When I woke up this morning I was met with peaceful rain. I began my day reflecting on the chaos that had been my life for the past several months and looking forward to the peace of the coming summer which will offer more time to read and write, more time to enjoy nature and time to just reflect on life.
I specialize in stress management. I teach stress management classes, yet so often I allow the challenges of life to get the best of me. The annoyances of deadlines, the nagging sound of squirrels chewing inside the soffits of my roof and the worries of everyday life. Will there be enough money, will my loved ones be safe?
Too often I find myself looking forward to a well needed break at the end of a semester only to find I am clueless as to what to do. It’s not that I don’t have plenty of things to keep me occupied, it’s just when that break comes, I feel lost somehow, as if I am sitting all alone in a room with no clue of what to do. Almost feeling an internal vibration and fear that I am forgetting something. How do I regain the peace and calmness that I know my soul craves? I find that my students often tell me they fear the depression they know they will face at the end of a semester. The fast pace of the school year gives way to something completely different, something freeing yet lacking security and structure. Parents be aware that your children of all ages may experience the same emotions.
Peace has been explained in many ways: According to Merriam-Webster, peace is simply a state of harmony, tranquility and quiet in one’s life. And my favorite author, anonymous, says that peace is remaining calm in your heart when there is noise, trouble and daunting work surrounding you.
As I embark into my new world of blogging, I find myself asking how peace is defined on an individual basis? I believe the feeling of being “at peace,” differs from person to person, culture to culture, species to species and maybe even generation to generation. How do we find peace and more importantly, can it be maintained? The question begs to be answered: Can we know peace if we never know chaos?
My hope is that with this blog we will be able to explore these questions and more. That we will become empowered to go out into the world with a peaceful state of being and share our knowledge with people we encounter along the way.
Some thoughts on finding peace
Ralph Waldo Emerson said that “Nobody can bring you peace but yourself.”
The Dalai Lama cautions us to not let the actions of others destroy our peace and the Bible teaches that we are to focus on what is right, pure, lovely and admirable to find the peace of God within us.
What are some fun things you do to promote peace in your life?
Here are some ideas that might help to overcome the lost feeling so many people experience when summertime or vacation time arrives:
*Get a journal you love and make it your own. (This is a very personal decision much like choosing a perfume or cologne. No one can pick it for you). Write about your feelings in story form and make sure the ending is positive. Make your characters, especially the one depicting you, funny and light.
*Get a mixed media journal and get artsy. Draw your feelings. Draw a continuum from where you are now to your ideal. You do not need to have taken art classes to be an artist, everyone is an artist. There is a big difference between Rembrandt and Picasso and Dahli.
*Grab your camera and go: Photography is certainly an art form and like all art forms, the span of artistic is endless.
If you are having trouble getting started on this creative venture look into books that will inspire your creativity: The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron, Wreck this Journal by Keri Smith. Check out the artistry of Ansel Adams and Salvador Dahli, read the humor of Dr. Seuss and James Thurber.
When at peace we can become more creative. More loving and more focused. So, let’s get started.
Please take a few minutes to fill out the “Peace Survey,” under “Surveys.” With the responses we receive we will be better able to serve the needs of our readers.
Mypeace2u,
Leslie
I understand how you feel about the let down after a semester. I was a minister of music for several years and after working on a musical for many weeks, I felt the same letdown after it was over. it’s like we work so hard to accomplish a task and after that task has been met, there is a depression that overwhelms.
Thank you so much for the “fun things” that you mentioned. I’ve never been much at journaling, but I’m going to start now. Maybe this is a new thing for me. Anyhow, thanks so much for your blog. I’m anxiously awaiting the next one. Will this be weekly, or monthly? No worries…I’m staying connected for whenever it comes.
Blessings