What does inner-peace mean to you?
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Join Date: May 2013
Location: Rural PA
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What does inner-peace mean to you?
With the July 4th holiday fast approaching (for us in the US) my thoughts have been on what it means to be truly free. I find myself replaying the tapes, so to speak and realizing the bondage I was under. The lack of freedom. Lack of peace.
Inner-peace to me is being true to myself. Yeah, I know, we hear stuff like this a lot. But inner-peace is not living a lie anymore. Its not trying to fit in to a social circle. Its living your life on your terms.
I could go on!
ETA: from my sig line: "A man who misleads others in public will soon find he misleads himself in private." Warren Buffet
Inner-peace to me is being true to myself. Yeah, I know, we hear stuff like this a lot. But inner-peace is not living a lie anymore. Its not trying to fit in to a social circle. Its living your life on your terms.
I could go on!
ETA: from my sig line: "A man who misleads others in public will soon find he misleads himself in private." Warren Buffet
Last edited by steve-in-kville; 07-03-2018 at 05:48 AM. Reason: added quote
I could see peace instead of this
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: Canada, eh
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Yes, I can agree with that--accepting myself as I am without trying to force myself to fit in anymore. One reason I justified my relapse was so I could feel like I fit in, but that backfired horribly. Just accepting I'm introverted and enjoy my alone time instead of I "should" be more "sociable" took a huge weight off me.
For me it's also got a lot to do with not automatically believing every thought or even feeling I happen to have. A lot of the time my thinking and/or beliefs are faulty and I jump to conclusions or have judgements about things in life, causing my negative feelings and stress. It helps me to question my beliefs to see if they really are true.
And people pleasing too, which would include that feeling I need to be more sociable. If I stop trying to please everyone else at the expense of my own peace, I'm much happier and because I don't feel forced, then I'm more likely to enjoy doing something for someone else. Learning to say no isn't easy, but then neither is feeling resentful.
Inner peace for me is being free of all the internal conflict and trusting that most things work themselves out without my interference. When I can relax, it frees me to come up with solutions to problems more easily--I don't have to try so hard to figure it out.
When I do have inner peace, I feel calm and balanced and life is more of a pleasure, but I can still get in my own way of that quite a bit.
For me it's also got a lot to do with not automatically believing every thought or even feeling I happen to have. A lot of the time my thinking and/or beliefs are faulty and I jump to conclusions or have judgements about things in life, causing my negative feelings and stress. It helps me to question my beliefs to see if they really are true.
And people pleasing too, which would include that feeling I need to be more sociable. If I stop trying to please everyone else at the expense of my own peace, I'm much happier and because I don't feel forced, then I'm more likely to enjoy doing something for someone else. Learning to say no isn't easy, but then neither is feeling resentful.
Inner peace for me is being free of all the internal conflict and trusting that most things work themselves out without my interference. When I can relax, it frees me to come up with solutions to problems more easily--I don't have to try so hard to figure it out.
When I do have inner peace, I feel calm and balanced and life is more of a pleasure, but I can still get in my own way of that quite a bit.
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Join Date: Sep 2017
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"No man is truly free until he understands himself." Epictetus
Being an addict has profound advantages when you get sober with respect to reviewing your past thinking and feelings. Addictive behavior is only a symptom, not the primary problem. Addictions are no more and no less than psychological symptoms—just one of many human mechanisms for dealing with the trauma of life.
Inner peace can be found when we empower ourselves with new values and purpose, which are more important than a temporary quick fix or mood changer.
Being an addict has profound advantages when you get sober with respect to reviewing your past thinking and feelings. Addictive behavior is only a symptom, not the primary problem. Addictions are no more and no less than psychological symptoms—just one of many human mechanisms for dealing with the trauma of life.
Inner peace can be found when we empower ourselves with new values and purpose, which are more important than a temporary quick fix or mood changer.
Grateful
Join Date: May 2013
Location: NC
Posts: 1,763
I equate inner peace as being comfortable in my own skin. I never fully felt that way, even during lengthy sober periods, until I finally allowed someone to guide me through the steps. I'm sure there are other ways to get there as well, but for me it took a fair bit of self reflection and effort to reach that point. I needed to identify the things that blocked that inner peace and deal with them in a healthy manner. Good topic Steve!
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Join Date: Jun 2012
Posts: 5,229
"I dunno and i dont care"
I dunno more or less for me its when i'm in a state of mind where i'm very present in the current moment and i'm not all wrapped up in BS one way or another.
it takes practice for me and i struggle to find it at times.
I"m at a point currently in life where i keep finding myself getting wrapped up in stuff again and its driven me bonkers i need to back off and quit geting all latched on to my nonsense.
or as anthony de mello might say "what does it matter?"
I dunno more or less for me its when i'm in a state of mind where i'm very present in the current moment and i'm not all wrapped up in BS one way or another.
it takes practice for me and i struggle to find it at times.
I"m at a point currently in life where i keep finding myself getting wrapped up in stuff again and its driven me bonkers i need to back off and quit geting all latched on to my nonsense.
or as anthony de mello might say "what does it matter?"
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Join Date: Aug 2015
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Keeping my side of the street clean, including making amends (even the smallest apologies) as quickly as I sincerely can, honesty in all my affairs, keeping an emotional balance that helps me act not react....and love. If I am giving to another- even with the smallest gesture- then I have a much better shot in staying in gratitude and contentment.
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Join Date: May 2010
Location: East Coast
Posts: 1,906
What does inner peace mean for me?
Well, for one...it means i'm no longer held by the grip of this addiction.
That's over. The other part is knowing I'm doing right by my family and being a good honest man.
Knowing I have a choice to do the right things and doing them now without a second thought, without any struggle. That's freedom and inner peace for me.
Well, for one...it means i'm no longer held by the grip of this addiction.
That's over. The other part is knowing I'm doing right by my family and being a good honest man.
Knowing I have a choice to do the right things and doing them now without a second thought, without any struggle. That's freedom and inner peace for me.
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Join Date: Nov 2010
Location: New York, NY
Posts: 6,262
Great question. For me inner peace is the big reward of recovery ... but it took about 15 years to achieve that state. I had to change profoundly ... to stop projecting, letting go of resentments and expectations. For me, getting sober was growing up and taking responsibility for my words and actions. We alcoholics are self-centered in the extreme and have enormous self will. I had to realize my best thinking got me drunk, lost jobs and relationships. I had to take suggestions from a sponsor even though I thought they will silly. I was terminally unique after all!! Right.............. I was just a garden variety drunk.
Inner peace is the absence of "the voices", the constant self-hatred, rage and self-pity.
Inner peace is the absence of "the voices", the constant self-hatred, rage and self-pity.
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Join Date: Nov 2014
Location: Australia
Posts: 1,499
Inner peace to me means remembering not to let my ego drive the car.
When I let go and trust that there is a higher purpose unfolding and all I have to do is allow it to unfold, that everything is really exactly as it should be, then I exist in a beautiful, calm state. There is no anger, sadness or regret about the past and no fear of the future.
The ego serves its purpose. It exists to allow us to manoeuvre in this world. But ego is the servant not the master. Any time ego takes over, we lose our connection to our true selves. Inner peace cannot be achieved under such conditions.
When I let go and trust that there is a higher purpose unfolding and all I have to do is allow it to unfold, that everything is really exactly as it should be, then I exist in a beautiful, calm state. There is no anger, sadness or regret about the past and no fear of the future.
The ego serves its purpose. It exists to allow us to manoeuvre in this world. But ego is the servant not the master. Any time ego takes over, we lose our connection to our true selves. Inner peace cannot be achieved under such conditions.
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