Three Factors of Peace

Hey Friend

The opposite of last week occurred this week. I got rejected on two proposals. I like getting accepted a whole lot more! The other big event was a downpour of snow. We accumulated almost a foot in less then 24 hours. Honestly, it was less then 12 hours. It started around 6pm and the next morning we were blanketed.

It's a little different in Minnesota. I went to the grocery store early Saturday afternoon in preparation for the blizzard. The store was full of people. But not like the world was going to end and this might be our last time to ever buy toilet paper or bread again, so let's stock up for a decade. There weren't that many empty shelves and no one seemed exceptionally frantic. It was nice.

In my former great state of Oklahoma, if 3-4 inches of snow was forecast it was definitely a sign of the demise of civilization as we know it. On the rare occasion, when such a forecast was delivered, you could see the vacancy in the eyes of those shopping, literally pondering the apocalypse, and emptying every shelf!

The power of preparedness is something. The peace and assurance that comes from knowing that regardless of how big and scary the storm is, we'll get through it relatively unscathed, is wild. What a gift to be given. How many different areas of life can we say that? How many different ways can we give that to others or another?

PEACE ON EARTH

It's too big of an ask, isn't it? Since before I was born, that phrase was aligned with Christmas. From beauty pageants to concert halls, those on stages have been pronouncing their desire to see it realized. Movie stars to award winners, the creatives have harkened for it's realization. Unfortunately, with not much success.

The irony that this idea is channeling through me in this moment in time, with the events of the world at play, seems almost silly. Despite global calamity, we individually long to have our hearts settled by peace. 

A new mom navigating sleepless anxiety mixed with big love and fear. A couple with continues friction. An individual experiencing deep disappointment. Parents of teenagers. Small business owners trying to make payroll. A new manager holding onto integrity. Employees overwhelmed with pressure. We need peace in our personal worlds. 🌎

MINDSHIFT

What if you did whatever you could to provide peace for someone else this week?

THREE FACTORS

What even is peace? It can't be certainty that things won't change. Or confidence that unexpected consequences will be positive. We can't fake it. People have very little of it, but everyone seems to want more of it. Dictionary.com has 10 different definitions. The first four are between two people or groups thereof. The next four are about freedom and tranquility. Number nine is stillness and #10, a play.

The state of our meaningful relationships, where we're constricted and our level of rest, are the determining factors. When those three are level-set positive, we're at peace. If we're lacking, we know where to focus. Sure, sure, you might have already been able to tell me you're lacking peace because of a relationship or minimal sleep. But if that were really the case, then wouldn't you have already done something about it?

MINDSHIFT

What if you went all in on resolving, restoring or accepting one of the three factors to increase your Peace Quotient?

ACCEPTANCE

I imagine you have done something, but it didn't produce the result you wanted. That's what's beautiful about our soul. If we're at odds with someone and they don't want to reconcile, our brains can "let them go" and access to peace opens. Making others do what we want them to do, is impossible. So, our best option is acceptance. When we forego accepting reality, we become our own source of anti-peace. Bummer.

Freedom to choose empowers peace to flourish.

We are not bound by the limitations of our past or the uncertainty of the future. The freedom to imagine, create and trust opens up as much peace as we can manage.

My delightful wife and I are at the beginning stage of mattress hunting. Every night we don't get good sleep creates an unnecessary climb back to peace in the morning. We'll take any recommendations you have. 

Minnesota snowplows bring peace. They seem to embody the Three Factors. We can count on them. We don't have to do it. It's being done literally while we sleep. Let's get as many different metaphorical snowplows working in our lives so we can maximize peace, even in the craziest storms!

SHIFTING

I hope this week you clearly identify within the three factors where your peace is being held hostage and do something about it. We may not get peace on earth, but we can get it in our own world. #ShiftAway