The Race to Inner Peace

 

It seems like the journey to increased wellness can sometimes become a competition; how many yoga classes you attend, how “good” a person is at meditating, even down to what kind of water bottle you drink out of. Often times, we’re in competition with ourselves. And I can understand. We want inner peace and wellness and we want it now! It’s difficult to sit in the ambiguity, the process of evolving, the discomfort of a stressful life.


The truth is being well, both mentally and physically, is an ever-evolving process where we’re never really done. Some days meditation may come easily and other days it’s a struggle, no matter how long you’ve been practicing. Some days we look forward to exercise and other days dread it. Sometimes no amount of coping skills or self-care can get us out of our funk.


My challenge to myself and anyone reading this is to contemplate how we can be more accepting of the journey and of the ups and downs. Can we learn to accept ourselves when we’re having a rough time just as much as when we’re rocking it? Can we be in the mist of growing and be totally ok with the fact that there will always be more room to grow? And if we can do all of this for ourselves, even occasionally, can we begin to accept in others?