Here are five practices that I wish I had learned in school that have had a huge impact on my life. They've helped me live in joy and peace, and I go back to them when I'm feeling adrift. Each of these has received varying degrees of attention. Some of them are still being debated. I'm going to use my own experience as evidence for this because it's been much more meaningful for me, and I imagine it could be for you as well.
Intuition has been studied and debated. But every time I listen to the quiet voice that comes from somewhere other than logic. It could be my heart, my gut, or both. It doesn't matter in the sense that it serves as a guidepost rather than an answer.
Meditation is a practice that never fails. You have the option of doing it for 2 minutes, 5 minutes, or much longer. You can find the space where your inner voice stops talking if you choose to quiet your mind and return to your breath repeatedly. There's a lot to learn there, and you'll be less reactive to those around you as a result.
Following curiosities: even when they are unusual. I've discovered, especially when it's unusual. I've followed my curiosities many times, only to discover later that they all connected in a way that resulted in massive learning, new friendships, and opportunities.
I used to be afraid of the power of writing. When I was younger, I excelled at writing and was an avid reader. But somewhere along the way, I lost faith. Writing became a source of anxiety for me as my grades declined. It doesn't have to be that way. It has been demonstrated that 15 minutes of writing about your inner world can alter your emotional landscape. Writing about a positive experience in detail can also improve your mood.
Emotional Intelligence: Your inner world is an emotional landscape that influences your thinking and behavior. While emotional intelligence has received more attention recently, it can be difficult to understand what we're talking about. Marc Brackett, founder of Yale's Center for Emotional Intelligence, believes that thinking of ourselves as emotion scientists rather than judging our inner world is most beneficial, and he created the RULER acronym to lay the groundwork:
Recognizing and expressing emotions in oneself and others
Discovering the causes and effects of emotions
Accurately labeling emotions
Emotional expression that is appropriate
Emotional regulation that works
