How to Be at Peace No Matter What
There is an unspoken belief in the world that suffering is required. If something that we deem as bad happens, then we must respond in a particular way. We must get angry, be upset, get revenge, hold grudges, and more. That is a myth that must be released by anyone who desires inner peace. The truth is: suffering is optional. While we cannot control the circumstances and people around us, what we can always control is our response to them.
So, how does this work in real life? Let’s say someone runs a red light and hits your car. You are not injured, but your car is totaled. The majority of people would get out of the car with an attitude, would explain the situation to the police officer with a raised voice, and would go on tell everyone they could that day about the terrible, careless person that ran into their car. It would remain on their mind for months as they dealt with the aftermath of the loss of the car, and they would bring it up frequently to all who would listen to their frustration. That is a response rooted 100% in ego, which thrives on playing the victim, and strives to be “right” or better than others at all times.
What is another way this situation could be handled? So, you’re sitting in the car, and have just been hit by the driver that ran the red light. Instead of getting right out of the car, you pause and close your eyes for a minute. You thank God that you are not injured, and pray that all others involved in the accident are okay. You pray for the strength to respond with unconditional love, forgiveness, and peace as you deal with the other driver and the police. Then, you get out of the car to ask the other driver if they are okay – never mentioning whose fault the accident was. That is a response rooted in being the extension of the Love of God that you are.
That’s just one example (one that happens to be a real life experience for me), but there are countless others that prove there are always multiple ways to respond to the people and situations that confront us each day. When we choose to pause, remember in Whose image we were created, and respond in alignment with our True Nature, that is when suffering subsides (or does not arise at all).
I can hear some of you saying, “Yeah, but how? How do I remember in the heat of the moment? I mean, when someone really makes me angry, or does something that hurts me, how can I apply this?” I asked that same question about a year and a half ago when I was sick and tired of being angry, frustrated, unhappy, annoyed, and more, with my day-to-day struggles at work and in parenting my toddlers. I have spent every day since learning from so many amazing spiritual teachers, studying, and applying the teachings in every area of my life.
I have now reached the point where I am consciously aware of the choice that is available to me prior to responding to a given situation. Now, that doesn’t mean I don’t make the wrong choice sometimes, but it does mean that I am acting consciously verses being on reactivity auto-pilot like I was in the past. It is truly freeing to know that I have the power to choose Love at any moment – we all do. What’s even more freeing is knowing that I can share the way to do it with others.
One thing that frustrated me when I first set out on the journey to inner peace was the lack of information on the how. There were a lot of teachers professing the importance of peacefully relating with others or the power of unconditional love, but I always wondered how they actually did it. I’m grateful to have been my own experiment of whether it’s possible to truly live at peace with everyone and everything because it has given me the tools, and specific practices, to recommend and share with others. Not based on theory, but based on successful practical application.
In just two days, the “From Stress to Peace” class launches! I am so excited! If you, or someone you know, are ready to be at peace regardless of the circumstances and people that surround you, then you truly don’t want to miss this class. There is a 10% discount for enrolling with a friend – the more the merrier! Click here to learn more about the program and how to register. Registration closes on May 8th at 12:00pm EST.
I look forward to supporting you on your journey to inner peace!
Keep shining!
~Kandace
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Kandace Jones
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BLOG: http://kandacejones.wordpress.com
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/livinginthelight
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/queenkandace
About the Author: Kandace Jones
I used to live life shackled by fear, doubt, and worry. I put on a happy face while navigating my day-to-day duties, but I was emotionally drained, stressed, and unhappy. When I hit rock bottom, and was diagnosed with depression and anxiety, I was determined to live life differently. I knew there had to be another way. Out of that determination, and guidance from Spirit, the "Living in the Light" blog was born. It documents my spiritual journey out of the darkness and into the Light. After nine months of publicly sharing my journey, and consciously releasing my attachment to the ego, I experienced a powerful spiritual awakening. I went from living in fear, doubt, worry, and stress to complete inner peace. My greatest passion has become assisting others on their own journey to inner peace.
My spiritual memoir, From Stress to Peace: An Intimate Journal on the Journey from Living in Darkness to Living in the Light, is available now on Amazon and BN.com. Click the tabs at the top of the page to learn more about the From Stress to Peace 21-Day Challenge, Living in the Light Retreats, 1:1 sessions, and the Living in the Light Community - all of which are designed to support your journey to inner peace. I appreciate you taking the time to visit the blog and look forward to supporting you in any way I can!