"The only way to bring peace to the earth is to learn to make our own life peaceful." - Buddha (via @ramblingsloa)
Peaceful attitudes are both mental and physical. Acceptance of what is, whatever it is, is a mental attitude that can be practiced. Meditation or mindfulness is one approach to teaching and learning peaceful attitudes of acceptance, the general guidance is not to try to force an empty mind but to simply observe a thought and let it drift by, rather than focusing on it, leaving room for other thoughts.
Some types of chanting and music can physically help soothe brain waves into a more relaxed state while other types of sound or music may make more brain waves less relaxed. For more about brain waves and music for relaxation see: The Ten Most Relaxing Songs in the World According to Science, Ranked, (studybreaks.com). Too much or too little of certain nutrients can physically leave the brain over active and prone to anxiety, paranoia or irritability or anger.
So to follow the guidance of Buddha we need to learn both the mental and physical needs for a peaceful attitude.
Techniques that work for one person may not be as effective or may be ineffective for another person. Trying to concentrate, trying to relax, trying to focus - all may be helpful for many people but for someone with Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder the more effort that is spent on concentrating, the more the brain activity needed for problem solving or physical coordination slows down. Trying harder can leave the person less able to focus or have a peaceful attitude that helps with concentration on a task. Trying harder may physically leave the person less coordinated and more likely to make physical mistakes or bump into things.
Music and motion can help with relaxation, especially for people with ADD/ADHD:
Certain types of rhythmic music have been found to help students with ADD/ADHD to be able to have more success with schoolwork. (Study Music to Focus the ADHD Brain, additudemag.com) The brain activity is increased or closer to normal at least when the person with ADHD is relaxed - however just saying "relax" isn't likely to help because it needs to be learned. Movement, whether walking, spinning, or clicking a pen top repetitively may help the person with ADHD relax and focus on the main task.
Physical relaxation methods:
Yoga style head to toe relaxation exercises (progressive muscle relaxation) or practicing some other visualization exercise or slow ten count deep breathing exercise may help a person intuitively become better able to purposely relax when attempting to do so. Progressive muscle relaxation and deep breathing techniques are described in the following article: Relaxation Techniques: Using the Relaxation Response to Relieve Stress, (helpguide.org).
Possible dietary causes of anxiety or irritability:
Excess stimulants such as caffeine or glutamate seasonings may increase anxiety or jitteriness. Lack of calming nutrients such as magnesium and glycine may lead to increased anxiety and other symptoms because excitatory signals are not able to be inhibited within the brain or body. Lack of magnesium can be a cause of muscle cramps, headaches, and other physical symptoms in addition to being a cause of anxiety. Chronic deficiency of calcium or vitamin D can be a cause of hyperparathyroidism which can cause an internal feeling of excess pressure and jitteriness and make it difficult to think well. Excess vitamin D can lead to excess calcium and both may be a cause of irritability and other symptoms - more is often not better for good health, just the right amount within a healthy range is often best.
Nature may help some people feel less negative stress:
Images of nature or being around nature even if it is a houseplant may help reduce stress. Walking in urban areas was found to have less effect on reducing stress than walking in an area with some type of nature. Commuting can be very stressful but when the drive included passing by some natural or water landscapes there seemed less negative stress. Physically walking through wooded areas has been found to have healing benefits due to differences in the air so maybe commuting through areas with more natural surroundings is also providing different air quality.
Peace is a state of mind - and the state of the mind is also a reflection of overall health.
/Disclaimer: This information is provided for educational purposes within the guidelines of fair use. While I am a Registered Dietitian this information is not intended to provide individual health guidance. Please see a health professional for individual health care purposes./