A Peaceful World

In case you've been living under a rock, you know that our nation and our world are in turmoil. But it does not have to be that way. All of us can take a stand for peace, light over darkness and love over hatred and anger.

Call me crazy but I wholeheartedly believe that we can spread hope, light and love around the world. It begins with small steps that each of us take. As a collective group, we can change the world for the better. Who said we were destined for this chaotic place we call home to always be full of war, terrorism and hatred/racism?

Unconditional love.
Say that again.
Unconditional love.

We are called to love everyone, no matter what they've done, who they really are, or where they are going.

I wish most of all that my dream of a peaceful world would come into fruition.

So here are some ways that you can add to the positive, peaceful change in the world we live in.

1. Do not hate anyone. Personally, I was abused in every way for many years, even into my adulthood. I do not hate those who hurt me. Hate takes too much effort. Instead I see those difficult times as opportunities to learn from their mistakes and to spread the message of love to everyone I know. Rather than dwelling on the people who have hurt me makes me angry.

2. Do not judge. I cannot even begin to tell how many times it says that in the Bible, but people do not usually take the time to sit down and see how they are judging others and/or their current situation. It is very normal to judge but it is worth the effort to stop judging others or hold grudges. No one is immune to this but I can tell from experience that it takes more effort to judge someone than to not judge. It brings out the "peace that surpasses all understanding.

3. Random Acts of Kindness. I make it a priority to help at least one person every day. Whether it's opening the door to people with full hands or it's saying thank you to an unappreciated person, you can change their day and possibly start a "pay it forward" movement. Too many people suffer through the day. Too many people need just one kind person in their day.

Some of you know that I am working on a project to spread love. Since August, I have hand crocheted 144 scarves for 5 different charities across the country and around the world..There are so many opportunities in this life to give of our time, money and patience.

Trust me, acts of kindness are what make this life awesome.

4. Be the change inside of you that would allow you to bring peace into your life and those who surround you. Sometimes we get frustrated easily. Sometimes we are angry or say something negative to others. It does not always have to be that way. Choose something you want to work on to be a more peaceful person or to bring more positivity into your life. You really can change your life. And in turn, you can bring more joy to those around you.

5. Do not dwell on the negativity. This is very hard for me, as I suffer from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder IPTSD), in which I relive some of the most difficult times in my life. No matter how many flashbacks/memories I have in a day, I have the decision of whether I can let them rule my life or how I can rule them. Moving to a more peaceful world, it is necessary to think of positive things, like the birth of a new baby, a funny cat video or a video of a soldier coming home to surprise his/her child(ren). Laughter and smiles can change the world for each of us.

Let peace surround you and those around you as well.