Five Tactical Ways to Keep the Peace Wherever You Find Yourself
Especially during this busy holiday time of year, extended families wind up getting together, sometimes for extended periods of time. Deadlines at work are looming large on the horizon. The weather is creating extra havoc with snow and ice. But, despite peace on Earth being what is often wished for, peace can be really hard to find. Here are five tactical ways to keep the peace wherever you find yourself this month. You’ll find that we’re tapping into clichés and phrases that you know by heart to make it easy to remember.
1. Fake It ‘Till You Make It.
Before you enter a situation that has the potential to be stressful or less than peaceful, look in a mirror and practice a peaceful demeanor. Practice putting a calm and friendly look on your face rather than the stressed and furrowed brow that you might be used to. If you practice being peaceful with your physical being, it turns out that your body will carry you through the next few minutes. Practice a peaceful face for 90-120 seconds before going into a stressful situation.
2. Let It Go.
Many times we are holding on to past grudges or insensitivities that have gotten under our skin. We’re letting the present moment be marred by something that cannot be undone, and, in the grand scheme of things, is not all that material. If you find that your peace, especially in a situation where you are in close proximity to others, is robbed by your own grudge, then take a moment to let it go. Just like dusting the snow off your boots on your way into the house, let go of the minor grievances you’re carrying around, so you can enjoy the moment.
3. Take the High Road.
Sometimes in social situations or meetings our peace is robbed when we vie for the last word or the upper hand in the conversation, or when we try to outdo the other person with our own stories or experiences. We can restore peace when we commit to taking the high road. This means letting the other person have the last word. It’s letting the other person get their way or have the larger piece of pie, or whatever it happens to be in that moment. Taking the high road means setting aside your needs to let the other person ‘win’, but in the end we all win because we’ve maintained a more peaceable environment.
4. Say It like You Mean It.
The ‘it’ in this case is “I’m sorry”. Say “I’m sorry” and mean it. Rarely do disagreements, quarrels, or strife between two individuals exist entirely because of one person. It’s almost always two sided. There’s some level of accountability you can own in this situation. Own it, and apologize for it.
5. Bite Your Tongue.
A little bit like taking the high road, this is a willingness to set your own moods aside, but it is amazing how disagreements and in-the-moment stress can be diminished when we simply stop feeding the fire. If you don’t have something nice to say, then don’t say anything at all. If the only response to someone else’s words is an angry retort, then bite your tongue. If the words you’re about to contribute to that situation do not create peace, swallow them down and do not share them in that moment.
So there you have it, five simple tips, easy enough to remember, to help us keep the peace wherever we find ourselves this week. How about you? What do you use? Give one of these a try and let us know how it works! Join us on social media!
