Tensions and worries seem to be an essential part of our lives. Strained finances, ill-health, failure in studies, fiasco in business ventures, fatal accidents, kidnappings, house burglaries, tragic deaths, handicapped children, unfulfilled desires, feeling of deprivation … and the list goes on. It becomes very difficult at times to cope with these sufferings in life. And then troubles seldom come singly. They come in clusters and then continue to come. Relentless and ruthless they become as a result.
The result more often than not is frustration and depression. Inner peace and mental calm are lost. The agony of life stares us in the eye. How can we tackle this scenario?
Besides a strong relationship with God, a three pronged strategy may help us win inner peace:
1. Let us always keep a track of our blessings. The favours of God on each of us are numerous – in fact limitless. A list of these blessings will easily outnumber the troubles we may be facing. We tend to lose sight of them and take them for granted. So it is recommended that we continue to count our blessings each day. The best occupation of sitting idle is to rehearse and review what we have. This will give us the strength and resilience to fight the miseries of life. Above all, it will bless us with that inner calm so missing in our lives today.
2. Let us set before ourselves a mission in life. If we have an objective in life and go all out in achieving it, worries and suffering will not bother us as much – simply because we will have little time for them. A person who is focused on a cause is so deeply involved in realizing his mission that worries he may have – but seldom will they get the better of him. His commitment and devotion to a cause will contribute to his inner peace.
3. Let us start sharing the woes of people around us by reaching out to them and helping them as much as we can in their difficulties and worries. Knowing about the grief of others lessens our own grief. It gives solace to the mind that we are better off than so many. Lending a hand to others makes us contributing individuals to the society and makes us look at life in a positive way. Instead of brooding on what we do not have, we should see what others do not have. This will make us thankful to God and give us mental peace.
These then are three therapies that are the key to inner peace. Summing up:
The first of these can be called: Gratitude Therapy.
The second can be called: Mission Therapy.
The third can be called: Reaching-Out Therapy.