We all strive to achieve some level of peace in our lives, but some days it seems to be a long way off in the distance. Peace encompasses not taking yourself or life too seriously, which is easier said than done. It is about opening your mind to the bigger picture and understanding that you are more than this moment, and yet at the same time, there isn’t anything except this moment. Life goes on, things change, and trying to hold on to circumstances or people to make them stay the same is a futile exercise.

Achieving and maintaining peace comes with acceptance of what is; accepting life, rather than fighting it or judging it. That doesn’t mean that you don’t have any power. Quite the opposite – it is about not wasting your precious energy trying to change the nature of things.

There is value in all that life presents to us, even if it is learning about what we don’t want, to better define and understand what we do want. Peace is ultimately the absence of fear, and can be strengthened through the practice of love and gratitude. Sometimes life throws us intense challenges and we can get caught in the negative thinking spiral.

Take a step back and remember that we are so very lucky to have access to clean water, sanitary conditions, a safe society to live in, enough food and equal opportunity, which is far more than 90% of the people that we share this planet with.

As a way of exploring this, start and end each day by thinking of the things and people in your life that you are grateful for. This need only take a few minutes, but can provide a positive outlook for the day, which can be shared with those around you.

Remember that which supports and nourishes you regularly, and avoid giving too much energy and time to those things, thoughts, emotions and people that drain you.

Cathy