By my colleague Greg Walsh of www.gpwalshcoaching.com. Thanks for this great article on peace, Greg!.

Peace is your natural state. Actually so is happiness, contentment, creativity, compassion, pretty much every desirable characteristic. I am sure everyone has heard that from some spiritual or personal growth teacher. I am pretty sure everyone reading this believes it. But the questions invariably arises. “If peace is my natural state, why don’t I feel it?”

Great question and the answer is surprisingly simple. You don’t feel peace because peace is not a feeling.

Feelings, thoughts, sensations, experiences all come and go. Peace does not. If you look for it in feelings which come and go you will not find it. It’s not there. It is actually the background of all that which is coming and going, changing and transforming. You notice it between the thoughts, between the feelings, in the lull between experiences. It’s not that peace comes when the experience wains. It is actually there all along. You just notice it in the quiet.

So let’s not be so quick to get into the next activity, the next experience, the next thought. Take some time to enjoy a moment with your natural state. With a little bit of practice you will find that you can be in very active experiences and be aware of the presence of peace at the same time. So it is not necessary to get rid of all the varied activities of life to be peaceful. No need to move to Tibet or the forests of Thailand. You only need to see where all the experiences arise and where they subside. Against this background of your natural state. The peace which you are.

Everybody Knows,
You can’t be all things to all people.
You can’t do all things at once.
You can’t do all things equally well.
You can’t do all things better than everyone else.
Your humanity is showing just like everyone else’s.

So,
You have to find out who you are, and be that.
You have to decide what comes first, and do that.
You have to discover your strengths, and use them.
You have to learn not to compete with others, because no one else is in the contest of “being you”.

Then,
You will have learned to accept your own uniqueness.
You will have learned to set priorities and make decisions.
You will have learned to live with your limitations.
You will have learned to give yourself the respect that is due.
And you’ll be a most vital mortal.

Dare to Believe,
That you are a wonderful, unique person.
That you are a once-in all history event.
That it’s more than a right, it’s your duty, to be who you are.
That life is not a problem to solve, but a gift to cherish.
And you’ll be able to stay one up on what used to get you down.

1. Rise with the sun to pray. Pray alone. Pray often. The Great Spirit will listen, if you only speak.

2. Be tolerant of those who are lost on their path. Ignorance, conceit, anger, jealousy and greed stem from a lost soul. Pray that they will find guidance.

3. Search for yourself, by yourself. Do not allow others to make your path for you. It is your road, and yours alone. Others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.

4. Treat the guests in your home with much consideration. Serve them the best food, give them the best bed and treat them with respect and honor.

5. Do not take what is not yours whether from a person, a community, the wilderness or from a culture. It was not earned nor given. It is not yours.

6. Respect all things that are placed upon this earth – whether it be people or plant.

7. Honor other people’s thoughts, wishes and words. Never interrupt another or mock or rudely mimic them. Allow each person the right to personal expression.

8. Never speak of others in a bad way. The negative energy that you put out into the universe will multiply when it returns to you.

9. All persons make mistakes. And all mistakes can be forgiven.

10. Bad thoughts cause illness of the mind, body and spirit. Practice optimism.

11. Nature is not FOR us, it is a PART of us. They are part of your worldly family.

12. Children are the seeds of our future. Plant love in their hearts and water them with wisdom and life’s lessons. When they are grown, give them space to grow.

13. Avoid hurting the hearts of others. The poison of your pain will return to you.

14. Be truthful at all times. Honesty is the test of ones will within this universe.

15. Keep yourself balanced. Your Mental self, Spiritual self, Emotional self, and Physical self – all need to be strong, pure and healthy. Work out the body to strengthen the mind. Grow rich in spirit to cure emotional ails.

16. Make conscious decisions as to who you will be and how you will react. Be responsible for your own actions.

17. Respect the privacy and personal space of others. Do not touch the personal property of others – especially sacred and religious objects. This is forbidden.

18. Be true to yourself first. You cannot nurture and help others if you cannot nurture and help yourself first.

19. Respect others religious beliefs. Do not force your belief on others.

20. Share your good fortune with others. Participate in charity.

Why do we do that? I think it’s for the same reason that our bodies ache in the first 24 hours after seeing a chiropractor. No matter how uncomfortable it was before, our bodies always prefer the “status quo” and (like our brains!) don’t like anyone messing with it. So, being the contrary folk we are, our bodies waste about 24 hours trying to get itself back to where it was before the manipulation. For me, it usually gives up after about 24 hours and then accepts the new improved spine as the “status quo”, a fact that I am extremely grateful for. After all, I went to the chiropractor and invested the time and money because I was in pain. Why on earth would I reject that?

There are so many reasons that we didn’t figure out our AHA! moment sooner: from we were in too much resistance to see the underlying truth to not wanting to accept any responsibility to we just didn’t see it! It doesn’t really matter. Let me repeat that, it doesn’t really matter! The point to remember is that if we could have seen it sooner, we would have seen it sooner. It’s as simple as that.

I think another reason we jump on the remorse bandwagon is because we really are not comfortable with joyful feelings. An AHA! moment is a special magical time. All of sudden, all pieces of the universe (your universe, at least) are aligned together and you and it are in perfect harmony. As wonderful as that sounds, and as often as we say that’s what we want, it happens so rarely for most of us, that we try to get rid of it the same way we would if a fly landed on us. OFF! NOW!

Accept that you figured whatever it was at the exact right moment for you and your life will be so much easier. On top of that, you’ll start getting familiar with what joy feels like. And, in the immortal words of Martha Stewart, “that’s a very good thing!”

What I find really interesting is that it’s not enough to want what we want, we also have a need to manifest our desired object easily and effortlessly, yet most of us don’t really believe that is possible. I think that is because we confuse “hard work” or even “work” with “struggle”.

