We often make the mistake of attributing our lack of peace of heart to conditions out of our control—a world in turmoil, a relationship that has ended, or a hope thwarted.

But peace of heart is an inside job. It happens within regardless of what is happening without. The heroic heart cultivates gratitude even in the midst of suffering. It finds glory in the inglorious, beauty in the less than beautiful. It accepts life’s ups and downs, heartaches, disappointments, and inevitable losses.

Inner peace is not just “feeling better,” but a deep sense of lasting contentment. It is a sweet feeling, sometimes accompanied by sadness.

The pains of life can peacefully coexist with all that has been joyous, all that has left you with gratitude, and all that deserves to be lovingly held and remembered.

Excerpted from Finding Peace When Your Heart Is In Pieces: A Step-by-Step Guide to the Other Side of Grief, Loss, and Pain: Coleman, Paul: 0045079573383: Amazon.com: Books

Read more by Paul Coleman on Open to Hope: https://www.opentohope.com/the-music-of-life/ ‎

Paul Coleman

Dr. Paul Coleman is a psychologist in private practice for over thirty years and the author of a dozen books including his most recent “Finding Peace When Your Heart Is in Pieces” (ADAMS MEDIA, 2014). He has appeared on national television shows such as “OPRAH” and “TODAY” and has appeared on dozens of national radio shows including NPR and WABC. Dr. Coleman specializes in the treatment of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder as well helping people through grief and other life transitions. For fun, Paul enjoys acting and has appeared in over forty community theater stage productions. He recently appeared as a grief counselor in the HBO series “I Know This Much Is True” starring Mark Ruffalo. He has written several stage plays—as yet unpublished—but has had readings of his plays performed in New York City and Austin, Texas. Paul and his wife have three children and four grandchildren.

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