Self-Care Practices for Peace

Wars, earthquakes, violence, and more. Every day we are exposed to potential peace stealers that can damage our worldview. If we are going to live out our purpose for a given season, we need to take care of our minds, bodies, and souls.

It can feel impossible to cope with daily tasks when we're not at peace. The moment we realize we're not at peace is the moment we can choose to take a step in the right direction. After all, awareness is the beginning of change.

Being at peace is like being in a loud room and staying calm; getting stuck in traffic and focusing on the rise and fall of the breath; or facing financial hardship and focusing on the raw materials God gives us to make something beautiful.

In this blog post, you are encouraged to reflect on what brings you peace in our chaotic world so that you can do more of that.

The last time you were at peace

When was the last time you felt calm in a difficult environment? Maybe you were anticipating for things to get tough at the time and then rose to the occasion. It is possible you were at peace because you accepted things as they are and let go of whatever wasn't serving you.

It's likely that this was a difficult question to answer, but don't get discouraged. The best answer might come at a later time when you're not so focused on reading.

When you have the answer to this question in mind, try to think about what helped you be at peace at that moment. Maybe it was a thought, saying, person, item, or way of being. Remember what helped you be at peace in a hard position and express gratitude for that (this will make it stick).

Your earliest peaceful memory

If you were to take a trip to your past, when was the first time you felt at ease (that you remember)? This could be another thought-provoking question for you and it's designed to help you see your development as a peaceful person. It might be good to get help from someone that has known you for a long time, if you can, to answer this question.

Because of our survival instinct, it's always easier to remember times when we felt threatened and not at peace. When I think of answering this question, I think of a baby picture I have where it looks like I'm meditating. It was taken at my grandparents' house and that is a place where I generally feel at peace. Looking at childhood pictures or mementos might be helpful too in answering this question.

After you have this early memory in mind, think about what it could mean for you now. Maybe you decide to do more of what helped you feel at peace in childhood, like playing. Maybe you think it's a great idea to spend more time with someone from your past that made you feel at ease. Consider writing this down in a journal or putting it in your calendar for when you need to tap into peace.

Your happy place

Where do you go when you need to take a break? When we get asked the question about happy places we tend to think of somewhere exotic, but it doesn't always have to be this way.

Happy places are peaceful places. You can access them with your imagination or in real life depending on what you're thinking.

My happy place lately has been my room. This is where I practice self-care, rest, read, and reflect. Hopefully, you've had some time to think about what helped you be at peace in the recent past and what you want to do more of from your childhood that helped you be at peace. The key to making these reflections work is to find a way to apply them when needed.

The last step would be to be intentional about your happy place. Set a date with yourself to go to your happy place at a time when you know you're going to be tense, uneasy, or overwhelmed. Remember, when I say happy place I'm referring to your place for taking breaks, not some inaccessible place you can't really go to when needed. Simplicity is best when we want to be at peace.

In Summary

Reflecting on what has helped you be at peace in the past can help you be at peace in the present. It's important to be proactive about what you remember to make it work when you need to be at peace. Take these questions with you, journal about them, or talk about them with someone. Enhanced awareness is key when we want to change.

When was the last time you felt calm in a difficult environment?

If you were to take a trip to your past, when was the first time you felt at ease (that you remember)?

Where do you go when you need to take a break?

Wishing you all the best in your journey of discovery,

Yerika