It is more important now than ever to remain in a peaceful state because, believe it or not, that is our natural state of being! In my own words, “seriously, with all that’s going on in my life and outside of my life, how do you expect me to remain peaceful?” There is so much going on in the world, the nation, our communities and in our own individual lives. Revolutions, natural disasters, bad economies, discord, all at extreme proportions.  It’s challenging to stay centered and peaceful even when things are going smoothly but to do so now may seem impossible.

In the midst of what appears to be utter chaos, Peace can seem illusive at best. Understandably so! Yet, the truth remains that we are born for it. In a peaceful state, all is well. We have clarity and direction in the instant we need it. We are more loving and understanding to others and ourselves. Courage, confidence and inspiration are present. Everything is possible in this state and there is no doubt.

How do you exist in more of your natural state of peace? Here are 3 keys to achieving Peace in any circumstance:

1. Create an awareness of how you feel emotionally, energetically, mentally, and physically. Know if you feel sad, stress, anxious, calm, loving, insecure, etc. Note if you feel a pit in your stomach, stress or lightness in your chest or maybe a headache. In order to do so, stop, listen, and feel for this touchstone. Stay detached to this information and don’t judge it, just acknowledge what is going on. These are signs you may not be centered. Check in periodically with yourself. In time this awareness will be a natural occurrence for you.

2. Understand what is going on at that time and why you feel what you feel. If you are feeling anxious, pause, breathe, and examine your current feelings. For example, recently, a dear friend and colleague was suggesting things I should do in the social media world. She was throwing out all these sites, concepts, and ideas. I was getting overwhelmed, stressed and very anxious and I eventually stopped hearing what she was saying.

I hung up the phone and felt awful. So, I stopped, took a few breaths and searched my mind and heart to understand what was going on.  I realized that I was struggling with this social media thing. I do some of it now and enjoy it but it has always felt abstract and vague to me so I resisted doing it regularly. As I stopped to simply assess the situation, I understood that my stress was two fold: 1. I resented her for pushing this on me (again!) as something that I had to do and 2. I was mad at myself for not embracing this fully and not doing enough. Once I understood what I felt and why, I was able to breathe it out, let it go, and center again. I then had clarity on what action to take that was beneficial yet comfortable for me.

3.   Create a daily ritual to connect with your peaceful center. It can be as simple as taking 90 seconds a day to breathe. Yes, count ‘em, 90 seconds! Prayer and meditation brings you back to center beautifully and is healing on more levels than I can write here. For me, on the days my mind is more active, I pray first which connects me to my heart. Then I’m able to meditate easier. Think of a moment when you felt strong love for someone or had a loving experience. That also brings you to your peaceful space. In this space there is only love so love returns you there instantly.

Coach yourself into your natural peaceful state. Make this your new normal. Inner discord doesn’t help you and doesn’t change anything. It only creates more discord for yourself and those around you. This is who you truly are. So go re-introduce you to yourself! Create awareness, understanding and a personal ritual. You will be so very glad that you did.

Please let me know how this works for you!