SoulFULLY Living Issue #101 - Summer Greetings!

5 Indisputable Reasons to Make ‘Inner Peace’ Your Predominant Way of Being

When you get sucked into the vortex of inner turmoil, how long does it take you to return to your “peaceful power?” Perhaps the bigger question is, “what is it costing you when you’re not resting in inner peace? How does any version of “inner turmoil” (subtle irritation or big stress) impact your life?

There are countless reasons to invite Inner Peace as your lifestyle. Inner peace is the foundational key to realizing the most valued aspects of life.

1. Key to Health and Well-Being. The mirror opposite of inner peace is STRESS. Countless studies reveal how stress accelerates virtually every disease (cancers, diabetes, asthma, acne, etc). It exacerbates infertility challenges, increases sexual impotence and feeds pain. Stress also ages us more quickly, and interferes with our well-being. Over-eating is clearly associated with underlying angst. I see this in myself. Have you ever noticed the correlation between your state of being and your food choices? When I’m enjoying inner peace, I naturally make healthier food choices including veggie smoothies for breakfast, luscious salads for lunch, and lean proteins incluing fish and chicken with vegetables for dinner.

When emotional turbulence rises, I notice how automatically I reach for macaroni and cheese or other “comfort foods.” (This is a great clue for my husband that something is off!) The greater inner peace you have in your life, the greater health and well-being you get to enjoy.

2. Key to Thriving Relationships. Show me a person struggling to access inner peace, and I guarantee they are struggling in their relationships. It makes sense, doesn’t it? Law of Attraction tells us, “If you’re not at peace, you’ll either attract someone who mirrors your non-peaceful state of being or attract no one at all.” If you’re in a relationship, how does stress, overwhelm or inner turmoil impact your relationship? What tone of voice arises? How loving and affectionate are you when your inner peace quotient is low or non-existent? How does your state of being affect arguments or disagreements? The more inner peace you have, the easier it is to attract the love of your life, and the easier it is to naturally create a thriving relationship. When you’re at peace, listening with compassion, understanding your partner and creatively co-creating solutions happens effortlessly.

3. Key to Happiness. Isn’t life ultimately about fulfillment and happiness? Inner peace and happiness are close cousins. Without inner peace, you may temporarily find moments of happiness, but authentic happiness remains out of reach. When given a choice, would you rather feel good or feel bad? Seems like a silly question. However, the overwhelming majority of people continue to settle for “feeling bad.” If you’re not choosing “inner peace,” by default you’re consciously or unconsciously choosing against happiness.

4. Key to Success. Some people believe success brings inner peace. But, the opposite is true. Peaceful people create success for themselves.

Why? Because when inner peace is your predominant way of being, you’re tapped into a source of power guiding your choices, keeping you on top of your game and doing things in “flow.” Have you ever noticed how successful people seem to do things effortlessly? It’s because they are aligned with their sense of purpose, authenticity and inspired action. And, all that is more easily accessible when inner peace is your predominant state of being.

NOTE: Inner peace is neither sufficient nor necessary for success. However, doesn’t it make sense…when you have inner peace, whatever you’re doing comes more easily and naturally? You’ll achieve success by flowing with life, rather than fighting it.

This Joseph Campbell passage speaks to this point. “Following Your Bliss” and inner peace are synonymous here.

5. Key to Enlightenment. More and more people feel drawn to the path of “enlightenment.” Are you one of them? Enlightenment comes through the process of stilling the mind and accepting “what is” without resistance. It’s about stripping away anything interfering with true inner peace. If you want to ultimately experience enlightenment for yourself, become curious about anything disrupting your inner peace. As you investigate and transcend these culprits, the more inner peace becomes your predominant way of being. The same principles allowing inner peace as your predominant way of being are the same principles that lead to enlightenment. It may be an enjoyable bonus.