I use it as a benediction on my voice mail and when I say goodbye in person. I often sign it in my texts and always in the letters that I send. I have symbols of it in just about every room at my home and office, and it’s always on my holiday cards. It is the one value that remains year after year even as I have grown and changed as an adult.

Peace.

At the top of my values list is peace. It is a meaningful benchmark when making decisions for myself, choosing how to relate to others, and guiding how I want to show up in the world. For me, peace is about connecting with an inner state of quiet or groundedness, cultivating freedom from reaction and connecting to a calm, inner response.

There is significant conflict, violence, and loss in the world, and it may seem like a privilege to talk about peace. But I want to stress that the inner state of peace is important, now more than ever. Accessing peace can help us navigate the pain we encounter in our personal lives and our broader communities while helping us remain connected to what is important to us and our relationships.

I feel hope when I remember that peace can be cultivated, even in the eye of a storm. It is something that can be learned, developed, and practiced and can deepen even when chaos or difficulties prevail. Peace helps us remain attentive to what is happening around us while inviting us to remain in the present moment.

Cultivating Peace

Below are some ideas about how to cultivate peace in your daily lived experience.

Self-Reflection

• Take time to reflect on your values and priorities. This values exercise might help.

• Contemplate how to incorporate your values into the challenges you face in order to increase peace.

Mindfulness and Meditation

• Practice staying present in the current moment.

• Try guided meditation to calm the mind and reduce stress.

Gratitude Practices

• Acknowledge and appreciate positive aspects of the day.

• Bringing this awareness into your daily practice can promote peace.

• Here’s a wonderful site to help you grow gratitude practices.

Acceptance

• Embrace acceptance of things beyond your control.

• Focus on what you can change and let go of what you cannot.

• Learn more about radical acceptance.

Learn to Say No

• Set boundaries and learn to say no when necessary to avoid overcommitting.

• Understand your limits and communicate them to others.

• Learn more about setting boundaries and finding peace.

Nature Connection

• Spend time in nature which promotes a sense of connection with self and earth.

• Learn more about the benefits of spending time in nature.

Self-Compassion

• Be kind and compassionate to yourself.

• Give yourself credit for the ways you are trying in your life

• Learn RAIN, the practice of radical compassion.

Seek Professional Support

• If you are struggling to create peace in your life, seek the help of a therapist, counselor, or life coach.

• There is hope—there is help.

As we end the year 2023 and move through the rituals of holidays, may you find joy as you reflect on what has been and prepare for what lies ahead.

If you need extra support this time of year, please call us at the Center for Vitality and Balance at 630-286-0993. We can discuss how to help you discover the next best steps for you.

Please see our Resources Page for other help lines and support groups.

My deepest wishes for your health, vitality, and balance this season.

In peace
Sandra