Perhaps you’re anticipating a brilliant article about how to find inner peace when the harsh vibrations of weed-eaters, chainsaws and tree shredders invade your neighborhood…and your eardrums.
Well, America’s Inner Peace Coach cries “Uncle” in a sigh of defeat. I am humbled. Helpless in my human reaction. In the face of THIS “inner peace culprit,” I got whooped!!!
Maybe you can relate…
I live in a condo complex here in Southern California. Every week, without fail, the lawn maintenance team comes with their trusty weed-eaters and grass grooming devices. Each Thursday, I find myself mildly annoyed by the revving up and down of this “helpful” invention. But, it’s typically only a FEW hours each week, so I hadn’t given it TOO much attention.
But, being as passionate about inner peace as I am, and more importantly, committed to reducing suffering where ever possible…I decided to buy noise-canceling headphones as a Christmas present to myself.
I THOUGHT this would help.
And, it did…a little.
But, a big “Inner Peace Test” was coming my way.
For some reason, our Homeowners Association thinks it’s a good idea to trim trees. Why purposely scalp a perfectly beautiful tree? Seems silly. Not to mention… NOISY!!!
So, I geared up for Day 1…
Filed under Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Moments | Comment (0)Now, don’t laugh. While you MAY not have had this EXACT experience, I suspect there is something in your life where you’ve had a similar experience.
Last Tuesday evening I found out that the new season of The Bachelorette had begun…on MONDAY night, the night before!!! Being a big fan of the show (one of my FEW indulgences on television), I was both excited (yeah…new season!!)…and panicked. Did my DVR record last night’s episode? Gulp.
Before we dashed to dinner, I HAD to check the DVR. Was it or wasn’t it recorded?
As I watched myself, I was quite amused.
In that moment, I was CERTAIN my life would’ve been SO much better and more peaceful had I either: 1) Watched the season premiere of The Bachelorette the night before or 2) If my DVR had been wise enough to record the show for me.
But alas. It was NOT recorded!!!!! Darn it.
For a moment, it felt like I was missing some MUCH needed oxygen. My life was a little less whole and complete.
Now, of course, moments before I realized The Bachelorette’s new season had begun…all was quite well in my world. Hmmm.
This small, harmless, momentary reaction caught my attention and got me thinking.
How many times in our lives do we convince ourselves for a moment, for hours, for days or for years that our lives would be SO much better IF ONLY ____________(fill in the blank) had happened or hadn’t happened? “I would be expriencing so much more JOY, so much more WHOLENESS, so much more INNER PEACE and so much more LIFE…IF ONLY.”
Or conversely, I would be experiencing so much LESS pain, so much LESS suffering or so much LESS inner turmoil IF ONLY______________(fill in the blank) had happened or hadn’t happened. Continue reading »
Filed under Inner Peace 101, Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Practices | Comment (1)Energy conservation is one of the biggest conversations of today. Yet, few are talking about conserving the most precious resource of all — your personal energy. And, you need it more than ever before. Especially if you value inner peace.
Everyday there are countless demands vying for your personal energy and attention. How much energy do you need to sustain your household, finances, health, families, businesses, marriages and friendships? How much more energy is needed if your intention is to thrive in these areas? Throw in a surprise health emergency, uncertainties with the economy or another family crisis and you’ll soon be running on empty. Perhaps worse, you’ll be cranky, argumentative and snappy with those you love.
As important as personal energy is, we all know how easy it is to waste precious energy with procrastination, fear, stress, worry, preoccupation or emotional reactions. It happens, doesn’t it?
These three traps could be unnecessarily zapping precious energy from you. Energy that could go toward growing your business or navigating your biggest challenges. Energy to ENJOY your life more fully and more peacefully.
Once aware of each trap, you can choose to bring your attention and energy back into the present moment where you’re best able to make powerful choices.
Trap #1. Artificially Speeding Things Up.
You artificially try to speed things up when you resist the here and now, while simultaneously wishing for a future that can’t occur in this moment, but — that inevitably WILL come to pass as part of destiny.
It’s a lot like trying to force bread to bake before its perfect time. You can pace, open the oven door, hope or pray, but in the end the dough becomes bread when it does. And, by artificially trying to speed things up, we may actually be slowing the process down! Continue reading »
Filed under Inner Peace 101, Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Practices, Inner Peace Strategies | Comment (0)It has happened to you, right?
Hours upon hours lost, wasted, G – O – N – E, while waiting in a doctor’s office.
It can be annoying enough to drive your blood pressure up, up, up!!
Sometimes the waiting happens in the waiting room, where there are televisions and magazines galore to entertain you — along with a room full of other nice people waiting for the same doctor. Other times, you get to wait hours in the examination room. Often, while wearing only a gown with ties that don’t match up in a way make sense – OR cover you up.
So, what is one to do? Continue reading »
Filed under Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Practices, Inner Peace Strategies | Comment (0)What? Inner Peace and PMS!!!
Those two sets of words and letters don’t typically go together!!
For nearly my entire life, I’ve flat out denied the phenomena of Pre-Menstrual Syndrome. Or shall we just call it, the beloved (or is it wretched) PMS?
For decades, I colluded with the male population saying, “It’s simply in women’s heads.”
Surely any woman with a little grit and self-discipline could “mind over matter” this monthly disruption of hormones. No big deal. Right?
HA!!
More than minimizing the disruptive PMS experiences of other women, I DENIED it in myself. After all, who wants to admit that you’re even temporarily insane for a day or two each month? Who enjoys admitting to the moments where you want to scream at the top of your lungs or crawl under a rock to die?
Who wants to admit that every worldly demand is magnified by a factor of 100 and compounded together into an illogical, emotional mush-pile? And, who wants to admit that an invisible set of hormones is hijacking your body, imploding it with gut-wrenching pain and a massive deflation of productive energy?
Certainly, not I.
Perhaps, I’m not alone. Continue reading »
Filed under Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Practices | Comment (0)Yesterday, at 11:42am Pacific time the walls started shaking vigorously.
As millions of southern Californians, I wondered what this was about.
My first thought was our beloved neighbor. When he runs up and down the stairs, our condo shakes and reverberates throughout. Perhaps it was his washer or dryer going haywire? Could he be blaring his music LOUDLY, once again?
Uh, no.
This was something more.
An earthquake?
Uh, maybe so. Continue reading »
Filed under Inner Peace Culprits, Inner Peace Moments | Comment (0)
Everyday Inner Peace is about maximizing YOUR inner peace. Whatever is interfering with your inner peace is temporary, unnecessary suffering. Here you’ll find tips, strategies and inspiration to return to relaxed bliss … in minutes. Everything is better in life with an abundance of "inner peace."