Y’all gon make me lose my mind! An ode to finding peace and keeping it.

If you read the title and didn't finish it with “up in here, up in here”… you’re too young. Word to DMX- I get it now.

Remaining peaceful when you feel like you're about to lose your mind is perhaps one of the most difficult things to do.

We spend so much time on the search for peace. as if it’s some prized elixir found on the top shelf at target.

NOPE

I believe that most people have this image of peace where everything around them appears still. no raging waters but, soft flowing water. no erratic winds but, calm cooling breeze. no dark cloudy skies but, clear blue skies. like a beautiful sunny day on the beach with no one to bother you and all the amenities you desire to be comfortable.

I'd like to argue that peace is the complete opposite.

While those instances do have elements of peace, they only provide temporary enjoyment.

picture this: you come home from a long day at work and your air conditioner is broken. it’s the middle of the summer and a technician wont be out to fix the air for another 2 days. your mother calls you with news that your father is ill. your friend calls you with their personal drama and dilemmas that seem to never end. you sit down to check the mail only to realize that your credit card bill is past due and to top it all off, you have to return to work the next day and deal with micro aggressions from your coworkers.

you light a candle and turn on the ‘soothing rain’ playlist in attempt to zen out.

perhaps you even pour a glass of wine or light a blunt to smoke. you do what you feel is necessary to achieve your perception of peace.

this is real life for a lot of people.

however, true peace isn’t found in a certain setting. true peace isn’t found that first sip of stella rosa black or in the flickering of the flame of your favorite candle. it isn’t in the sound of the ‘soothing rain’ playlist.

true peace is found in the midst of calamity. it is being totally aware of the situation, problem or issue and not allowing it to change your disposition or attitude.

having true peace is acknowledging your presence in the moment and consciously deciding to remain calm.

you achieve true peace by accepting what it is and using what is in your ability to change what you can. true peace is finding serenity within yourself. once you understand that we are all spiritual entities going through a temporary human experience, you will be able to find peace within the things and situations that should be bothering you.

there are so many people that turn to external sources to try to find peace when really, peace can only be found within YOU.

we get to a peaceful state of being through God. the result of prayer and meditation is supplication from the Most High. God is able to provide His perfect peace that surpasses all understanding. That is the spiritual component. Being consciously aware of the human experience is then, understanding that you have to WORK to maintain the peace that you find. It won’t be easy. People will try you (usually right after you find peace) and situations will [seemingly] change for the worse. It’s just a test.

There are many people who light candles, play music, turn to drugs or alcohol in search of finding peace. the truth is that you can do all of these things and your soul will still be disturbed. that’s because it’s not true peace. those things offer a momentary feeling of fulfillment while leaving you feeling empty afterwards.

Dig deep within yourself to find calmness in the midst of life’s storms. The waters around you may be raging but the blood that pumps through your veins is like the calm serene sound of a gentle stream. focus on the good when you’re surrounded by adversity. search internally for all that you need.

take time to figure things out. breathe deeply. seek intrinsically. hear the voice. heal the void. feel the real. repeat.

-B♥️