Finding inner peace and contentment can be challenging in our constantly evolving, polarizing, contentious political environment, and the world at large. 

I invite you to take this journey with an open mind, as I intend to offer you tools to implement in your daily life that will help you navigate your way to peace amid chaos. Each day life will throw something new at you. I want to ignite that part of you that you’ve been neglecting and call you to go deeper.

The first step to finding inner peace is self-reflection. It’s neither easy, nor fast. This is a practice. Learning to practice awareness of who you are and reflect on who you’ve been. It’s the foundation. If you build it well, you will be able to return to solid ground when life knocks you down. At your core, who are you? Why do you have the job you have? Why did you choose that job or career path? Or did someone else choose it for you? We live in such a fast-paced society. The 24-hour news and social media cycle is daunting and overwhelming. It creates illusions that are not reality based.  Constantly being engaged with social media and digesting the news programming each day takes its toll emotionally, mentally, and physically.

COVID-19 changed our worlds. It was upside down. The new normal wasn’t anything “normal.”  However, the blessing from the shutdown is that life became slower and the energetic field was quieter. There were less cars and people outside. Nature continued and thrived. Going for a walk during these times felt so peaceful. I realized it was the quiet that was so calming. Many of our COVID experiences were varied. But, for me, it was a time for self-reflection and healing my inner wounds emotionally and the physical ailments that followed from stifled unprocessed emotions.

I took that time to go within. But a lifetime of focusing outwardly couldn’t shine light on all the dark corners. I’m still reflecting. That’s why I call self-reflection a practice. As we grow and evolve, our life circumstances change, thereby calling us to reflect and be a witness to our lives each moment. I often had delusions that I should be changing the world in some small way. The desire to contribute to the world in a meaningful way is honorable. But now “I’m starting with the man in the mirror,” just like Michael Jackson told us. Rumi challenged us as well. “Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.”

If we want to change anything in our world, we must start with ourselves. Many of us live our lives sleep walking. I did too for many years of my life, but I’m starting to awake. I suffered for decades and didn’t know why I didn’t feel peace internally or wasn’t happy. I came up with answers and all the answers were external. Then when I achieved something external, the happiness was short lived. I was so disconnected from myself. I didn’t even know why I felt certain emotions when they arose. I was sleep walking and numb. It was a learned response. But, nevertheless, living in this state of disconnectedness, impacted me deeply. Self-reflection was hard to do. I tried to excel at outer things, like with work, as a mother and with dating. However, I always seem to fall short of my desires for inner peace.

It wasn’t until I started lifting my blinders, taking a close look at who I was. Was I living in alignment with my core values in my thoughts, actions, and speech. I wasn’t. And I couldn’t see or understand what the problem was. I was lost.

Self-reflection is at the core of finding our peace. Pain is a catalyst for change. Sometimes, it takes a life-threatening illness or a major life event, like a job loss or divorce, for us to receive life’s invitation to go within. To ignore the core of oneself is the biggest betrayal.

Our lack of peace is an invitation to investigate and delve deep within, where our answers lie. I invite you to give yourself the attention you have been giving to your career, family, and the world. You can start with five minutes of quiet time to tap into yourself before your day gets hectic. Carving out more time for disengagement and self-reflection is essential, so that you can hear your own inner voice.  It’s there that you’ll discover the peace you’ve longed for all this time.

Kim DeHaarte enjoys writing and sharing information that will help inspire and encourage people as they navigate their healing and wellness journey. She aspires to be a vessel to spread love, hope and healing. Kim is a loving mother to a teenage son, who she affectionately calls her “Little Buddha” teacher.  Kim is a plant-based/vegan foodie and chocoholic. She loves being outdoors soaking up sunrays in sunny Florida. You may catch her jogging at the park or meditating on the beach.

Twitter: @KD_haarte
IG: @Lotus_1_Love