When Life Is Hard, Talk To Yourself

If your ultimate goal is to find inner peace, we're on the same boat. 

I finally found it last night, during a self-talk. 

Peace is when you stop chasing, look around, and embrace the moment. Peace is in the here and the now.

You may have read or heard this already. Wisdom is free on the internet. But knowing the truth alone can't help you escape suffering. Peace takes practice.

It takes practice to quickly return to the present and find peace when life feels chaotic. Peace is a skill to be builded. 

That's why Zen Masters are called masters. A simple exercise is as follows: 

Make time to listen to what your nervous mind has to say when life gets rough. Listen to its worries and fears, with understanding and love. Talk out loud or write down the conversation.

Your mind is your friend. What do you tell a friend who is scared, frustrated, or sad? Validate her feelings. Let her know she's accepted and loved. Remind her that she's fine right now. Here's what I told myself last night:

"I hear you. I love you and I will do everything I can to help you realize your dream of moving away. You are doing very very well. Keep going. But remember to take breaks. As your feelings have become overwhelming, you need rest immediately. Stay here. Look around you. Feel your surroundings. Don't you see that you are so fine? Nothing is hurting you. Right now you're safe. Allow yourself to rest in the present everyday so you won't burn out again. You will figure out how to stay Zen, one day. You're 24, just a beginner in resolving these emotional crises. Learning takes time. When you ever feel this way again, I'm always here to listen and help."

If you can talk to yourself with patience and love, you can do the same when talking to others.

Imagine if everyone could communicate with compassion, talking to a storekeeper could feel healing like to a therapist. That's the world I'm visioning.

Be here more.

Be at peace.