How to Realize Peace and Return to it

There are always blogs and articles showing up online that talk about peace — ways to find it, keep it, or even buy it. But peace isn’t one size fits all. One person’s peace is another person’s pain in the butt. So, allow me to join the rest of the internet and provide my two cents — 1) Everyone has their own version of peace, and 2) It can also be something that exists outside of us, like the air we breathe.

Realize Your Version of Peace

What is peace to you? The concept of peace has been commercialized in a million little ways (e.g., sipping a cold beer, lounging by the pool, more money, camping, a spa day, etc.), and that’s not to say that there can’t be peace in those things. However, I think it can be helpful to frame things differently. Instead of asking yourself what your version of peace is, try asking these questions:

• When do you feel the most alive?
• When do you feel the most energized?
• When do you feel the most connected??

Maybe, for you, you feel most alive, energized, and connected when you’re watching your kid play soccer. Maybe you feel these things when you’re walking around the neighborhood with your dog. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you feel most alive at work. No matter what your version of peace looks like, it’s no more or less valuable than anyone else’s, and it’s OK to pursue it.?

Return to Peace like a Place

I also find that it helps to think of peace as something that exists outside of ourselves. In my opinion, though I would love to hear from others, the access points or entryways to peace are through the body. When you can tap into your senses, you can find space for peace. Being into your body vs. getting stuck in negative thought patterns and loops or even pleasant daydreams requires you to notice what you hear, feel, see, smell, and taste.?

If you want to drop down into your body, try sensory oriented things like sucking on an ice cube, doing a big stretch, sipping on some tea, enjoying the scent of a favorite candle, or listening to the soft, sometimes imperceptible white noise going on around you all the time (cars, birds, coffee house chit-chat). Stop trying so hard to pursue peace; instead, notice it and return like a destination.

You deserve peace, I truly believe we all do. Promise me that the next time it seems unattainable or inconvenient to pursue, pause and remind yourself that it already exists all around you, and the access can be as simple as noticing your five senses or engaging in something you naturally love to do.