Peace

Thought for the Day, from Hazelden Betty Ford’s Language of Letting go excerpt:

Peace

Anxiety is often our first reaction to conflict, problems, or even our own fears. In those moments, detaching and getting peaceful may seem disloyal or apathetic. We think: If I really care, I'll worry; if this is really important to me, I must stay upset. We convince ourselves that outcomes will be positively affected by the amount of time we spend worrying.

Our best problem-solving resource is peace. Solutions arise easily and naturally out of a peaceful state. Often, fear and anxiety block solutions. Anxiety gives power to the problem, not the solution. It does not help to harbor turmoil. It does not help.

Peace is available if we choose it. In spite of chaos and unsolved problems around us, all is well. Things will work out. We can surround ourselves with the resources of the Universe: water, earth, a sunset, a walk, a prayer, a friend. We can relax and let ourselves feel peace.

Our Take: The idea that peace is a choice is a powerful one. It allows us the chance to have control over our own emotional reactions to the circumstances we face every day. Life can be chaotic and overwhelming, but we can choose to allow ourselves to feel peace while the world spins around us. We can choose to not fuel the anxiety and pressures we place by allowing our worries to shrink through acceptance. Today, we hope you give yourself the chance to feel peace even for just a moment.

Thought for the Day | Daily Meditation | Hazelden Betty Ford