We seem to have a mistaken belief about peace, whether we are talking about peace in our individual lives or on the world stage. We think it is a kind of absence, an absence of conflict or antagonism. That gives us the false idea that peace is something passive, that it just drops out of the sky. Peace is actually something we can bring on through our own efforts. On a personal level, it means cultivating it through meditation, and perhaps more. Dig deep and be determined to stick to your plan for peace.

Try this meditation for one minute every day, or longer if you want to:

TAKE A MOMENT to think about what you can do to achieve peace for yourself. It may be taking five minutes to simply be, writing a letter on behalf of a cause that means something to you, or something else.

Never be in a hurry; do everything quietly and in a calm spirit. Do not lose your inner peace for anything whatsoever, even if your whole world seems upset. —Saint Francis de Sales

How did this meditation go for you? Share your experience at shorelines@northshorebank.com and you’ll be entered to win a copy of A Mindful Day: 365 Ways to Live Life With Peace, Clarity, and an Open Heart, by David Dillard-Wright.

If you’d like a daily email reminder to practice one minute of mindfulness, email us with the subject “Mindfulness reminder.”