How to Achieve Serenity

It seems that as time goes by, life becomes more rushed and complicated by new technology and greater demands on the job. Spending time with loved ones and raising a family becomes a chore instead of the joy it should be. Here are some ideas on how to slow down and readjust your life in order to achieve the serenity you are lacking.

Instructions

• 1

  Be as organized as you can. This means maintaining a balanced household budget and keeping your records, appointments and events in a systematized date book or planner. Use it religiously and you will get more accustomed to it. Being organized not only saves you time, it allows you to avoid the stress of discovering that you forgot to pay an important bill or that you missed your son's ball game.

• 2

  Maintain balance in your life. If your job is too stressful because it demands 20 hours of overtime every week, find another job that works with your personal needs. You can tell yourself that family comes first, but you need to mean it by making the time available to your kids and partner.

• 3

  Don't let job stress come home with you. You can worry your way home in the car if you must, or make last minute phone calls while in traffic, but once you walk in that front door, leave all your work stuff on the welcome mat or in the pine tree on the front walk. Make a ritual of touching the tree or other inanimate object to "transfer the stress" from you into the tree. It works.

• 4

  When you are out with your family enjoying a picnic at the lake, listening to the birds and the sound of waves lapping the shore, be there in that moment. Don't start thinking about what to do for dinner, or what you left on your desk or anything else but your kids and your partner. If you have to think about something else, make it be how fortunate you are and how happy you are right now, in all the ways that matter, love, health, family and faith.

• 5

  Teach your kids about life. Talk to them about everything and encourage them to ask questions. Tell them about the past, important things that happened in your life and your parent's lives. You may think they are not listening or don't care, and sometimes they act that way, but they do care.

• 6

  Keep traditions alive and make your own family rituals. Families with strong religious traditions tend to have a very dynamic emotional bond with one another. Whether you read Hebrew passages from the Bible or sing gospel music together, this kind of shared experience is very powerful.

• 7

  Meditate. Practice yoga or Tai Chi if you enjoy doing this. Do it while listening to cool new age music. Take a long walk in the woods. Read great literature like Jane Austen, James Joyce or Thoreau. Many find these activities to be healing and relaxing. If you would prefer, take a long bubble bath or splurge on a massage. Do these things as often as possible. Schedule them in your planner if it helps you to find the time.

• 8

  Enjoy your life. Reconnect with an old friend. Join a card game with the seniors or volunteer at the local hospital for a couple of hours. It's true that time is short, so make every moment count. No one will ever say, "Oh gee, I wasted too much of my life achieving serenity."