Why do we need to strive for peace

 The approach to finding inner peace is a lot more important than counting the number of accidental encounters with bliss.Trying to mimic the accidental  experience is not an approach to peace either. A very common narrative that is pushed down our throats is that one will find a sense of balance when one is either fully developed, highly skilled, highly accomplished. This narrative is problematic because it legitimises shame in all the intermediate years that lead up to success or development. Peace is not a destination. Peace is the vehicle of your soul. Body is just the wheels. 

The world around us pushes us to think that we have to earn peace. We say we do not deserve peace until we achieve something in life. We say we deserve to be tormented by the fire of desire and ambition. We want to lose sleep we say. Hence the value of peace in the capitalistic world is invisible. In the capitalistic world peace is synonymous with settling for less and varients of mediocrity. Hence, 

We approach peace in a hierarchical way. Peace being, the goal at the end of all our materialistic must haves.

I would argue that, peace and balance is a prerequisite to handle our everyday stressors, hassles, changes and demands of our life. Thus, it is important to strive for it. Peace takes time but it's pursuit keeps us centered in the sanctum of our being. It's pursuit only makes us more aware of ourselves. 

When we are aware of how the different aspects of the world affects us very intimately, we take steps to protect ourselves. In the process, we make space for ourselves.

What does it mean to make space for ourselves? To make space for ourselves is to allow our personhood to take full shape. Vague isn't it? Let me explain myself. REPEAT after me. We are not our roles, we are not our status, we are not our relationships, we are not our essays,projects and ideas. What are we then you ask? We are idiosyncratic. We are care craving creatures. We want to feel the fruits of our labour. We want to taste the brilliance of our essence. But when we attach our self worth to a role, or a job, or a product of our labour we make ourselves vulnerable to self devaluation. Your work, your duties and your quality will vary depending upon many factors. The variation in performance is natural but such variation should not make you feel differently about who you are as a person. 

Roles demand certain values out of you. All values are defined in absolute terms. There is no end to satisfying these expectations.You can be the best option among options that work for you. 

Peace is not something you can achieve by hustling for a world that has an abyss for a mouth. Peace is not achieved by success satisfaction. Peace is achieved when there is a sense of contentment with yourself. 

Contentment is not mediocrity. Read it again. Contentment is  acceptance of what you did, of the learning you had, the genius of your mind and hands that did it.

Contentment is not settling for less. It is accepting yourself for who you are as of today and acknowledging all that you did to get here.It is counting all the "rights" all the "highs" and maintaining motivation. Self deprivation is equal to demotivation. 

Motivation and peace 

When you are motivated, you are not worried about the future. You are not worried about "the how of everything" you have to do. Motivation inspires you to move. Movement gives you confidence.  

Peace can be achieved when your motivation is maintained. Peace is a product of self assurance. Peace is a product of detangling yourself from the many filters that the world will have you believe, is you. You are not those filters. 

Why peace? 

Most people say why do I need peace at this age. The Indian culture will have you believe you need peace towards the fag end of your life. It will have you believe youth is meant to slack off and be chaotic and egoistic. It will make you want to postpone peace. 

 You need peace to taste, smell and feel your brilliance. You need peace to celebrate yourself. You need peace to appreciate oppurtunity  in challenge. You need peace to be centered in yourself. 

Peace is not enlightenment it is a quality of the mind. - headspace. 

Peace is a balanced state of mind. Where one is able to skillfully interpret tasks as doable or not realistically. Peace is the ability to stop doing something without feeling like cessation of a certain work is cutting down an essential part of who you are. Peace is understanding you are more than all that. You are more. Peace is being grateful for every question and every method and every happy coincidence that has led up to this moment. 

Life is complex, ambiguous,ever changing and unfair. Everyday must be an attempt to bring yourself home to yourself. Coming back home physically is hardly it. 

Coming back to yourself means you have to have a you to come back to. A you that is that is spacious, well defined in its own terms. A fragrant home. A warm home. It's only when you come back home can you go back to war,work,study. If you don't come back to yourself. The "you" in you gets robbed. Just like your house would get robbed if you never check in often enough. 

Come home.

Fin.