5 Daily Habits For A Peace-Filled Life

It has taken decades for me to begin to learn how to relieve stress by knowing the benefits of living in the moment and simply be.

In my writings and public speaking, I talk often about mindfulness. This is a state of active and open attention to the present. Carefully observe your thoughts and feelings without judging them as good or bad.

Mindfulness means living in the moment and being aware of your current experience, rather than dwelling on the past or anticipating the future.

The insightful and wise Vietnamese monk, Thich Nhat Hanh, in his book The Art of Mindfulness, reflects on what he calls the "Five Mindfulness Trainings." These "trainings" are intended to guide us to be mindful of ourselves, our pain, and the world around us.

Many of us — myself included — purposely use electronic devices, reading materials, and sometimes even exercise, as a means of distracting ourselves from our reality. As with the bird and the butterfly, not stopping to notice our world does not give us the freedom for which we seek.

If you want a peace-filled life, practice these 5 things every single day:

1. Compassion

2. Generosity

3. True love

4. Deep listening

5. Cultivating good health

When we do our best to accomplish these five trainings, we have set up our thoughts and actions to be mindful in a state of active and open attention to the present.

These trainings are not meant solely for others. That is, we don't only offer others our compassion, generosity, love, listening, and health. But we also give these to ourselves as well.

In mindful awareness, we need to be compassionate with ourselves, generous to ourselves, loving ourselves, listening to our mind and our body, and giving ourselves good health. By taking care of ourselves in this way, we achieve a deep and true inner peace.