Peace With Yourself | Joel Osteen
No matter where you are in life or how spiritual you are, finding a sense of inner peace is a constant yearning you may face. Learning to become at peace with yourself is one of the most basic human desires, and is often a skill that requires a lot of practice.
In this post we’ll take a look at what it means to be at peace with oneself, as well as a few simple ideas you can incorporate into your life to begin to feel more peaceful, starting today.
The Meaning of Being At Peace With Myself
Before you can learn to practice peace, you must first understand what it means to be at peace with yourself.
Many people think that peace means they must shy away from the challenges of the world, have a deep spiritual practice, or spend hours in meditation. While you may find it is easier to be at peace when you simplify your life, doing so is not necessary to attain peace.
Being at peace with yourself simply means that you have an ability to focus on your natural energy of joy. This joy rests within each and every one of us at all times, and is always available to you, should you choose to focus on it.
When you can learn to feel this intuitive source of stillness, you will also feel an overwhelming sense of peace, happiness, and love, which cannot be overcome by the circumstances around you.
Knowing how to rest more consistently in this state of unconditional love is the essence of being truly at peace with oneself.
While this may sound like a lofty ideal, it is actually a realistic aim for most people, as long as you follow a few core ideas and techniques.
Techniques and Exercises for Being at Peace With Yourself
Focus on the Breath
The first technique for increasing your sense of peace is to learn to draw your attention to your breath. You can do this through meditation, but you can also find immense benefit from noticing your breath as you move throughout your normal life.
Just by taking the time consistently throughout the day to pay attention to your breath, you will begin to tap into your natural joy, and will begin to feel calmer and more peaceful, every day.
Try this exercise for finding peace within.
Accept the Present Moment
Another great practice of learning how to be at peace is to accept the present moment for what it is.
Often, we create unnecessary struggle because we believe that wherever we are is not already perfect in its own way. We focus on doing more, having more, and being more so fully that we imply to ourselves that we are not yet good enough.
Learning to accept the balance between wanting to grow and expand as an individual (in whatever form that takes for you) and accepting the journey right where you are will dramatically increase your sense of ease, peace, and fulfillment as you progress through life.
Read more about how to be present and live in the now.
Release the Past Guilt and Future Worries
Hand in hand with accepting the present moment is our ability to release the concerns of the past and future. More often than not, we spend so much time preoccupied with what has already happened, or with what might happen, that we fail to notice the inherent beauty, joy, and perfection that surrounds us.
When we insist on holding onto negative emotions from the past – no matter how “justified” you think they may seem – we stop ourselves from feeling our inner joy. The same is true when we extrapolate into the future.
Learn how to let go, stay centered in the present moment, and you will feel more peaceful immediately.
Practice Loving Kindness for Yourself and Others
Along with accpeting the present moment is the idea that you must also accept yourself. You will never be at peace so long as you continuously judge yourself for your mistakes, and other people for theirs. Instead, strive to learn how to practice loving kindness and compassion in all of your thoughts and actions.
When you can recognize that we are all human, and that we all experience the same fundamental struggles, which we express in different forms, you take a major step forward in becoming more compassionate, kind, and loving towards yourself and the world around you.
Develop a Habit of Appreciation
Lastly, remember that peace is a choice that comes through your own decisions about where to focus. When you focus on the good that is already before you, you grant yourself the ability to feel positive emotions, including peace, joy, fulfillment, and love.
Take the time to develop a habit of appreciation by focusing on the good that is around you in every moment. Whether that means appreciating a flower, a bird, a piece of music, or a compliment from your spouse or co-worker, appreciation can be found anywhere…as long as you train yourself to find it.