Learning about the peacemakers, we naturally reflect on how we ourselves can become more peaceful. We imagine many of our readers do the same as they read the book. While we can’t all become as utterly devoted and selfless as say, Mother Teresa or Mahatma Gandhi, we can take small steps toward self-improvement and personal growth.

One step we’ve taken is to think about how we can develop more inner peace. We’ve started being aware of our inner peace from day to day, noticing when it is low, and thinking about why that might be. We’ve asked ourselves a powerful question: “What’s our biggest obstacle to inner peace?” We’ve found that the answer is different for each of us.

Ken has realized that, for him, the biggest obstacle is time pressure. Like many people, when he feels short on time and in a rush, he feels more stressed, less patient, and less cooperative. Knowing this, he’s now asking himself if he really does need to rush, or if he can do the same thing in about the same amount of time at a more relaxed pace and with less stress. So far, it’s making a huge difference.

Sometimes, Heather also feels the stress of time pressure, but being a sensitive introvert, she’s found that her biggest obstacle to inner peace is overstimulation. When she’s around lots of noise or commotion for a long time, her stress level goes up and her patience and ability to think clearly goes down. Knowing this, she realizes how important a settled atmosphere and quiet breaks are to help her stay more balanced and peaceful.

Reflecting on this question has really helped us learn about ourselves, enjoy our daily lives more, and improve our relationship.

So, how about you? What’s your biggest obstacle to inner peace?