Invicta Vlogs
Inner Peace
For so long, the concept of inner peace has been quite bizarre to me. What is it? Why is it so important? How do I find inner peace? These are questions that frequently roam in my mind. However, I now realise that there is no straightforward answer, as my definition or measure of inner peace will always differ to the person next to me. The events of the past year have certainly heightened the value that I place on my inner peace. I would therefore, like to share some of my reflections regarding this principle.
My friends would typically describe me as an outgoing, extroverted individual; this is an opinion that I also share about myself; hence, why it is unsurprising to say that lockdown was a major culture shock for me. There were no more shopping trips with friends or brunch dates with family - even the little things like the hustle and bustle of a shopping mall were removed from our lives. Where large elements of socialising no longer existed in daily activities, I had no choice but to spend more time alone and get to know myself better. From doing this, I have found peace in isolation, which is a statement that I never thought I would say, considering my sociable nature.
I strongly believe that there is a beauty in calmness. The ability to be still in the midst of commotion is such an admirable trait that I hope to further develop in the future. Sometimes, calmness is equated to an absence of fun or seen as equivalent to boredom. However, I have realised just how incorrect that misconception is. From my own experiences, being at peace means deliberate contentment; exercising control over your emotional capacity and freedom to be at ease from stress. A lot of the time, overthinking and over-analysing dominates my mind, which often leads to a form of psychological claustrophobia, whereby so many thoughts are crammed in my head. I have learned that this is a very unsustainable way of life. Therefore, actively choosing to do nothing and be content in my own space is a tremendous help for my inner peace, by allowing myself to regain focus and become more self-aware.
We live in such a fast-paced, dynamic world that often glorifies productivity; being “booked and busy” is viewed as a symbol of success. This can lead to so many toxic habits that make it easy to forget ourselves and I find that when this happens, inner peace can be disrupted. Inner peace is the silence we need in a world of deafening noise (Brown, 2021). My message for this blog is therefore very simple: it is okay to do absolutely nothing. Everyone’s definition of rest is different; for some this could be meditation or prayer and for others it could be listening to music. Whatever “doing nothing” looks like to you – embrace it! Not just on weekends but every day, allowing yourself a moment to experience your inner peace.
Thank you for reading!
Solape Tunde-Dauda - Senior Prefect
