Allow It for Peace

It grows when acceptance is louder than expectation - a quick read.

Ask anyone what they want most in life and they might say, “Happiness and contentment.”

What underlies those two ambitions is peace. Without it, it’s really rather hard to have either.

We don’t ‘arrive’ at peace.

We work towards it.

Not like a carrot on a stick or a mirage up ahead because progress is ‘tangible’ even along the way.

So we can slowly build towards our utopia in a modest yet gratifying fashion. The misconception being - this is linear development - a straight line graph upwards. Rather more like a successful stock with its daily fluctuations but still with overall growth.

The beauty of life is its uncertainty. For tranquillity, we accept that and take the leg-ups along with the haymakers. Then there’s the middle ground of so-so and okay-ness (don’t get me started on Tuesdays…where have all the Tuesdays gone btw?). And unless we’re suffering from chronic pain or grief and we have clear consciousness, isn’t it all good? Well, for now, let’s break it down into good and less-good.

The less good, the bits left on the cutting room floor of social media, we can live with.

Indeed - we have to live with and I see those as two types of road bumps.

Let’s look at them as Tests or Traps.

Tests: these are minor irritations that can happen any day like spilt tea ( I’m a Brit) or appalling driving. (Incidentally anyone driving slower than you is an idiot and anyone driving faster than you is a maniac).

Traps: these adversities are a little more demanding and can seriously kibosh your whole day or week. For example, a huge unexpected bill, an unpleasant incident at work, a loved one’s setback.

Both types of disruption can easily undermine any attempts at cultivating peace.

So what can we do?

Firstly let’s accept that stuff happens and I know you know all this but honestly do we ALWAYS use our insights consistently? I know I don’t.

Ego reacts when wisdom forgets to wait.

For Tests: the minor irritants - just see them for what they are…tests. And by thinking, “This is just here to test me.” Or, “ I can beat this”. That’s usually enough to just allow it and set your thoughts right.

Traps need a little more and often require a little pause or time to respond rather than react.

With traps…Let’s stay centred. Let’s be the calm one. Let’s steer from racing ahead with imagined dire consequences. Dive into your philosophy and dig out any advantages the setback offers and ideally any opportunities.

We’re never given anything that we can’t cope with.

We’re not talking toxic positivity here, simply the homespun practicality of mining all possibilities without going all Pollyanna.

Let’s stick with reality… real reality as opposed to our immediate perception of it.

The good news is peace can begin even before any final outcome.

It can be there before we’ve figured it out.

So long as we’re not overwhelmed by disappointment, we can find it.

We can prevail by balancing circumstances with perspective.

So long as we’re not resisting reality, allowance offers breathing space, possibility, lessons.

Peace is rarely something we uncover thrashing about in the jungle of life. It’s part of the unfolding turmoil when we accept what is true. When we release the need for things to be different and trust reality enough to live completely within it.

Then that’s where we find peace.

When we can find peace right in the middle of it all, even before the conclusion. We’ll know we’re on our way.

Find your own peace.

It’s always patiently waiting.

Leo 💚

(Text 100% human)