“Fear is the path to the dark side. Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering”.
This quote by the famous Star Wars character, Yoda summarizes our emotions and reality in these past months.
A lot has happened which has crippled us with fear. From the pandemic to the protests of all kinds, it may not be wrong to say that all hell broke loose in 2020. With so many lives lost and properties destroyed, this article isn’t going to tell you to not feel hurt. As John Green (2012) puts it, “pain deserves to be felt”; therefore, it is only hoped that you are surrounded with people and support to help you through these hard times.
Chaos (pandemic, protests, etc) comes with uncertainties, insecurities and fears. This is why one needs to channel their inner peace to reduce such stress. Truth be told, with all the drama and tension that has come with this year, it is probably vague to strive for sanity; however, mental peace is necessary for stability and longevity. Mind you, being in touch with your inner peace is not the same as being happy; it is just a step towards the right direction.
Maintaining that peace, especially when confronted with difficulties, means being able to let go of all the negative energy at that point in time. This is so that anxiety does not take up your mental space and incapacitate you from managing your problems. Everything is impermanent, including yourself and your feelings. In other words, there is no purpose in holding on to what is detrimental to your peace of mind. Rather, there is far greater joy in releasing them and reconnecting to sanity.
One way to go about it is not to clutter your mind with too many things. Step away from everything and keep your eyes on one distinctive mission, how you can add value to that mission and consequently improve your situation. There is nothing as refreshing as knowing your purpose and fulfilling it. When things get intense, it is okay and safe to take a breather because you owe your body and your brain that break. It is also advisable to have a few serenity triggers that can give you instant relaxation.
Interestingly, standing up to your oppressors can also bring you peace. Knowing that you have the power to go against anything or anyone that isn’t in support of your freedom is satisfaction in itself because using that power can bring a lot of desired changes. In other words, you sometimes need to fight for your peace. For instance, seeing how the Nigerian youth made a conscious effort to decry police harassment and demand an end to police brutality in the country through the #EndSARS protest suggests that change might just be around the corner. Now they are aware that they wield power, there seems to be hope for this nation. Just like J. Donald Walters said:
“you will find peace not by trying to escape your problems, but by confronting them courageously.”
- Nwadinigwe Clara (ENG ‘19)