Rudyard Kipling focused on the deeper understandings of human nature in his poem “If”. Keeping your head calm in this turbulent world is not a simple matter. We are daily accosted by chaotic circumstances. Nations pray for peace yet go to war. Our senses revel in balance yet technology pushes the imbalance further each day through audio and visual overload. Pollution, political corruption, terrorism, genocide, suicide, anorexia—stress finds its own release.
Stress need not control our lives. You have, undoubtedly, heard of the usual methods for easing stress—slow down, say “no”, eat right, sleep enough, avoid anything you don’t have to do. You may even have toyed with some of the more unusual methods for relieving stress, such as aroma therapy, meditation, yoga, and tai chi. These are all wonderful ideas for temporary relief and long-term health. Have you tried the more drastic measures, like turning off your television, radio, and stereo for days at a time? Have you tried spending a week without talking to anyone or worrying about anyone else? We are not just talking about a vacation here; we are talking about audio, visual, and tactile isolation.
Peace is an inner state. To find that calmness within yourself, you must be alone with yourself for an extended period of time, not just fifteen minutes during meditation. Some philosophers have spent years pursuing isolation. Infants, due to reduced sensual acuity and mobility sleep peacefully because they enjoy this isolation. Those that do not, tend to have health problems or live in stressful environments. Return to your roots and find your inner peace.
How do you handle extreme situations when an emergency arises or anger erupts around you? Do you jump right in and try to control the situation? Do you freeze like a deer in the headlights? Do you run, afraid of confrontation? Do you try something and if it doesn’t work, give up? Do you hang in there until the bitter end, no matter how much suffering you must endure? Do you stand on the sidelines and complain about the situation? Do you secretly blame yourself even when you obviously did not cause the problem? Do you seek help from others whether they are more capable of handling the situation or not? Human beings have found any number of ways to respond to change, particularly unexpected rapid change.
A peaceful person will display empathy, contribute what skills s/he has to offer, and seek professional assistance when necessary without anger, blame, or other stress producing emotion. Stressful people display strong emotions and react in unpredictable and often complicating rather than helpful ways. Which kind of person would you rather be?