Creating Peace in the Midst of Chaos

No one would argue that our world is in turmoil. Just pick up a newspaper or turn on the TV for a few minutes and you’ll be blasted with revolutions, violence, military action, earthquakes, tornados, flooding, tsunamis occurring all over the world. Devastation is widespread and according to astrologers, it will continue through 2012. Many civilizations are seeking democracy, which is forcing them into revolution to fight in order to obtain it. Why is so much happening at the same time? The operation of the world, our country and our own lives is no longer working and the very foundation is being rocked, shifting nations as well as individuals into wanting something new and better. Many predict that in a few years, the world as we know it will no longer exist.

You’re probably feeling this chaos in your life right now. There is so much uncertainty in everyone’s life with our present economic situation, the unrest within our own country over illegal immigration, healthcare, rising costs of basic necessities like gas, oil, food and staples, and the horrendous amount of corruption that continues to surface in corporations and government - people who are supposed to be examples of leadership for us. Many individuals have lost jobs, houses, businesses, retirement funds, and the list goes on and on. So how can it be possible to be peaceful in the midst of all that is shifting under our feet right now?

It may seem impossible to you as you’re reading this and thinking of all the changes going on around you at this very moment. As a life coach, I hear the cry for stress relief almost every day, and as a human being, I have to be careful not to step back into the realm of stress, confusion and worry – commonly known as fear - which I worked diligently to move beyond some years ago. So let me share some insights to help you understand how to live a peaceful life no matter what.

I believe there is a Higher Power – God to me – that is in control of our universe. However, we have free will, and when we make choices, we have to accept the outcomes of those choices. If we operate from a base of fear that produces anger, rage, judgment, revenge, greed, we then have to accept results from the same energetic vibration of those choices: war, violence, corruption, chaos, never enough, death. If however, we operate from a base of love – forgiveness, compassion, understanding, truth, appreciation, we will receive a totally different outcome: happiness, serenity, abundance, joy, honesty and harmony.

It is known that different individuals can have a different perception of the same situation. You’ve probably heard that you can see a glass of water half full or half empty – your perception. The one who sees it half full has a positive outlook while the one who sees it half empty is probably operating from lack and fear. Yet both are seeing the same identical glass of water. So basically, this is a foundational principle for creating specific outcomes in your life – how do you see it?

Let’s look at a couple examples. Suppose you just learned you have a disorder or illness. Your first thoughts may be shock, perhaps anger, upset, all understandable at the moment of realization. However, you then have two basic choices: you either get proactive and educate yourself with your situation, visit multiple doctors for more possibilities of treatment, maybe check into alternative ways for healing (always is the best choice for me), talk with God, get friends involved to help support you, and keep a positive outlook, believing you have the capability to heal.

Or you could jump into the victim mode: Why me? What did I do to deserve this? Follow the first thing the doctor tells you thus losing control of your body and health, remain constantly upset, complaining to your friends, feeling like the victim every day. The victim mindset is small and powerless, while the proactive one is empowered and taking charge of his/her situation. It doesn’t mean there are never times of upset, after all we are human, but generally the proactive person stays on top of the situation and remains positive.

Maybe you just received a bill you didn’t expect, and maybe something you don’t feel is correct. How do you react? Do you immediately get upset and rant and rave about it, or do you calmly realize that somehow you’ll get this straightened out and begin calling the proper people to find out more information. If it is something you owe, do you get mad because you feel can never get ahead, or do you realize that somewhere along the line it was a choice you made that has brought this experience to you, and there is a valuable lesson in the middle of it? You see, it’s always about your perception and how you behave about the situation. Which way do you think will give you peace?

Another aspect that if utilized works every time, is simply accepting whatever comes as perfect for you; there’s a reason for it to show up in your life at that particular moment. That’s really hard for many folks when it is an unpleasant experience, but I have seen in my own life and the lives of many of my clients and friends, that when you simply allow life to flow, regardless of what shows up, it works out good in the end. The resistance of an experience is what gets you into trouble. That experience came to you because somewhere along the line you created it from your desires and choices! Hard pill to swallow, isn’t it? Yet it is a truth: we create every single experience in our life from the choices we make.

So if you flow with the circumstance, accepting it as necessary and important in your life, you can relieve the stress and become calm in the midst of the storm, no matter how strong and destructive it may seem. It doesn’t mean you like it; it simply means you accept it and will work through it. In the end, the lesson you learned will make you stronger.

Once you accept it and flow with it, ask for help. This is where surrender comes in. Ask God and the angels to help you get through this and find a resolution. Surrendering frees your energy so that it will not be weighted down with you trying to figure out a solution. I can promise, after experiencing both ways of handling an unpleasant situation, surrendering is the way to go. You simply turn it over to God and go about your life; it will resolve with ease in due time, and you do not have to lift one finger to fix anything. In fact, God and the angels wants you out of the way so they can get busy and help you, but if you’re in the way, trying to fix it all, you slow down the process.

Things happen – life is full of unexpected circumstances, some good and some don’t feel so good. But they are all there for a reason, and once you accept that fact, you can internally calm yourselves and relieve the stress that will otherwise emerge. And stress is destructive in every way, affecting every aspect of your life. However, by first changing your perception to a positive one, accepting the situation as necessary for you, and then surrendering your part in trying to fix it, you can become and remain peaceful no matter what the chaos is in your life. It probably won’t be easy at first, and you may have to make a conscious effort to change the way you see and do things, but the end result will be more than worth it. Why not give it a try today?

Focus on peace every day and take time to meditate as this is very soothing to the soul and calming to the harried, rush here rush there human. But quiet time in and of itself can calm the frazzled life. Play soft, calming music and allow it to soak into your being. You have to actively work on becoming peaceful if you really want it.

Once you’ve surrendered, it’s time to envision exactly what you want your life to look like. Many people never think to do this or perhaps don’t even know they can. If you choose peace, then ask God to show you how to become peaceful. Create the life you want in detail in your mind, and continue to focus on that vision as you wait patiently for it to show up. It will show up if you believe it and continue to envision it!