The Grasshopper must have been watching the United Nations on CSPAN just before he offered this: “There won’t be peace out there until there’s peace in here.”

I’m sure we can all agree that world peace is a noble goal, but the probability is that it’s unreachable.

That’s not being a “Negative Nellie”; it’s just an educated projection based on world history.

Does that mean we stop making attempts? No, because the actual pursuit of something delivers more results than attainment. That’s because we spend more time pursuing than we do attaining and if our pursuit is peace, we experience it every step of the way rather than once as a result.

The question then becomes where do we pursue peace – in here or out there?

“Out there” seems to be trying to convince others to do something “our” way. Peace is an internal process first. You can’t tell others about your peace; you have to show it to them before you can offer it to them.

Would you want to go to couples counseling with a therapist that’s in a contentious relationship? Yes, they have lots of counseling experience and will probably say all the right words, but they’re more likely to project their angst rather than show you their peace.

Internal peace is more transferrable. That’s why pursuing peace “in here” is a more productive choice.

You will make more connections when you bring peace with you. It’s more powerful than any debatable logic.

Here’s a little experiment to practice: Go into an every day interaction you have with someone holding a place of peace for them inside of you. Pretend that you have a little space inside of you that’s just filled with peace and is dedicated exclusively to them. Then just go and have your interaction.

My experience is that they will sense your peace. It’s the same sense a person gets when they know an approaching dog is friendly.

Pursue your peace daily and reap the rewards. The added benefit is this: You’ll have a much better chance of turning the world inside out.

All the best,

John