Comfort Vs. Peace

Both Comfort and Peace are needful and useful.

Comfort is a tool to find relief from suffering, a tool to discover contentment, ease, and familiarity.

Peace is a state of being - despite difficulty you can be in a state of peace.

I think there is one distinct difference between the two. Comfort gets tired easily. And when comfort gets tired, complacency comes along and takes its place. On the flipside, when we experience peace, we are gifted with energy. Peace is long-lasting and extends its arms of influence to those around you.

It is important to know the difference. Because when we stay in our comfort zone for too long, we betray ourselves. We betray our potential.

On the other hand, when we seek Peace, it is a radical act. To seek peace isn’t always easy; it can be messy and can feel like you are out of control. But it is lasting and extends to those around you.

“The way we can know if we’ve betrayed ourselves is by whether we are still desiring to be helpful.”

-Arbinger Institute, The Anatomy of Peace: Resolving the Heart of Conflict

So, how can you cultivate Peace instead of Comfort?

Be aware of what you are seeking. Comfort is a protector, and sometimes we need that protector. And often times, what we need is peace, not a protector.

My favorite tools for cultivating Peace are:

Journaling

Working on fulfilling my dreams

Gratitude

Moving my body

What are yours?