World Inner Peace Day was March 21, WIPD has been a success in over 51 countries and it continues to grow each year.
So what is World Inner Peace Day? What is the importance?
Today's world is so full of conflict and divisions. It is impossible to achieve peace globally if we do not find it within ourselves first. Finding peace in oursleves is a major step towards making the world a better place for all of us to live. With this in mind, WIPD is exactly what it sounds like. It is the effort of over 51 countries and about 3,200,000 people to experience inner peace at the same time.
How do you start to find inner peace?
In a previous article, which can be found here, I mentioned the importance of yoga and feeling present in your life. In addition to meditation, here are some things you can do do be more at peace with yourself.
Accept what is
There is only so much we can affect. We need to accept what we cannot change and what we cannot influence no matter what. I notice that so many people, myself included at times, stress over things that are completely out of our control. Why worry about something that all the worrying in the world will not change? Why care about what other people think of us when we’re not even sure what it is they are actually thinking? Once you open yourself to this fact, and start accepting what you can not change, you automatically relieve yourself of a mountain of stress and anxiety. It’s like a huge weight has been lifted from your shoulders.
Spend time in nature
We spend so much time confined inside buildings that we quickly forget where we come from. It is natural for us to be in nature, and this is why it feels so good and it is so peaceful when you take a walk in a park or bike on a trail in the forest. A spot that I personally find peace in are the running trails near my home. If you feel overwhelmed, try taking a walk outside where there are tons of trees and it feels far from the city. Be there and just enjoy the sights, the sounds, and the peace.
Learn the power of a smile
Whenever you are laughing or smiling, something interesting happens. Not only does something happen on a chemical level to make you feel better, but it also stops all stress and negativity from entering your psyche. A simple smile can make such a difference. For example, the other day I dropped a dish, breaking into a million pieces, creating a big mess. Now, I could have been angry with myself for being clumsy and thinking “here’s another reason why life sucks!”. But I did the opposite. I began to smile and kind of make fun of myself for not being able to hold on to that plate. As I cleaned up the mess, there was no bitterness or anger. As a matter of fact, I did it with a smile on my face…I did it with peace. So whenever you find yourself in a similar predicament, just think of the silver lining, and don’t be afraid to make fun of yourself. You will quickly realize that peace finds its way much more easily to you when you smile.
Think outwardly
What I mean by this is that most of the time, we are so consumed within our own lives that we no longer see the bigger picture. Therefore, it helps to remind ourselves how big the world is. Take a moment and read up about some other countries and cultures. Be aware that the world does not revolve around your problems. I usually notice that when I hear about a tsunami or an earthquake killing hundreds of thousands of people on the other side of the world, my problems aren’t really “problems”. Looking beyond ourselves is very important in finding peace and it leads me to my next point.
Care about others
You will never find peace only worrying about your own needs and wants. When you begin to genuinely care about other people, so much goodness comes right out. It can be people close to you or pure strangers, but any act of kindness and goodwill eases your way towards peace. When I help other people, I stop focusing solely on my problems and realize that my life isn’t so bad after all. This rids my entire being of all the stress and feelings of overwhelm. There is so much peace in thinking and caring about other people, which we often forget when we are too focused our own selfish ways.
Keep learning
One thing that provides me with stress in life is the fact that I always worry about not having all the answers. Just accepting that you do not know everything, and that you are open to always keep learning is a tremendous step towards achieving inner peace. I find joy in learning all kinds of different things, and just being aware that I am growing as a person each and every day makes me more at peace. Accept that life is one big journey of never-ending learning and you will find yourself closer to experiencing true peace within yourself.
Live in the present moment
Most of the time, what we worry about is relating to something either in the past, or something that hasn’t happened. Living in the present moment erases all of these thoughts. Why worry about something in the past that we cannot ever change? (see point #1, accept what is). Why worry about something that we are not even sure will happen or not? This is why in the present moment, you find your true inner peace. In the present moment, there are no problems and no concerns. There is only stillness, and it is within that stillness that you can uncover peace. I used to be the person that worried all the time, to the point where I had trouble sleeping. Once I learned to live in the present moment, I stopped thinking about the past and any potential future, and just worried about being ever-present in each and every moment. My life has definitely been more peaceful since then!
