I’m not sure why I’m surprised every time a new month, like August, shows up when I open my computer to write a weekly article. Doing the math, it’s only 140 days, or 20 weeks, or 3,360 hours until Christmas Day. The older I get, the faster the years go by and the slower the days pass.

Whatever the date, the week, or the hour, what I know for sure is that my most precious commodity is time. Over the fifteen years I have authored Mental Matters, I have repeatedly written that a minute passed is gone forever. It’s the one thing I know to be an absolute truth.

A friend asked me this morning, “What are you doing today?”

I said, “Absolutely nothing.”

That is the topic of today. Making the most of every minute does not mean you fill every moment to overflowing. It means making the most of the time you have, which sometimes means sitting, breathing, thinking, remembering, and maybe even twiddling your thumbs.

Peace is an esteemed word. It’s always my goal, but I sabotage it by staying busy, engaged, involved, and learning. Although I get great satisfaction in completing projects and keeping my environment orderly, it isn’t how I would define peace.

Webster defines peace as “freedom from disturbance; tranquility.” How do you achieve peace in your body and mind?

Peace is earned, not gifted. It doesn’t come wrapped in pink iridescent paper or tied with a florist’s bow. It is a state of being—it comes from within. I get a sense of satisfaction, which feels peaceful, when I finish a task and check it off as done, but I am referring to the feeling of quiet when I relax with gratitude, even when I’m over-scheduled or running late.

How do you describe peace in your days and when do you experience it the most? Here are some thoughts that seem to help me when I feel noisy or unsettled:

Breathe deeply—exhale slowly

Welcome stillness

Let go of what is out of my control

Make life a little simpler

Avoid negative people and activities

Choose to be kind to myself and others

Protect my time—it’s okay to say “No”

Monitor my energy—it too has limits

Forgive myself and others

Don’t lie—not even little white ones

Don’t let yesterday spoil today

Count my blessings

Balance what I eat, do, and think

Add what works for you to my list. Yours might be quite different. I know mental wellness includes less chaos, hurrying, obligations, deadlines, and perfectionism. Being aware and attached to what cures or purifies the soul is worthy of all efforts.

Until the next time: Live while you live.

Jennifer Goble, Ph.D., LPC, is the author of “My Clients…My Teachers,” and the blogger and writer of Rural Women Stories: www.ruralwomenstories.com.

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