“Inner Peace!” Inner Peace!!” “Inner Peace!!!” – Remember who said these and where? Well, these are the words of frustration uttered by our famous Kung Fu Panda – Po. Well we all have seen the movie and its sequels stashed it away in our mind as a children's movie, that was fun, and that’s all it was. Well surprise, surprise - here I am talking about it in a blog meant to create self-awareness and whatnots. So why was Po wanting to find inner peace? What was so special about it? How many of us relate to the frustration and helplessness of not being at peace ‘inside’?
And WHAT is Inner Peace?
It simply means being calm, having inner harmony and not having any disturbing or distracting thoughts. The mind can stay calm and composed in every situation. So is it for the hermits and the monks, you may ask. Well, no. you need not have to give up your lifestyle and retire to the Himalayas to pray and meditate all day long. You can attain Inner Peace living an ordinary, regular life consisting of a job, a family and fulfilling other responsibilities. As the name suggest, it's not governed by external circumstances – everything is within.
Now you may ask WHY do I need to have Inner Peace?
Well, all of us desire Inner peace, even though we may not be aware of it. We all can go through our lives not knowing what it is. However, once you attain inner peace, there’s no going back. Your life becomes more peaceful, less chaotic. There’s more control of the inside (which is the emotions not going haywire) which transcends to the outside. Peace of mind goes hand in hand with happiness and we are all responsible for our own happiness. If you keep waiting for someone to make you happy – well, it's gonna be a long wait. Having Inner Peace gives you a lot of self-acceptance and the permissions to make and live with your mistakes. This is the biggest step towards self-love.
Understanding that you do not have all the answers and be okay with it – is what being at peace with oneself is all about. Once yo are open to that idea the universe will find a way of getting you the answers you really need and do away with the unnecessary chatter. Your inner peace will radiate from inside and your entire demeanor changes, towards yourself, and towards others. You have more confidence to be comfortable in your own skin, without worrying about what you’ve said or how you look from other peoples’ perspectives. You will no longer carry the burden of meeting up to the expectations of others around you. Not because you mean disrespect to them, but because you respect yourself a bit much. The breaking of these shackles is very liberating.
And if all these aren’t reasons enough there are other fringe benefits like –
Being more tolerant and patient
Being more grounded and stable, emotionally
Being able to enjoy bliss and happiness
Being able to have a positive mindset
Improves your relationships with people
Increases ability to get effective resolutions
Improves the ability to meditate (be still)
Eliminates stress and anxieties and worries
Being less distracted and calmer
Keeps you focused on your goals
Well, you get the drift, right?
So HOW does one achieve inner peace?
Finding inner peace for yourself is a not-so-difficult task to be done for yourself. You just have to follow some of the following tips which will lead you to a peaceful life.
Remember your own worth: Remember that you are worthy and you deserve all the happiness possible. Remember all your good happenings, the victorious moments, the successful time, your favorite memories, and affirm them to yourself. This will help you avoid self-criticism and you will stop doubting yourself. Keep in mind to appreciate yourself in every way possible.
Listen to yourself: Avoid doing things without your will. Listen to your own heart and do what you enjoy or something that provides calmness to your heart. Taking a permanent break from faking yourself just for the sake of other people’s acceptance is the healthiest thing you can do for your peaceful life.
Distant the Toxic people: Distancing the toxic people from yourself will help you stay peaceful. Don’t let their behavior bother peace. Distancing them from yourself is important in order to maintain your inner peace.
Meditate Regularly: Meditation is one of the main and important habits of people living a peaceful life. It maintains mental as well as physical health. Meditation has the energy to keep you calm and to lead a peaceful life.
The power of forgiveness: Hate, regret, and grudges towards other people and yourself are very useless and negative feelings that contribute to making you feel more stressed and unhappy. Forgiveness is the greatest gift you can give, mainly because it will help you get rid of unnecessary stress and anger from your life. let go of resentment for others, not because they deserve it, but because you deserve it.
Well, Po tried it by screaming in frustration because he thought it was some technique he had to learn as his Kung Fu mastery. He didn’t realize it's something he needs to find on the inside. He pushes and pushes and struggles to conquer his enemies. Only when he finds Inner Peace (a place of forgiveness & acceptance) is he able to dance as Master Schifu did.
“When we have inner peace, we can be at peace with those around us. When our community is in a state of peace, it can share that peace with neighboring communities.”