Peace

Adunola Okupe
Jul 20, 2017 · 2 min read

Growing up, I always wondered why my grandma used to say ‘alafia ati ifokan bale lo ju’ that is, health and peace of mind were the most important qualities. But as I have advanced in years…slowly, steadily but surely, I am starting to see just what she was on about.

And in a sense, this is what is great about having older people to advise, to focus, to direct — sometimes, that is all we need — to be able to see and understand what really matters in life, and eliminate the noise, the distractions.

And so I find myself more often that not, evaluating decisions, people and opportunities based on the extent to which they affect my peace of mind. I also find myself telling my friends much the same thing — this person you fancy — are they making you feel good or worse about yourself, do they cause you to have headaches, migraines, is life just that much more worrisome because they are in it? Same for friendships — does this person make me feel better or worse about life and the many wonderful things it comprises of? If so, then there’s no need to engage with them.

Same for work — does work cause you stress? Being busy is different, and perhaps I need another post for this — is to add to life — it is not to be the ‘all’ in life. Does your work remove from your peace of mind?

I have found that it really is simple — as most of the wise words around us are — and there, and then, we can remove the noise, the distractions, the bad, the ugly, and focus on what makes us feel truly alive.

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Adunola Okupe

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