HOME>> HABIT #6 Practice happiness...by pursuing inner peace
Set peace of mind as your highest goal, and organize your life
around it. ~Brian Tracy
Most of us might describe the scene above as peaceful. It looks calm and quiet. No war or strife appears to be present. If we try, we can probably envision ourselves sitting in one of the beach chairs, sipping on a tropical drink, and taking in all the beauty around us.
Now let’s look at the picture below. It seems to be anything but peaceful. Danger is imminent. We can easily imagine it causing distress, fear, and worry for all on board.
We usually don’t think of peace and life’s storms coexisting. Problems have a way of threatening our inner calm regardless of what is going on around us. Anyone can feel secure and strong when everything is going well. It’s inner peace we seek. This kind of peace exists in a calm and undivided mind where assurance and trust are beyond oneself. We can have abiding peace no matter what is going on around us.
The poor long for riches, the rich long for heaven, but the wise long for a state of tranquility. - Swami Rama
To pursue something is to seek it and go after it. If we want to have peace within ourselves and with others, we must pursue it. How we pursue peace depends largely upon where we draw our strength from and the principles by which we live.
Complete the following sentences:
My strength comes from….
Regardless of what I’m going through, what helps me feel calm inside is….
I think more clearly when…
What helps me stay focused is…
I can confidently put my trust in…
I remember the peace I had when…
Those who are at war with others are not at peace with
themselves. ~William Hazlett
Think about what you identified as your peace blocker(s). How have you dealt with this peace blocker in the past? What was most helpful in restoring you inner calm and peace of mind? What didn’t help or even made things worse? Now make a list of 3 or more things you can do whenever you are presented with peaceblockers. They can include: calling on people that can help, taking action, changing directions, recalling past victories, praying, or whatever else might be helpful to you.
Peace of mind is attained not by ignoring problems, but by solving them. ~Raymond Hull
For every minute you are angry you loose sixty seconds of happiness. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson
In this activity, we can practice happiness by letting go of things that take away our peace and happiness.
Take a few minutes and think about what you hold on to that is keeping you from enjoying your life.
For example:
A broken dream
A relationship that ended
A bad habit
Anger or grudges against someone
Now answer the following questions:
Is this something that is out of my control?
If so, can I accept this and let it go? If not, what can I do to best deal with it?
This prayer has helped countless people to experience peace in their lives:
God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference—
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it:
Trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.
He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. ~ Johann von Goethe
In this activity, we can practice happiness by identifying our peace blockers and what we can do to break through them. Is there a situation in your life in which you need peace? The following is a list of common blockers to our peace. Can you identify what causes you to lose your inner calm and peace of mind?
Watch your manner of speech if you wish to develop a peaceful state of mind. Start each day by affirming peaceful, contented and happy attitudes and your days will tend to be pleasant and successful. ~Norman Vincent Peale
