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Calmness empowers us to view all sort of circumstances with empathy and a clear perspective. A calm demeanour is indicative of confidence and contentment. In contrast, impetuosity and overreaction are manifested when we are biased, judgemental and suspicious. The key question is how to cultivate calmness. Here are some pointers:
Don’t provoke others; and don’t be provoked by others. We should avoid offending others by our words. However, we cannot help how others speak. It is always best not to take offence at the utterances made by others. Calmly process the words spoken by others. Try to understand the psychology of the other person who you think has annoyed you. It is a matter of discernment.
Do not overreact. Many a time our reaction is disproportionate. We should stay rooted in proportionality. Responding calmly, instead of reacting angrily, saves us from potential trouble. The calmness of mind is disturbed by our overreaction. Relationships are marred by our propensity to react disproportionately.
We have to learn to tolerate contrary views and opinions. We should put up with eccentricities and peculiarities of our close kin with whom we spend most of our time. Tolerance is a virtue. We should not feel irritated by what we consider to be oddities and foibles of our close kin.
We have our own peculiarities which we expect others to be comfortable with.
Patience is another virtue for maintaining calmness of mind. We should learn to wait for our turn. Impatience robs the mind of calmness. Is success not coming your way? Keep persevering with patience. Sometimes it takes longer but stay calm. Calmness in itself is a success story.
Diet also plays an important part in maintaining calmness of mind. Overeating and over-drinking are detrimental for calmness. Fasting helps calm the mind. Don’t give in to cravings frequently. A diet discipline is helpful for calmness of mind.
Be present in the present. Worrying too much about the future and feeling guilty about the past perturb the calmness of mind.
Don’t rush. You will not, most likely, miss the bus. Do not compete with the clock. There is always enough time. We are habitually afraid that we will be late. It doesn’t matter if we are late once in a hundred times. Why should we unnecessarily worry ninety-nine times?