Protecting your Peace Bubble

"Learn to walk away from people and situations that threaten your peace of mind, self-respect, values, morals or self-worth.” 

Hi everyone! I hope we had a great week this past week and were able to learn one or two things. If you didn't then please be encouraged, you're alive today and can make a new start toward next week, God-willing. You can think back on how the week went and note down one or two things that did not go as planned or mistakes that were made and choose to use them as learning opportunities ahead of next week. 

Randomly, but not so randomly speaking, I think one of the most important things that I learned about life and happiness this past week was in the deaths of Anthony Bourdain and Kate Spade who took their lives by suicide (google is your best friend). I mean these were hugely successful people who brought joy and light to the world and quite alot of people have given their testimonials on them, but apparently they were still unhappy with all the money, power and fame. Just shows that these demons that we constantly battle are no respecter of wealth or influence...And sometimes, we assume that people are happy because they appear happy and seem like they've got their lives figured out...sometimes we might look at these people and think "oh what can I offer this person that he/she does not already have?" But there's alot you can offer them. Perhaps if we paid more attention to what their lips are not saying and what their eyes are desperately trying to tell us then we might be able to help or encourage someone.  A word or two of encouragement to another person or a smile can really go a long way in that person's world unknown to us. 

As you read this blog right now, quite a number of people around you may be fed up with life, going through chronic depression and just about thinking of giving up, asking themselves if there's anything left to live for. It might even be you reading feeling this way. Please, please, please don't give up. The world needs you. It can get better and it will get better. Also, try to speak to someone and if there's no one you can send an email in the blog profile.

So this morning, think of someone you can reach out to and encourage, perhaps drop an encouraging text message or call up a loved one or friend and see how they're doing....let them know you care. It's not enough to assume that "they know". When you go out today, do something nice for a stranger, hold a door open, or just have a nice smile on your face. You don't know how far a kind word or two can go...or even just a smile. Just thought to put that out there.

On the title of the blog today, this is one major thing I've been learning a lot from..about protecting my peace bubble. I've been learning a few things from the books I'm reading and from certain experiences I've had through out the past few months. Our emotions are so tricky that they seem like mere emotions which are just a part of us, but believe me, they are so so powerful that tif not controlled, can destroy you. A single act in anger or depression can end your life..literally.

We all have metaphoric peace bubbles which we find ourselves where we're most at peace, sometimes even happy but just in a state where we are at peace, unbothered by what may be happening outside of us. Sometimes, things may be going awry, but at the end of the day we have that inner most peace. Honestly, I'm learning that peace of the human mind is one of the greatest gifts God has given to mankind and it will interest you to know that it is not tied to the amount of money you have. 

I know that most of us can relate when I say I'm alright with just God and me but having to relate with other humans could be dicey or being in situations that require that you relate with other humans ;either in friendships, relationships, with family, work, school or even strangers! And sometimes, you find yourself in situations where your peace bubble and peace of mind could be threatened...but what can we do to protect this precious gift?

In protecting my peace bubble, I'm learning not to take things personal, to see the innocence in people's behaviour and to stay away from any form of negativity. In not taking things personal, I've realized that so much emotional energy is expended when you take other peoples opinions personally and to heart. It's their opinion of you, of the world, of a celebrity, of the state of the country, of whatever...their opinion does not define you (as my colleague at work would say) and you don't have to accept it or argue it out with them till you're sweating so much, you burn 600 calories. Even if someone makes a comment about your weight, height, appearance or clothes, you can choose either to let it get to you in a negative way or you can decide not to take it personally. You can just...chill. As human beings sometimes we try to enforce our opinions on other people, not caring what their views are.

In seeing the innocence in peoples behaviour and staying away from any form of negativity, I'm learning especially when it comes to strangers that it's okay to let things go and not call out every stranger that probably insults me, is rude to me, acts mean to me or tell them why I'm right. If someone cuts you off while you're driving let him go. If someone yells at you, don't yell back, just smile. They might think you're crazy but you would have protected your peace bubble and remained in a calm place. You would not have given them so much power as to determine your mood and put you in a place of anger and bitterness. I'm also learning to pull myself from any negative thoughts or comments that may come into my head or come to me so that I'm constantly at peace and only thinking of positive things.

Remember, the moments we allow our peace bubbles get poked and punctured by people, foreign sharp objects and different circumstances are moments that we can never get back. All that would be remembered of that moment was how we lost our cool and got upset, or how we were saddened by a random comment made by a stranger on the road. 

Protect your peace bubble daily.

Have a great day!

Picture source: the quiet revolution