Three Principles Living

Judith A. Sedgeman, EdD

Why Peace of Mind Matters

Why Peace of Mind Matters

In any other state of mind, people are not at their best. When people are not at their best, it is impossible for outcomes to be optimal. It’s that simple.

Peace of mind is not just a critical need, it is the most critical need,  in a world filled with anxiety, rancor, insecurity, despair. It may seem impossible and even wildly optimistic to suggest that we step back from the chaotic times in which we live to aspire to peace of mind. So I can only ask: How well has increasing the level of fear and upset worked out for us, individually, locally, globally?

How can we have peace of mind, you might ask, when we are living in a word swirling with catastrophe, war, poverty, disaster, upheaval? The assumption in that question is that peace of mind is created by external events. It is time to question that assumption. That assumption — that we have to somehow “fix” all that is wrong in the world in order to finally have peace of mind — has held the world back because we human beings are incapable of creative problem solving and finding new answers when we are operating from the weak stance of fear and insecurity. We flail in frustration when we give in to being victimized by events, all of which are beyond our control.

I challenge that assumption. We cannot create a better world, a better life, in the state of mind in which we create and sustain what we have. My assumption is that peace of mind is an innate capacity of all people, no matter what.

Let’s take it to a simple example. Show of hands. How many of you have solved your most pressing life problems successfully when you were most stressed, exhausted, upset, and pressured? Note: I did not say solved the problems; I said solved the problems successfully. We all do what we have to do on whatever life deadline we’re facing, no matter our state of mind. We only do what we have to do well and successfully from a clear-headed, quiet, creative state of mind.

People know that deep-down, but we have lost our faith that it is possible to feel strong, resilient and confident in the face of daunting challenges. We have bought the story that we can only be calm and happy if, or when, this or that happens. We have forgotten the lessons of history; those who have survived and thrived despite the most horrific situations have done so because they were psychologically stronger than their circumstances.

So I dedicate this Blog to sharing, in as many ways as I can, the understanding that we live life from the inside-out, not from the outside-in. Inside-out. From within our own resilient human spirits, we create the psychological reality that we experience as our life, and we live that life within the framework of the circumstances in which we find ourselves. When the psychological reality that we have created is calm and clear-headed, we can navigate the worst of circumstances. When the psychological reality that we have created is agitated and confused, we have difficulty navigating even the most ordinary events.

Our thinking creates our reality; reality does not create our thinking. If it did, we would all think the same way in the face of the same things. We don’t.

So please stay with me. It is time to take a fresh look at the way the human mind operates, to restore hope in our capacity, every single person on earth, to see beyond the limitations we have come to take for granted, and break free from living as victims of circumstances.

1 Comment
  • Your blog is a special place for me. I come here often to cleanse my Soul with the refreshing Truths you present in your usual clear fashion. Though I have studied the Principles for a few years now, I do sometimes become ‘stuck’ in my thinking. Fortunately I have learned to recognize my state of mind in a low mood as a warning that my thinking cannot be trusted. At times like those I usually pick up a book about the Three Principles, or come here to your blog and absorb the Truths you write so eloquently about. You have an incredible gift for writing, and when you combine that gift with with the platform of the Three Principles, it is indeed a beautiful thing. I always look forward to your newest entries, and adore re-reading the older ones. Seems like I see something new every time that I didn’t quite notice before. Anyhow, it is a privilege to be able to say thank-you. You have made a huge difference in the life of a person you have never met, and for that I will be ever grateful.

    July 5, 2015 at 1:40 am

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