Have you ever begun the day feeling peaceful and poof: your peace is gone, and you feel lousy?  Be it a discussion that turns uncomfortable, an AC not working or a neighbor who burns trash, things happen, and we can discover our precious peace obliterated. Rather than allow our days, hours, and minutes to pass by as they will, we can take our power and choose to create peace in our lives by planning for them to be peaceful. 

Before we begin any activity such as a phone call, driving, a meeting, a conversation, etc. we breathe out any angst and breathe in peace to experience the sensation of peace we want to feel during that segment. Then we visualize ourselves in the activity breathing deeply and slowly with our lips turned upward just a tad. It takes less than a minute and can change everything; your inner peace is definitely worth this relatively small effort.

Let’s say you want to speak to neighbor about her cat which has been killing birds under the bird feeder in your back yard.  Before you go to see her, you breathe out concerns about the conversation and breathe in peace while seeing in your mind’s eye, you and your neighbor speaking to one another, you feel the feeling of peace that you will experience during the conversation, and you see yourself with a slight smile.

Planning for peace means taking responsibility for our peace and that means recognizing that inner peace is not dependent on our neighbors or family to be silent and/or do anything special.  Instead, it is up to us to plan for peace and choose to be peaceful in every moment we possibly can.  It also means recognizing when we don’t feel peaceful even though we had intended to and deciding then and there, we can choose peace in that moment instead of our judgments or fears.  

When we put inner peace first in our lives, we have a different skill set with which to approach all the little and big things that go “wrong.”  Our commitment to feeling peace in every moment changes us, softens, and strengthens us for it requires us to accept what comes from a place of serenity, rather than anger or fear. External conditions no longer rule our choices and lives. We are free to plan and to be the peace we came to be. 

I plan for

the benediction of peace

in each moment

Uncovering 

Discovering

my

core

of

Serenity

Reflections – At first, I thought my best chance for success with this practice included writing down my intention for each segment of my day just prior to entering it. I selected a lovely little journal I received from a friend and wrote: “I feel myself knowing exactly what to write for this PNP for the highest and best good for me and all who read it.  I feel connected, clear, and peaceful.”  I love the affirmation, but soon discovered it was not at all practical or peaceful for me to be looking for a little book to write in before every segment of my day.  I realized thinking about peace was one thing, but what I truly desire is to feel peace, so I altered my plan for living and writing this practice.

The next day, before going grocery shopping, I stopped and felt the vibration of peace and affirmed that was the vibration I wanted to continue to experience.  Then I visualized myself with a slight smile on my face while shopping. I had no expectation to get everything at the grocery or for everyone to treat me in any particular way.  My goal for each segment was simply to experience peace.  It did not matter what other people did or did not do; my choice would be peace.  As it turned out I could not get some items I needed; however, I had chosen to feel peace and I did.

The following day, I stopped again, felt the vibration of peace prior to each segment of my day and all was flowing serenely until my garden hose broke.  I know that sounds minor and silly, and it is, but given the heat and lack of rain, I preferred pouting about the situation rather than dealing with it in a peaceful manner.  Before I had come to grips with lousy choice of letting myself pout and feel unpeaceful rather than accepting the fact of the broken hose and dealing with it, my sweet friend and neighbor, Joanie appeared, and I mentioned my “problem” to her. She immediately set about fixing it as she explained, “I love fixing things.”  What a sweet reminder of the power of our thoughts and our power over our thoughts.  I had been thinking how I “could not” fix the hose, while she asserted, she loved doing so and did it.  Yes, the problem was not the hose, or it breaking, the problem was the thoughts I was allowing myself to think about a hose.  I did not yell or have a tantrum or other outward display, but I did allow myself to exchange the experience of peace for the experience of thinking something was “wrong.”  Such a simple little item brought home the power of our thoughts.   I learned that planning for peace is powerful and effective and it also may sometimes have to be backed up with choosing peace again and again.  The more I plan for peace and choose peace, the more peaceful I am. 

Your turn to reflect – Can you think of a time when planning for peace could have helped you?  Will you give it a try?  Please let me know how it works for you and/or how you adapt this practice to work for you.

Thank you for being a vital part of Peace on Earth by nurturing peace in your heart, in your life.  The more that you embody peace, the more peace there is.

Your comments and suggestions are welcomed.  (Click on the blue link below.)