How to Create a Peace Calendar for 2008

You may think that living in a world that contains war, crime, bill collectors, divorce, road-rage, job lay-offs, disease, liars and cheats makes finding Peace in your life near impossible. But what you will learn here is that having Peace in your heart, your soul, and your entire body is not only possible while living in this wacky world, but essential to survival.

At the sunrise of this new year, learn now how to immerse yourself in peace, no matter where you are, what you are experiencing, or what is competing for your emotional space. Make 2008 your year of Peace by creating a personalized Peace Calendar. Just follow these simple instructions.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Calendar
• Pen and several sheets of paper
• Quiet time
• Patience
• Desire for a peaceful life

1. Bringing Peace to your life at will begins with understanding what makes your happy. And to know what makes you happy, it is best to start by understanding fully what makes you sad. Using your pen and paper, draw a line down the middle of the page, from top to bottom. On the left hand side, list 30 things that make you sad, that rob you of the peace in your day. If you think of more than 30, continue until you get a maximum of 45.

2. On the right hand side of the paper, for each thing that makes you sad or robs you of your Peace, write what the opposite of that item may be. For example, if on the left you listed, "Not having enough money to pay the bills," then on the right side you may write, "There is always enough money to pay my bills and even some to save." Another example might be that on the left you listed, "I worry about the war in Iraq and the men and women who are in harm's way." Your listing on the right side of the page that matches that item that robs you of your Peace can be "I know that my thoughts of Peace, comfort, support, and safety surround each and every soldier, airman, marine, sailor, and contractor and that they draw strength from my thoughts of Peace." They key in this step is to provide a clear understanding for yourself of what robs you of your Peace and what replacement thoughts brings your soul solace and comfort.

3. Review your list on the right hand side, the Peace creating thoughts, those items that bring you happiness, comfort and hope, and for each item decide on short reminder phrase, usually one to four words, that best represents the entire sentence.
   
   Using another sheet of paper, number down the left hand side 1 to 30, or however many items are listed on the other page. Begin to list the following to correspond to the items that helped you identify how you find peace.
   
   Going back to the examples in Step 2, for the first example, the word you may decide best reminds you of the statement might be "prosperity guaranteed" or "always enough & more."
   
   For the second example about Iraq, your remembrance phrase might be "bubble of protection" or "I am with you."

4. 
    
   Use a calendar with large enough blocks to write the phrase

   Using the calendar, begin by writing in the block for each day your short phrases that represent how you find Peace in your life. One phrase per day block.
   
   When you reach the end of your list, continue filling in the calendar by moving back to the top of your list and moving through it again. Do this for the entire year.

5. Once you have completed filling in your calendar for all 12 months, then review your list of phrases and decide on 12 words from that list that best describe what brings your happiness and Peace.
   
   Drawing from our two examples, those words might be "prosperity" and "comfort." You will have twelve words, maybe more. But you will need to narrow your list to twelve words. Make sure the works are positive and that each time you say the words, they make you feel great inside!

6. Using the twelve words above, at the top of each month, write one of the twelve words. That will be your word of the month.
   
   Now that you have created a list of things that rob you of your peace, created a list if those things that restore your Peace and happiness, have reduced each to a short phrase, transcribed those phrases to a calendar, decided on your words of the months and placed those on the calendar, you are ready to put this new fantastic, personalized tool to work!

7. Place the calendar in a location that you will see it at least twice a day, a location that makes it impossible to miss. This might be the bathroom, refrigerator, next to the door leading out of your bedroom, or other strategic location.
   
   Every time you pass that calendar, stop for 3 seconds and read the word of the month and the phrase of the day. Say it out loud. And repeat it three times. Again, this sounds very child-like but the truth is that saying it three times, out loud, burns the word and phrase into your mind.
   
   During the day, as often as you can stand it, repeat the word of the month and the phrase of the day. If you have a pen in your hand, write the word of the month and phrase of the day down. Any time you have an opportunity, especially in the presence of an event, person, or challenge that would normally make you feel bad, repeat your words!

8. 
    
   Shout your Peace words and Phrases often!

   Lastly, repeat the word of the month and phrase of the day before going to bed. As you lay there quietly, close your eyes and repeat the words. They are your words. They are your desires. They are your answers to Peace in 2008.
   
   All of the great prophets and leaders of the world have made it clear that the words of peace of one human can change the world. Make 2008 your year of Peace. You'll find that people will want to know how you do it and will begin to ask you what the word of the month is and what the phrase of the day is. You will being to change the world, making it a better place, one day, one thought at a time!

Tips & Warnings

• Use a calendar that has large enough squares for each day to write the phrase of the day clearly.
• Consider placing your personal Peace calendar above your desk at work. This will encourage others to participate along with you.
• Using this "How To" may cause you to get smile cramps in your face muscles.
• Using this "How To" may cause your to talk to strangers as you need to share all the feelings of Peace and hope you develop.

Resources

• The Celestine Prophecy - A Book that Changed My Life
• Books by Deepak Chopra - They Will Change Your Life
• A Fantastic History of God, a must read for Peace
• The Christain Bible - Words of Wisdom, Encouragement and Hope
• The Islamic Quran - Words of Wisdom, Encouragement and Hope
• The Life of The Buddha - A Life of Wisdom and Peace
• The Jewish Torah - Words of Wisdom, Encouragement and Hope

[arwen1964]

on 7/31/2008 What a beautiful article. It really does matter whether you see the glass as half empty or half full...

[arwen1964]

on 7/31/2008 What a beautiful article. It really does matter whether you see the glass as half empty or half full...