ACCESSING PEACE IS ESSENTIAL to expanding our ability to receive and live fulfilling lives. Therefore, the quicker and more easily you can return to peace, the better. Below are 10 strategies to utilize when you would like to consciously increase feelings of peace inside of you, whether you are in turmoil or already at peace.

1. Be Present
Find the stillness in the moment. The simplest path to peace is being present to the NOW. When we are present, we are at peace.

2. Express Appreciation
Appreciation is a fast and effective way to raise your energy vibration, and reconnect to the abundance in your life. Allow yourself to appreciate. When you're feeling un-resourceful, start with little things to appreciate. Your eyes, ears, health, a house to live in, family and aliveness. Allow your feelings of appreciation to expand and deepen. What are you receiving in your life? What do you appreciate right now? Write it down. Allow the feelings of peace to expand and deepen. You can also feel appreciation for what is coming to you in the future, by practicing feeling "gratitude in advance". A respected coach I know asks her clients "what they are grateful for" next week? She's reports that 90% of the time, they receive that for which they expressed "gratitude in advance". Appreciation, appreciation, appreciation...it simply leads to peace.

3. Accept Reality
To access peace, it's essential to learn to recognize and ACCEPT reality for what it is, no more and no less. The birds are flying. The clock is ticking. The dog is barking. I have a flat tire. Someone said "no". I burned dinner. My appointment didn't show. I didn't get what I wanted in this moment. I didn't make the progress I desired. The sky is blue. It's raining. Whatever REALITY is...is simply that. There is nothing inherently "good" or "bad" about reality. It's only the meaning we place on it.

Peace is aligning with 'what is',
and NOT resisting it.

4. Take Responsibility
Part of accepting reality is owning your actions, non-actions, and reactions. Take responsibility for your life. In avoiding responsibility, the resulting impact is feeling like a victim, that life is happening to us and that takes us out of our peace. Taking responsibility for a desire means taking action, recommitting to a task, or scheduling it. If you acted unconsciously, then take responsibility by becoming "conscious", and making a new conscious choice. If you reacted to another, own your reactions. Look within. Perhaps you can find a "truth" or piece of reality that you've been resisting or unwilling to look at. Perhaps you owe someone an apology. Look within. Get humble. Own your reactions. Own your choices. Own your life. Own your peace.

5. Get Up and Move
The quickest way to shift any emotion is through movement or action. Breathe. Walk around the block. Exercise. Jump up and down. Take an inspired action to progress toward a goal. Movement shifts energy. Create the space for a new emotional state of being to emerge. Movement is a pathway back to peace.

6. Love Yourself Unconditionally
As we love and accept ourselves unconditionally, we access peace. We are our single most reliable sources of love, because we can always CHOOSE to love ourselves unconditionally. It's simply a matter of practice. I met a very special lady in the "healing profession", and her words branded me for life. "If everyone could just learn to love themselves to pieces". Love is one of life's greatest medicines, and we need to administer to ourselves - generously. Loving ourselves is foundational to living life, and accessing peace. When we love ourselves, we take greater care of ourselves, and make clearer decisions that propel our highest good. If you're like most people you haven't practiced giving yourself "unconditional love", and will need to exercise this emotional muscle. I used to think, "of course I love myself". I've since realized that it's one thing to say it, it's another to LIVE IT. When you love yourself you are kind, responsive, forgiving and appreciative - to yourself. When you love yourself your heart smiles, and the world is lighter. As we access love, we access peace.

7. Eliminate Stressful Thoughts
Every dis-empowering emotional state is a result of a stressful thought. In the absence of a stressful thought is PEACE. There is a simple process called "Inquiry", that allows people to consistently release stressful thoughts, and return to a state of peace. It is the most effective tool I know of to deal powerfully with stressful thoughts. Byron Katie is the author of "Loving What Is", and originated what she calls "the work" and "inquiry". "Inquiry" allows us to examine our thoughts more closely. As one recognizes that many of the thoughts which bring us turmoil, are simply "made-up" and have no basis in reality, the thoughts disappear. When we "attach to certain" stressful thoughts, we experience a host of debilitating emotions and this takes us out of peace. Listen to the "Loving What Is" CD's to learn how to effectively eliminate stressful thoughts and access peace anytime you choose.

8. Feel Your Feelings
Sometimes emotions creep up on us unexpectedly, and it feels nearly impossible to "consciously choose" anything other that what is consuming our "emotional reality". Rest assured, there is always a path back to peace. Whether you're feeling gripped with sadness, anger, frustration, overwhelm, depression or fear, the path to peace is simply to "feel your feelings" FULLY. If you're feeling sad, allow the tears to flow. Cry. Sob. Weep. Let the emotion of sadness consume you, and fill every cell in your body. Surrender into the feeling, expanding it inside of you. Don't resist it, embrace it. The more intensely you allow the emotion to be expressed, the more quickly you will be freed of it. Peace is the result of "feeling your feelings fully". Typically, we sense an emotion like sadness, anger or frustration, and we RESIST it - not allowing its full expression. Whatever you resist, persists. So, when you're feeling stuck in a heavy emotion, simply surrender and FEEL your way back to peace.

Deflecting a dis-empowering emotion on the front end, is the optimal choice. Getting present, stepping into appreciation, accepting reality, taking responsibility and making a new powerful choice are all effective in returning to peace. However, if we aren't quick enough, we MUST EXPERIENCE the emotion FULLY to release it.

Example - I've practiced this many times, and am always amazed at the results. My favorite "feel your feelings fully" shares are when I've slipped into "anger or frustration", and instead of resisting it, I decide to play full-out and fully express it. Do this on your own, or with the support of someone. It's about releasing the emotion, NOT directing it toward someone. First, I acknowledge and own, "I'm angry". Then I allow that feeling to be present. With anger, frustration or depression, I find that EXAGGERATING it helps as I mock it in a playful way. Sometimes I make a growling sound like a bear or lion. I find that within seconds, I'm laughing at myself. I try to return to the emotion by growling again. I look for more anger, and can't find it. This is a powerful path back to peace. Try it.

9. Go Back to Nature
There is something about nature that breeds peace. Whether you're with the mountains, ocean, a park, a tree, flowers, a backyard, a nature trail or simply outside - peace is the naturally occurring state, as you resonate with its beauty. Nature represents oneness. It's vast and beautiful. Getting present to the beauty, complexity and perfect harmony of nature, is effective at reconnecting one to peace.

10. Know "All Is Well"
This is one phrase that I find brings me back to peace more than any other. It's simply the truth. Inside of "all is well", we are ONE, connected with the Universe, with unlimited potential. Allow "all is well" to affect your being and bring you back to peace. I'm always amazed at how quickly peaceful outcomes follow the thought of "all is well". Embrace the mantra of "all is well" when you find yourself disconnected from peace. As you embrace the truth in these words, notice how peace returns.

This concludes Mary Allen's series on Living Soulfully