The primary difference between hard work or work and struggle is that one is a positive experience and the other is a negative one. We’ve all had moments when it is a complete joy to roll up our sleeves and get working on something. This is when we our desires, skills, interests, talents are all lined up and “in alignment”. Not matter what the work is, when we love it, it never feels like work.

Struggle, on the other hand, means that we are not in alignment, that one or more piece(s) of the puzzle are way off to the left, when all the remaining are way off to the right. Suddenly, the whole process becomes a tremendous effort and, sadly, has little chance of success.

What most of us don’t realize is that a big factor on whether we work hard or struggle is what we believe about how success can be achieved. For example, if you’ve been brought up on beliefs like “No pain, no gain”; “If it seems too good to be true, it probably is”; “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop”; “Nothing good comes easy” and the like, it will be very difficult for you to let yourself go and believe that you can create the good things you want easily and effortlessly.

The good news is that, if you’ve internalized all those beliefs and made them your own, it is possible to work at changing them into beliefs that support and bolster your efforts. It is surprising to me how often we have bought into the beliefs that surrounded us as a child without even being aware of them. In fact, many of us feel we have escaped what we saw as limitations our family and background suggested were “natural”. Yet, no matter how far away from that life we think we have gone, we are shocked to discover that we have the exact same beliefs underneath. No wonder why getting where you’ve gotten has been so hard.

The first step I recommend is to be open to the idea that it IS possible to create what you want easily and effortlessly. You’ll be surprised how just being willing to consider that there is an alternate way to look at life can open yourself up to “easy and effortless!”

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

J. COMMUNICATION

1 2 3 Tone. I speak in warm, clear tones.
1 2 3 Dance. I can speak and hear, simultaneously.
1 2 3 Articulate. I clearly state what I want to say.
1 2 3 Clear. I speak simply. I am easily understood.
1 2 3 Appreciative. I thank people and I am sincere.
1 2 3 Congratulatory. I am truly excited for the success of others and I congratulate them.
1 2 3 Constructive. I reinforce the positive of a person; I don’t criticize.
1 2 3 Encouraging. People need encouragement and I am unstinting in my support.
1 2 3 Friendly. I like people and let them know it.
1 2 3 Expressive. My spirit, love, emotions and excitement come across when I communicate.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

I. LIFE SKILLS

1 2 3 Loving. I rejoice in my love of, and the love I receive from, others.
1 2 3 Quick. I make the most of opportunities in order to accomplish my objectives.
1 2 3 Authentic. I have absolutely no “attitude” or pretense. I have nothing to sell or prove.
1 2 3 Light. Things matter to me, but I am not burdened by people, situations or life.
1 2 3 Humorous. I see the humor in almost anything.
1 2 3 Diplomatic. I seek to build relationships, even if it takes an investment of time.
1 2 3 Savvy. I have street smarts and understand what motivates people.
1 2 3 Generous. When in doubt, I share what I have.
1 2 3 Wisdom. I am very wise. I’ve learned well.
1 2 3 Perspective. I can always see the forest for the trees. I always see the bigger picture.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

G. OPEN-NESS

1 2 3 Accepting. I don’t resist what is so. I let people be who they are. I embrace.
1 2 3 Intuitive. I listen to my hunches and that little voice inside. I trust myself.
1 2 3 Aware. I understand what awareness is, and I am on the path of becoming more aware.
1 2 3 Willing. I am always willing to try/help.
1 2 3 Adenturous. I actively seek new people, ideas, activities and projects. I go for it.
1 2 3 Spiritual. I value the notion of a higher plane or being. I get that we’re all “connected”.
1 2 3 Visual. I see all of what’s around me and I fully respond to it.
1 2 3 Present-Oriented. Life is occurring right now. I live here, not yesterday or tomorrow.
1 2 3 Creative. Great ideas just come to me, I don’t have to create them.
1 2 3 Flexible. I adjust quickly and readily.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

D. CARING

1 2 3 Respectful. I don’t violate any aspect of another person, animal or object.
1 2 3 Available. I am very willing to help.
1 2 3 Concerned. I take an interest in others..
1 2 3 Tender. I am lovingly considerate and and highly respectful.
1 2 3 Tolerant. I welcome diversity because it expands me emotionally and spiritually.
1 2 3 Sharing. I do not hoard. I’m not stingy; I give.
1 2 3 Kind. I don’t hurt people, or squash flies/bugs.
1 2 3 Patient. I can easily wait; no problem.
1 2 3 Generous. I err on the side of generosity.
1 2 3 Hospitable. I make people feel comfortable in my home or my space.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.

Hot to use this assessment. As you read each statement, circle 1, 2 or 3. A “1″ means the statement is SOMETIMES true. A “2″ means the statement is OFTEN true. A “3″ means the statement is ALWAYS true.

B. INTEGRITY

1 2 3 Honest. I always deal fairly; I am not sneaky.
1 2 3 Well. I am in optimum emotional, spiritual and physical condition.
1 2 3 Prudent. I have and use excellent judgment in all of my actions.
1 2 3 Thrifty. I save 10-30% of my net earnings.
1 2 3 Simple. I live an honest, simple, easy life.
1 2 3 Orderly. I am neat, tidy and orderly.
1 2 3 Detail-oriented. I get: “God is in the details.”
1 2 3 Needs met. I know what my personal needs are and I am up front about getting them met.
1 2 3 Punctual. I am on-time 98% of the time.
1 2 3 Balanced. I am juggling nothing.

_____ Score (30 max)

____________________________
From The Class Act 100 Program developed by Thomas J. Leonard and Coach U, Inc. Modified by LMK.