Serenity Now: 5 Tips to Find Peace and Inspiration

“Serenity now!” When Frank Costanza shouted the words he made famous in the especially hilarious Seinfeld episode, he was seeking immediate peace. It didn’t work, of course, but don’t you wish it was that easy? Unfortunately, it’s not. But you can find time for calm and listening within during the midst of a busy life.

Is it possible to find true peace while you’re driving to work, making dinner, or reading to the kids? I asked clients, friends, and my Intuition Newsletter subscribers these questions and received some wonderful answers. I’ve shared five of my favorites below.

1) Practice patience while driving.
“I spend a great deal of time on the road in my job as a salesman. I used to be full of anger at other drivers. There’s a lot of craziness out there on the highways! Now I try to see other drivers as people who may also be having a tough time. I see them as teachers of patience. I send them love. I wave them into my lane and let them go ahead of me. It may sound silly, but this shift in attitude has created an enormous oasis of peace in my car. And guess what—my sales have increased exponentially!”

2) Build quiet time into your day.
“I work in a busy office and make it a priority to eat lunch in a nearby park or, when the weather’s bad, in my car. Sometimes I just take a cup of tea and sit on a bench outside. It’s very hard to listen within when I’m multitasking. I take those rare moments when my cell phone, iPod, and radio are off to just rest. It’s amazing all the helpful inner whispers I hear when I take time to slow down.”

3) Envision and listen at the gym.
“Most people I know listen to some heavy pump-you-up music at the gym. I listen to meditation music and feel in the zone. I go to the gym for half an hour during my workday. Working out gets the cobwebs out of my brain, and I come up with wonderful ideas while running on the treadmill or lifting weights. I also use part of this time visioning my intentions and praying. My belief is that the body is the temple of the soul. I hope it doesn’t sound sacrilegious, but I feel so much more in tune with my spirit at the gym tha
I do when I go to church.”

4) Choose peace.
“If I’m feeling really agitated and anxious, I bring to mind a line in the book A Course in Miracles. It says, ‘I could choose peace instead of this.’ I’ll take a few deep, calming breaths and ask myself, ‘How else could I be thinking about this?’ or ‘What would bring me peace in this situation?’ The answers always come and they calm me down.”

5) Keep a photo of a wise person.
“I have three pictures I keep in my wallet. They are Jesus, the Dalai Lama, and my grandma (God rest her soul). They all represent people who are really wise and spiritual. When I feel like I need guidance, I pull out one of the photos and ask ‘What would Grandma do?’ or ‘How would Buddha respond?’ Usually an answer will pop into my head immediately.”

What about you? How do you find peace in your busy day? I’d love to hear your answers!