I was listening to a webinar about what makes what you do as a job special. This got me thinking about what I do? I went and looked at my website and reread my strap line “the way to inner peace and calm.” So this is what I do I thought, but what do I mean by that phrase?
Would that make someone who read that on my website think “Yup I want some of that”? I know what I mean when I trot out a few words, however does the other person really know what I mean or am trying to say.
I have traveled my own journey to find my inner peace and calm however I do wonder having listened to this lecture if people understand what I mean by my little phase and how I might help them to find their own inner calm and peace.
So what does Inner calm and peace mean to me? As a child I was hyperactive tearing around never still for a moment. I was brought up within a stressful family environment with anxiety -ridden parents. I craved peace and would find this only in nature either in the garden or the countryside. I have loved animals from a very young age and I found solace and comfort from their unconditional love. I found my happiness in nature and animals although I did not realize it then that this was my young experience of calm and peace.
“Many people lose the small joys in the hope for the big happiness.”
Inner peace means to me, being able to harness and still the nattering critical thoughts, throw off the judgmental monkey on my shoulder. Ground myself in the present moment so I am able to stay in the reality of the now not in the past or future. To be able to trust in my intuition, to be authentic as the whole person that I am, both the good and flawed parts. The final point, and not always the easiest one is offering myself acceptance and compassion.
For me finding my inner calm is the art of being able manage those things that cause me stress and anxiety. It is also being able to combat the raging emotions within that so often cause conflict both externally and internally. This can be a hard one to tackle especially if you are a feeling person as I am. My emotions can tell me so much if I read and acknowledge them, however, if I allow them to rule and take over life becomes stressful. This is where meditation and mindfulness have been so helpful for me.
“At some point, you got to let go, and sit still, and allow contentment to come to you.”
Elizabeth Gilbert, Eat, Pray, Love
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There is a great deal of talk at the moment in mental health and psychology fields about happiness and how to be happy. It is said that to have happiness you need to find your inner calm. In my case, my inner calm comes from contentment. Happiness can go up and down while contentment for me has stability and is more constant. To be content for me is to be satisfied with who I am and what I have. Staying in the moment helps to reach contentment as you are seeing things in the moment and not running off like a dog chasing rabbits.
“Until you make peace with who you are, you will never be content with what you have.”
If you keep things simple and stay in the moment you can find pleasure in things moment to moment so that you feel satisfied which leads to inner contentment. When we zoom off into our heads this leads to dissatisfaction, raging emotions and unrealistic thinking we lose the simple concept of being satisfied and having just enough.
“Contentment has the ability to squeeze out of every situation all the good there is to get”
This takes me full circle finding my way to “The way to inner peace and calm”. My journey started exploring ways to find peace which led me to training as a therapist and a trainer as my interest grew in the different options. All the therapies, the training courses, blogs in fact everything I offer is to help people find their own path to finding their inner contentment. In reality the path and strategies are simple however it is the motivation, practice, application and repetition that is the hard part. I can be the guide on a journey showing the way and supporting, however the main thing is to have the desire to want that inner calm and peace the rest is an exciting journey into contentment.
“The world is full of people looking for spectacular happiness while they snub contentment.”
DOUG LARSON, attributed, Touchstones: A Book of Daily Meditations for Men
