The quest for inner peace is elusive. It sounds enticing but feels imponderable. So, how does one achieve inner peace?
Be Grateful
Every day, express gratitude. Take notice of that which is good in your life. Whether it is something as seemingly mundane as a soft pillow or as substantial as a new acquaintance, acknowledge it and feel gratitude. At the very least, take a moment to feel grateful that your heart is beating, that you are taking a breath, that you were given yet another day. If you sow anger, lack, or apathy, you reap a life of just that. But if you sow gratitude, you reap a life of inner abundance.
Accept Imperfection
Imperious expectations and relentless media bombardment are two leading causes of the impossible quest for perfection. Parents and teachers reward those who achieve straight As or accomplish similar feats, and advertisements claim that happiness will be achieved when their product is purchased. The reality, however, is that perfection is impossible. The truth is that life is fraught with accidents, mistakes, stress, and suffering. Accepting that life is hard and that few experiences or people will be exactly as you wish them to be, will bring you one step closer to feeling inner peace.
Forgive
Find it in your heart to forgive your childhood abuser, your ex-spouse, or that person who cut you off in traffic. Likewise, forgive yourself for your mistakes, weaknesses, and shortcomings. Make the conscious decision to let go of the anger and regain your power. Forgiveness does not mean condoning; these are two different words with disparate definitions for a reason. But forgiving both yourself and those who have wronged you will open your heart and guide you to inner peace.
Find Your Joy
So many people get wrapped up in the daily responsibilities of caring for children, working, doing chores, and paying bills that they forget what truly brings them joy anymore. Seldom are activities set aside purely for the pleasure they bring. Sure, time with children can be blissful and time at work can be fulfilling, but imperative to finding inner peace is discovering what self-initiated activity brings you joy, and then carving just 10 minutes a day to immerse yourself in it. Often, this is an activity that you have always loved doing, as though you were born to do it. Do you love to draw? Play sports? Read? Knit? Fix cars? Whatever your beatitude, spend time each day doing what you love. Joy and inner peace are inseparable.
Be Present
This is harder done than said, but you can learn, moment by moment, to be fully awake and aware right now. This practice starts with waking up to micro-moments. Open yourself to the sights, sounds, and feelings you experience as you wash the dishes, fold the laundry, or feed the cat. Become fully aware of the sensations in your body as you stretch and yawn early in the morning. Feel the keys under your fingertips as you type an email. Truly be present as you embrace a loved one. Wake up one moment at a time, and you will find yourself more aware of the blessings, miracles, and gifts in your life. This is the single greatest step you can take towards experiencing inner peace.
Everyone strives to feel inner peace, and everyone deserves to be happy. Practice these five steps, perhaps just one a week for five weeks, and notice the peace in your life multiply with every day.
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