Sunday Morning Reflections: Letting Go of Anxiety for Peace

There are few places on the planet more peaceful than Sedona. At the risk of sounding like a "Where's Waldo" theme, click on the SCU Light Box and see if you can find my "portrait" of Sheila.

by Skip Cohen

Well, had we remembered to turn our clocks ahead last night, it would be an almost normal Sunday morning. Still, typical of my Sunday posts, I'm about to go way off track from business and marketing, but I needed a little help from Melody Beattie.

I start every morning with her, in a never-ending quest to feed my head a little something before business kicks in. Her thoughts for yesterday really hit home...it was called "Peace." 

"Anxiety is often our first reaction to conflict, problems, or even our own fears. In those moments, detaching and getting peaceful may seem disloyal or apathetic. We think: If I really care, I'll worry; if this is really important to me, I must stay upset. We convince ourselves that outcomes will be positively affected by the amount of time we spend worrying."

Sound familiar? It sure did in my head. I'd have a problem I was trying to work on, and my worry-gene would kick in and send a gremlin off to undermine my creativity and solution-finding skills. I'd sabotage my own abilities, and in the process, give up peace. It took me a long time to realize I had the power NOT to worry.

I've written a lot about time being our most valuable commodity... well, maintaining peace in a world of chaos follows, right after you learn to savor time. We all worry about things completely outside our control. We give up peace and a smile in our hearts for stress, anxiety, and fear. 

If you follow me regularly, then you've heard me say, "You can't create images that tug at people's heartstrings, if your own heart isn't in it!" In the same respect, you'll never find peace on the outside if you don't find it on the inside first!

Melody closed with:

"Today, I will let go of my need to stay in turmoil. I will cultivate peace and trust that timely solutions and goodness will arise naturally and harmoniously out of the wellspring of peace..."

So, what have you got to lose? Stop worrying about what you have to do tomorrow. Stop letting the media and the outside world take away the peace you want in your own home. Stop being influenced by trolls in social media and go with what's in your heart. In other words - learn to kick back and chill!

For most of us, this is one of the scariest times in our history, and we'll all get through it, but there's no need to give up peace in the process. I'm not suggesting we ignore the outside world, just don't let it take away from the joy of what you've got in front of you right now!

Wishing everybody a day filled with peace and minimal anxiety. Appreciate everything you have, and don't give up time to things you can't control. Go for those long therapeutic hugs I always write about, but in the process of that hug, think about how much richer your life is because of the person on the other end of that hug.
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Happy Sunday...or Monday for my friends and readers on the other side of the world.

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