I have almost completed going through practical applications of communications between adults in previous posts. We reviewed scenarios and the psychology of interactions. While all of that is important, it is nothing without understanding that we have an inherent drive towards peace. Moving forward and having long-lasting successful interactions, we have to keep in our minds that our premise is peace.
Keeping this in mind does not take away from the fact that we may not agree with someone’s communications or interactions. However, we can “agree to disagree,” more agreeably when we believe that our goal, and the other person’s goal, is peace. The route to peace may not look the same for you as it does for the other person. How you get there or think the other person should get there may not be the same, but the end result is equivalent; the goal is peace. When we accept this, believe this, and keep this in our minds, interactions become easier.
Step one towards peace for ourselves and our interactions is understanding. Over the past five years of starting my own school, and now moving to a new location, I have experienced an onslaught of emotions, tensions, and frustrations. When going through these types of processes, there is a lot that is out of our control. People are counted on to do their job correctly, and to do it on time or early. All too often, this very well may not happen. There are even people who become involved in a project, who may sabotage (or seem like they are sabotaging) the process to get to the goal. Anger and frustrations towards these people surface. All the while, it is so important to be resourceful, rather than give and find solutions. This is applicable to the interrelationships between guides, parents, and administrators too.
We have all heard people say things like, “life is hard.” This is true. There are going to be obstacles, challenges, and change in our lives. That is a given, right? What is one thing that separates successful and fulfilled people from those who are not? It is how we handle difficult experiences. Part of how we handle these experiences starts with a determination for peace. We can agree that everything and every living being is made up of energy.
You and I have a 24 hour a day internal experience filled with emotions and thoughts. Our perceptions, interpretations, and communications of those emotions and thoughts is what lays the groundwork for our further interactions with ourselves and others. While we will still experience anger or frustration towards ourselves and others, those emotions will become less strong when we remember that the goal is peace. Furthermore, our internal experience seems to be so intricate that I want to offer something for you to consider. When you think of everyone and everything as being energy, there are no boundaries that separate us and it is all connected. We are all connected. Herein lies what I want to try to offer to you as practically speaking as possible.
The conflict and/or frustration that you are having with someone else, whether it is over timelines not being met, commitments not being honored, etc. starts and ends with you. What is the internal conflict that you feel in yourself that is reflecting your external experience that “someone else is causing?” It is a tough pill to swallow and it is very easy to be dismissive of it, but I want to challenge you to swallow the pill and experiment. Here is a simple exercise that takes maybe five minutes, that you can do before having a communication that you are not looking forward to. You can even do it for something or someone you are looking forward to. This is also something you can do for five minutes a day leading up to a meeting or event.
Before the meeting: Do the following in your mind, like a meditation.
- Find a quiet space and sit in a comfortable position.
- Take a few slow deep breaths and let go of any tension you are feeling physically or emotionally.
- Self check what your predisposed judgments are, and if they are negative, breathe them out.
- Self-talk positive affirmations to replace those judgments.
- Now that your mind is clear and you are feeling more positive, imagine the experience the way that you hope for it to go. Imagine the room and experience being bright and cheery.
- Take a few slow deep breaths and put your awareness at the front and center of your chest as you imagine warm and good feelings.
- Thank yourself and the person (or people) for their participation in coming to a peaceful resolution.
What are some things that this simple exercise does?
It aligns you back to a positive space. Negative thoughts and emotions begin to, or completely, dissolve.
Why does this work?
You are reacknowledging the connection between you and all things. We have awareness and unawareness, and we want to utilize our awareness of connection. There is a belief in God that you have or the Universe or something of the sort. If everything is connected and connected to God and or the Universe, then we all fall under that connection.
Remember, the premise is peace. When we come from this mindset, things become easier to experience because of this perception, interpretation, and ability to allow ourselves to be open-minded enough to be resourceful. When we always intend to be peaceful with others, even in difficult situations, we can find ways to make peace possible.
Give this a try, and/or share your thoughts with me, and, in turn, your insights and shared experiences can be utilized by others. There is so much to be gained by all of us through sharing. This is why history can be so beneficial and is often enjoyed by so many. We teach our children history because we hope they benefit from the shared experiences of others. I believe that sharing about our experiences is a component in our daily personal and professional lives that is all too often overlooked. Let’s remember to be aware of our intentions and practice this perception of a premise for peace together.
