I’ve been on another clearing jag, probably the result of the programs I’ve been teaching about living spaces. I want my home to accurately reflect my essential self, to be clutter-free, and to be filled only with what I truly love, need and use.
That’s how I stumbled upon a ruler I’ve had since the third grade. Yup, that upside-down peace sign you see here was written by yours truly at age 7, along with the following: “NO using for anyone but me!!!!!!” I was a bossy little kid who apparently didn’t want to share. Thankfully, I’m (mostly) a lot less bossy now, but I kept the ruler to remind myself not to go there.
I’m still obsessed with the peace sign, though I haven’t give much thought to why. Back then, I cut one out of felt and sewed it, by hand, onto my fringed felt drawsting handbag. (It went really well with the striped bell bottoms and fringed vest.) But I sewed it on upside down, so the inside of the circle looked like a “Y.” I’ve tossed old notebooks and photos, and that upside-down peace sign appears in a lot of places. What the heck? Why didn’t anyone tell me I was doing it wrong? I was telling my friend, Tex Ann, about this and she said
She’s onto something! I’m certainly not the first person to believe that world peace begins within each of us, but you don’t often hear coaches refer to themselves as peacemakers. Yet giving people the tools to create peace in their lives and careers is at the core of everything I do.
Everything – our relationships, careers, homes, spirituality, etc. – is affected by our peaceful energy, or lack thereof. Where in your life are you feeling anything less than peace? Use the Life Wheel tool (download it free from my home page) to see where your satisfaction could be higher. Consider using the results to help you create some 2011 goals – think of a few small steps you can take to up the joy, and peace, in your life.
Think about it: if everyone took a few steps to create more peace in their own world, we’d collectively create a hell of a leap for mankind. And, it’d make “world peace” more than a casually-stated throwaway line used in comedies about beauty pageants.
As for me, I’m making it my Word of The Year (unless, of course, I come up with two or three, as I did in 2010). I’m setting the intention that I will ask myself “How does this bring me or others peace?” in every situation. If there’s no peace to be found there, I will set it aside, and I will help my clients do the same. I wish you a peace-full 2011.
