“Peace is not something you wish for; It’s something you make, Something you do, Something you are, And something you give away.” – John Lennon
The other night I made the mistake of working on my taxes before bed. After a night of tossing a turning, mulling over finances, I blearily made my way down to the family room to meditate. As I lit the candles before settling down on the cushion, I thought “At least you have enough money to buy candles.”
None of this is new – not the worrying about money in January which I’ve done every year for the more than 20 years I’ve been in business so I know from the pattern that it all works out but still worry anyway. And not the thought “At least you have enough money to buy candles.”
However, this was the first time I realized the fuller meaning of that phrase. I have always assumed that it was a reflex reminding me how much I have. But I marveled on the morning in question that what my inner voice was also telling me that my path to find peace, meaning and joy is free. It doesn’t cost me anything to stop and meditate at any or every moment.
And it was telling me that I can do that anywhere or everywhere. I can still find the calm within when the life circumstances are hard. As the quote from John Lennon reminds me, it isn’t just wishing that creates peace but it is powerful and transferable sense worth working for.
It brings to mind an Oprah Soul Sunday podcast I heard where she talked about whispers (here it is on a video of Oprah’s lifeclass). That she’s found that God, the Universe, a Higher Power talks to us in whispers. And it’s only when we don’t listen, the voice gets more insistent, a pebble upside the head and then a brick, in Oprah parlance.
So for twenty years I’ve been sweating through January as I handle the not-so-fun tasks of getting my customers to pay their invoices and to nail down commitments for the next year. This is the first where I really listened to that inner voice and was able to find my internal peace while doing so.
I’m hopeful that I’ll remember that the price of peace is free next year. And also, not to do my taxes before bedtime.
Surprised By Joy 
“I’m hopeful that I’ll remember that the price of peace is free next year. And also, not to do my taxes before bedtime.” . . . a reminder that saying my prayers before bedtime is the prelude to peaceful night’s sleep.
Thanks Wynne.
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Ooohh, such a good point. I don’t need to just get down on the meditation cushion in the morning – but at night too!! Thanks for that wisdom!! ❤ ❤ ❤
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That famous saying about the best things in life being free is true.
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Well said, Todd! So true!
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This is a good one to remember when feeling stressed!
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Exactly! Thanks, Tamara!
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😄😊
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I love these tandem thoughts, Wynne…peace is free…and don’t work on taxes before bedtime. Those are two powerful Friday morning take-aways, I say! xo! 😘 And hey – any post with a John Lennon quote? You had me from the start! 💕
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Good point – anything that starts with a Lennon quote is probably going to at least begin well… 🙂 Happy Friday, my friend!
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🥰
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You gained a lovely insight through all the worry Wynne. There’s no doubt we worry, and when we mull things over in our attempts to problem solve, we also consider all those dire consequences. And the cycle of worry continues. The best thing you did was going down to meditate. And then the insight came through the whisper. Isn’t it amazing. You’ve given us plenty to think about with your words and that wonderful opening quote.
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You are so right about that cycle of worry, Alegria. Exactly – it feeds itself. And thank goodness we have some tools and inspiration to stop. Thanks for the wise and lovely comment!
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Perhaps Thoreau said it best, “If one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours.” Then go well my friend and find the joy in each day!
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What a wonderful quote. Thank you for that beautiful reminder, Mary!
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LOL. Not working on your taxes just before bed is good advice for sure, similar to not having an unpleasant phone call, etc. just before bed is not conducive to ensuring a sound sleep! Big question: can you meditate and find peace without having to get out of bed?! That would be perfect. 😊
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That’s a good question. I can meditate enough to get back to sleep eventually but then I still do a little more when I wake up to set the tone for the day…
And great point about the unpleasant phone call. Yes, best not to do that either! 🙂
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I love the way you turned an inner comment that was somewhat snide into something beautiful. You allowed your heart and mind to be open to the deeper meaning, which is just lovely. Thank you, Wynne! P. S. Also hoping your customers all pay up promptly – and you have more candles than you know what to do with. 😊
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I’m laughing about the candles, Kendra!! From your lips to God’s ear… 🙂
Isn’t it funny how hard it is to be open to that deeper meaning? I know you do the same work all the time. Fun to have a break through! 🙂 ❤
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A worthwhile reminder any day, any month, any year. Thanks, Wynne!
