Is you mind always restless? Do you find yourself constantly worrying about the troubles you’re facing? Do you long for peace of mind and confidence about the direction you’re headed? If this is you – there is a solution. Instead of trying to avoid your thoughts and problems, focus on accepting where you are and finding the solutions to your challenges. You don’t have to deal with a troubled mind forever. Using these simple relaxation exercises you can learn to calm your mind and live the life you really want.

Try the following relaxation exercises for training your mind to be calm:

1. Accept where you are and your situation right now. Resolve right now to accept the things about your situation that you cannot change and don’t pretend your difficulties don’t exist. If you fight the fact that you have difficulties, your challenges will just become bigger ones. Accepting your situation will bring you an inner peace that will make dealing with your challenges easier.

2. Focus on solutions. Instead of dwelling on the obstacles in front of you, think of as many solutions as possible. Once you have your solutions, pick the choice that seems best to you and start implementing it today.

Constantly ask yourself whether or not there’s something you can be doing to work toward a solution. Ask yourself, “What could I do right now that would make this situation better?” Take action. Taking action will almost always give you an immediate sense of relief.

3. Let go of the past. Everyone has a past and regret and sorrow about it can be huge contributors to a troubled mind. While you might find it easy to forget the small things, larger issues may continue to creep into your mind. Real relaxation can be a matter of training your mind to put your past behind you. It’s history! Forget about it. Focus on today and what you can do today to make your situation better. Then you’ll have a more peaceful future ahead of you.

4. Ask for help. Rather than facing the difficulties of life alone, talk to a trusted friend or family member. If you’re so inclined, seek professional help. Nobody is an island. The expertise and support of others may be just what you need to experience a breakthrough.

5. Have fun. It’s hard to be down when you’re having fun. Do something lighthearted to get your mind into a better place. Instead of thinking about your problem and wallowing in it, give yourself a break and do something that you like to do. Do you like to ride a rollercoaster? Go do it! Do you like to go to the beach? Go do it! The trick to this relaxation exercise is to temporarily leave your cares behind and immerse yourself in an activity you enjoy.

6. Stay focused on your lifetime goals. If you take a penny and hold it up in front of your eye it can block the sun from your view. You haven’t removed the sun but this tiny, nearly valueless object is blocking your view of the sun. That can be the way it is with your challenges. A lot of times you can get so caught up in the tiny day to day challenges that you can forget why you’re working so hard to begin with. Remember, in your lifetime you can accomplish a lot more of your goals when you stay focused on their accomplishment instead of the things that are in your way.

7. Practice deep breathing and relaxation techniques. If your thoughts cause you stress and anxiety, set aside time for deep breathing and relaxation. These are excellent relaxation exercises and help with stress reduction. Find a quiet place, close your eyes, and pay attention to your breath. Breathe deeply and slowly. It only takes a few minutes to replace your feelings of anxiety with feelings of peace and relaxation.

If your mind is troubled, start using these relaxation exercises today. Instead of letting your problems rule you, let them be a motivator for you to use these relaxation techniques for training your mind to stay calm. Remember, ignoring your anxious thoughts just makes you feel worse. Choose one or more of these ideas and put it into practice today. As you do, you’ll begin to experience the inner peace you desire!

Wil Dieck is the founder of Total Mind Therapy author of two e-Courses “Reprogramming Your Subconscious Mind” and “Unlocking the Secret Advantage of Hypnosis” that you can have at no charge . You can sign up here to receive these positive thinking tips delivered by e-mail weekly.