasks. Re-centering yourself can take no more than 5-10 minutes. Once it becomes a routine, you will do this in 2-3 minutes.

This practice will give you the energy to stay present and enjoy life more. When you consistently give to others and place yourself last, you start to develop resentment, guilt, anxiety, and even depression. Do everything possible to nourish yourself first, so you have more to give. Just like the heart, without which we couldn’t live, it takes the best blood for itself before distributing it to other organs.

So, I suggest doing the following: schedule a bit of time during your day—it can be 10 minutes or an hour, depending on what fits your plan—and do something you truly love. It can be something simple, like listening to music, reading a book, dancing, or going out into nature. Mark this time in your calendar and stick to it every day! You’ll feel more inspired and creative!