Having a monthly focus can really help with our personal development. Some call it intention setting, I usually call it having a focus word, but whatever you call it…it is helpful, that’s for sure. I have been doing these monthly focuses for the last 6 months now, and by the end of the month, I definitely feel the improvement in the area I focus on. It doesn’t take much, I just write a verse, quote or experience about the focus word every day for the month.

As you can see my focus word this month has been PEACE. During Pandemic times, many people, including myself have been feeling the impact of the uncertainty, and seeming inability to plan ahead. This focus of peace has been truly wonderful. I have tried to incorporate peace for lots of different areas. As you can see from the quote above, I also wanted to be at peace with myself.

I saw some great quotes about making peace with all our pieces. This is so true, I know I have been needing to make peace with myself more. One thing I learned was this truth:

“To Be At Peace With Yourself You Need To Know Yourself First”

This requires some humble honesty. Rather than holding big expectations and burdens over our own heads, let’s just sit down and see where we are at, truly. Then we can make peace with that..it is what it is. We are all only human, those COVID curves are the result of us using human coping mechanisms. Time for a little self-compassion and have peace with our own humanity.

I love taking examples from nature when I am thinking of my focus word. This quote was born from that. A tree can withstand all manner of hardships when it has strong roots. The same can be true with us, if our peace is deep within us, it is not easily going to be toppled by external circumstances. The goal for me is to keep rooting my peace deeper and deeper.

When it comes to trying to create our peace internally, it leads nicely to this quote above. One thing I know about my anxiety is that it often stems from overthinking. My overthinking often stems from trying to control something that is outside of my control. This chain of events will leave me completely devoid of peace. This month I have learned to let go of thinking about things that are not in my control. I ask ‘can I actually do anything about this?’, if I can’t, I move my thoughts back to myself, what support and care do I need?

I think this might be my favorite one. I love this. There is nothing more peaceful than being completely in the present moment, allowing what is, and going with the flow. It is tremendously hard, at least for me, but having it as an intention, gives me something to work towards. I am very determined to practice this more.

Observing the details of nature is like an injection of peace for me. Look at this snail, he/she has so much weight to carry, is traveling along a precarious track and yet, it is managing just fine. We are not alone. We can manage just like the snail can. We often have all these thoughts and feelings about what might happen, but so often, they don’t. Even if they do, somehow, we wake up and we try again. We give life our best shot and that is beautiful and inspiring.

I hope you enjoyed taking my peaceful journey with me and seeing the gems I picked up along the way this month. Let me know if you have any gems of information about peace, I love to learn. May you continue on your intentional path and as always thanks so much for reading. 👋