In last weeks article titled, “The Key to Being Present”, I explained how being present revolves around being in a state of peace. The question I then received was, “how does one achieve peace?” I thought it was a valid question so I decided to share with you thethree solutions that work for me.

Control: Ourselves is the only aspect we have control of in this world, yet we often function otherwise. We attempt to excerpt control over other people, places or things. “He or she won’t do what I say.” “I want it here now, but it’s over there.” “Do it the way that I told you and we’ll all be fine.” These are just a few expressions of control to which we might relate. This can be disturbing to our peace, because ultimately, we don’t have control. Yes! We may sometimes have the illusion of control, but not actual control. To maintain peace, we mustn’t focus on controlling the situation, but rather on controlling ourselves in the situation.

Acceptance: This doesn’t mean that I become complacent with where I am. It means that I find contentment. One of my favorite quotes is, “There is thin line between contentment and complacency. Contentment is accepting where you are while complacency is choosing to stay there.” Acceptance helps us remain in a state of peace while continuing on a chosen path.

Detachment: What do I have to lose? At least in my experience, this has been one of the tougher challenges to overcome. We become attached to people, houses, cars and other things we consider to be our rightful possessions. The fear of loss of any of these things can drive us crazy. If we’re not careful, it can become the driving force behind all that we do. When this happens, we lose our peace because we’re constantly functioning in a state of loss aversion. I’m not saying to become a Monk and denounce all possessions. However, to achieve peace, we must free ourselves from attachment. Even while me may have and enjoy people, places or things, we must accept that they may not always be available to us so we don’t constantly worry about them.

These are the three keys I’ve found to achieving peace in my life. I hope you’ll find them useful in yours.

Eric L. Lipsey

President

Phoenix Business Development

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