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Thanks, Dr. Stein! And I couldn’t find a way on your blog to contact you but we’d love for you to contribute a post (or more) to the Heart of the Matter if you are so moved. You have such a great perspective on what matters!
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Finally listened to the whisper and quit a volunteer commitment today. The extra head space is freeing.
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Good for you!! Love this affirmation that it works.
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I love this Wynne. When I was young, we didn’t have a lot of money. Unfortunately, I started “worrying” about money at a young age. If there’s one thing I regret, it’s that, the amount of wasted worry I’ve spent worrying about money. I’ve gotten better, but lesson you mention is one that I still need to remind myself as well. You are so right, the best things are free. It costs nothing to stop and meditate at any or every moment. For me . . . the big thing is trusting. In any event, I hope too that you have less money worries . . . especially next January. I even have a solution: let’s skip January and just jump right into February! Lol.
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Great idea – let’s skip right to February! I love what you say about that you regret the time wasted worrying about money. And also trusting… Excellent perspective. Thank you, my friend!
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Oh my goodness, is it tax time already?! Again?! I hear ya on not doing it before bedtime. 😆
The Oprah reflection about the whispers is a beautiful reminder that we are never alone and that there are always clues of support guiding us throughout our life.
It is also true that the path to finding peace and joy are free in life. It’s always there. We just need to choose to walk down that path. It is a choice.
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Well, Ab, it might say something about my lifestyle that I’m doing taxes before bedtime but… 🙂
You put it so well — it is a choice to walk down that path of peace and joy. You’d think it would be easier but sheesh, I need those whispers to keep me on track! 🙂
Hope you all have a good weekend!
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Brilliant blog post Wynne. I find it educating and a bit humorous especially the part of doing taxes at night and finding out at least you have money for candles, I guess you were worried about finances and I get it it is January Blues we tend to be broke but at least we have something to buy even if it is just candles😂😂.
Anyways, I agree that peace is free and it is not something that you wish for, it is something that you do and something that you make.
Remember to Worry less and Tryst God more🙏🔥
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Thank you, Mthobisi. Worry less and trust God more — that’s beautiful, balanced and brilliant. I appreciate you reading and commenting!
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You are welcome Wynne😊👏
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I made a really interesting discovery the other day—Siri hears and responds to the tiniest of whispers—whispers so soft that I can barely hear them myself. I don’t have to shout to be heard. I believe that the Universe works the same way. It hears and responds to the whispers of the heart. I am developing a growing awareness of the importance of what I am whispering to myself—unconscious thoughts that sneak in while I’m not looking. We are heard! Lesson to self: Whisper peace, whisper love, whisper abundance. Sit back, await miracles.
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Wow wow wow. This comment just gave me chills all over. My goodness – “you don’t have to shout to be heard.” That is so beautiful, Julia. And so counter to what the world often teaches us. Thank you for this beautiful gift of a comment!
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One friend of mine used to say that money is not a problem even when you don’t have it. I see that with taxes is different, but as you realized you have so many good things for free. By the way, your country is mean by wanting you to calculate your taxes in January, after the holidays. In Europe we do that from May to June, that seems to me a better timing.
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If anybody knows a thing or two about peace, it was John Lennon. Although, he also came up with that gobbledygook about being a walrus, so I guess you win a few and lose a few.
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This comment gives me hope for my own writing.. 🙂
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Before I got to the last paragraph, I thought of commenting: “I hope you remember this feeling now, next year at this tiiii— Oh, you already thought of that.” 🙂
I just hope you didn’t actually have that realization last year and forget to tell yourself sooner this year. 😉
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Ha, ha, ha! Well, maybe I did hear the whispers last year but still needed another year to REALLY get it. 🙂
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Heehee. Hopefully you won’t need yet another year to really REALLY get it.
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Oh no way! I wrote a post about it this time so I won’t forget. Famous last words… 🙂
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LOL!
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And no, I haven’t checked to see if I wrote a post about it last year… 🙂
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