Make Peace With Yourself

We all wish to see peace amongst all of the nations of the world.  Why it is so difficult to achieve and sustain is probably due to a number of factors.  The great novel, “War and Peace”, illustrates just how difficult it is for people of the world to stop their violent ways.  It seems history is full of examples where humankind has repeatedly made the same mistakes which has led to small and very large conflicts.  So what can we do as individuals to stem the tide of violence and give peace a chance to take root?  Well, it really all starts with making peace with yourself.

One of the internal conflicts people can have is the baggage of regret they carry with them in their lives.  All of us who have lived have and will encounter difficult times and challenges to our expectations.  The goals we establish for ourselves may not be fully realized.  Or those people we thought we could count on, turned out to disappoint us.  Invariably, as life experiences accumulate and we come face to face with the difficulties of what we set out to do or hardships that cast a negative shadow in our lives, the critical learning is to let go of those things we cannot control and impact in any meaningful.  The feelings of frustration and futility can lead you down a cascading repetition of negative behavior and/or thoughts.  It is one thing to understand all of this, but altogether a different challenge to actually stop the chain of negative thinking and behavior.  There is no magic pill we can swallow, but we are each capable of bringing our torment and negativity to an end and make peace with ourselves.

One of the key success factors in dealing with regret is realizing that you are in the grip of a cycle.  But realize you are not forever trapped.  The one singular factor that you can influence in a profound way is your choice of the attitude you wish to exhibit.  It is a both a personal and intellectual choice.  Deciding to let go of emotional baggage is an action that lies within your control.  It is the essence of self discovery and realization that you are far from perfect and learning to accept all of your imperfections and making peace with yourself is a critical step.  Part of the solution is being one with the present.  Understanding that each present moment you take in a breath, blink an eye, or whatever you do moment to moment are unique and very special moments to cherish.  Living in the present removes you from the entrapment of the past.

Making Peace With Yourself - Actions You Can Take 

1. When you eat, eat  slowly reflecting on the experience of the moment.

2. Put on your favorite music and listen to it intently for a few minutes, cherishing every note as you never have before.

3. Hug someone and hug a lot

4. Remember what it feels like to walk in the grass without your shoes, then go do it.

5. Make your favorite cup of coffee or tea or hot chocolate and savor each smell and every moment of the process it takes to brew your cup.

6.  Lie in bed and think about something wonderful before going to sleep and let those thoughts linger with you throughout the next day.

7.  Perform a random act of kindness

8.  Take at least an hour and read a book and return to this book each day so you can look forward to turning each page.

9.  Express how you feel to yourself and remind yourself that you are truly a very unique person and there is absolutely no one like you anywhere.

10.  Go for a walk and pay attention to every noise that comes from nature.