[2022-01-02] Peace
In an email exchange with a friend yesterday, I wrote:
You asked me the other day how I stay positive. One thing I do is talk to myself. I repeat statements that calm me or turn off negative self-talk. One I say whenever I fear death is "do not die while you are yet alive." Another I like when I'm not focusing on the present is "be here now, be somewhere else later." These mantras help me change the channel and get on with my day.
I could probably do a whole series, at some point, on helpful sayings that can change our perspective in an instant. Today, for example, I came across an Instagram post by PeacefulMindPeacefulLife quoting author Idil Ahmed:
Always say, "my peace is more important" when you find yourself reacting to something that doesn't deserve your energy.
The post notes that we can't control what others say or do, but we can control how we react.
The key element in Ahmed's quote is "something that doesn't deserve your energy." We shouldn't choose peace at the expense of standing up for ourselves. But when something doesn't really matter, why not let it go?
Ahmed's statement reminds me of a quote in my compendium of quotes that is in keeping with the theme of peace and choosing not to respond:
You will continue to suffer if you have an emotional reaction to everything that is said to you. True power is sitting back and observing everything with logic. True power is restraint. If words control you, that means that everyone else can control you. Breathe and allow things to pass.
I actually have quite a few quotes on peace in my compendium. These three were sent to me by friends (as were the vast majority of the quotes in my compendium):
Don't let people pull you into their storm. Pull them into your peace.
~ Unknown
Peace is the result of retraining your mind to process life as it is, rather than as you think it should be.
~ Wayne W. Dyer
Peace. It does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble or hard work. It means to be in the midst of those things and still be calm in your heart.
~ Unknown
I find that last quote particularly compelling. It is worthwhile aspiring to be at peace even in the midst of COVID and cancer and loneliness and boredom and fear and overwork—whatever noise, trouble or hard work we face.
In last year's New Year's Day post, I chose healthy, altruistic and fearless as my three words for 2021. For 2022, I think I'll choose just one: peaceful.
