Inviting Peace Into Our Daily Lives

I’m here to tell you that the path to peace is right there, when you want to get away. — Pema Chödrön

Success is hard, or at least that’s what we’re told. Whatever the objective is, it tends to involve doing something we don’t want to do. We’ve all heard of parents making kids eat their vegetables. Yet, are we that much different?

We eat foods we don’t enjoy because they’re healthy.
We force ourselves to exercise because it’s good for us.
We make ourselves get up early because we need to be productive.

When we do things we don’t enjoy, our wants conflict with our shoulds and we become at odds with ourselves. We’re like the kid at the dinner table eating vegetables because it’s what we’re supposed to do.

Now think about enjoyable activities. We don’t need any encouragement to watch our favorite TV show or eat our favorite dessert. These things happen because we have a natural desire to do them.

Why do we give our to-do list priority over our peace of mind? Since when did achievement become more important than tranquility?

Tranquility and success do not have to live at opposite ends of the spectrum. Harmony exists when the things we enjoy are also good for us. What does this look like?

I eat healthy fruits and vegetables that I enjoy.
I take walks with family or friends because I love to walk outdoors.
I go to bed early because I like having time in the morning to write.

This path does not guarantee a dull-free life. We may not find a way to enjoy filing our taxes or taking out the trash, and that’s okay. The more we find enjoyment in our daily activities, the easier it’ll be to invite peace into our daily lives.