Finding Peace Within

After long, exhausting hours of class, work, and all your duties, you finally lay down on your bed to relax. But instead of feeling peace, your mind is still racing, trying to replay everything that happened during the day—maybe some awkward conversation from earlier, wondering if you said the wrong thing. You check your phone for messages or missed calls, feeling a slight sting of disappointment when there’s nothing new. Then, a wave of anxiety creeps in as you start thinking about all the tasks waiting for you tomorrow. Physically, you are present, but mentally, you are everywhere except here, in the moment.

Sounds familiar? Most of us live in constant clutter, regretting the past, worrying about the future, reacting impulsively to challenges, clinging to things beyond our control, and most importantly, fearing solitude. We live for peace, yet our own thoughts keep us restless.

But what if there was another way? What if we could live with clarity, peace, and deep fulfillment—not by controlling the external world, but by mastering our inner world?

Seeking the answer to this question, I landed in the Himalayas. I went to Dharamkot, a small town in Himachal Pradesh. I somehow managed to climb uphill 9,000 feet. And you know what the interesting part was? Cows were grazing at that height—wonderful, isn’t it? Without worry, as if they would never slip and fall to pieces. I sat there; it was very cold. Suddenly, I felt something I had always wanted to experience—I was in the present moment. My mind was blank, at rest, with no thoughts. I came back to the place where I was staying and wrote something in my journal.

It was:
“The present moment is the only place where life happens, where we feel alive. Yet, we spend most of our time trapped in thoughts about the past or anxieties about the future. The past is over, and the future is uncertain. The present is the only reality.”*

Yet, we often get trapped in regret or worry, forgetting to experience what is happening right now. I was reading a book a while ago that shared a story of one of Buddha’s disciples who came to him with a troubled mind, burdened by regrets of the past and fears of the future. The Buddha asked him, “If a man is struck by an arrow, is it painful?” The disciple nodded. “And if a second arrow strikes him in the same place, would it not be even more painful?” The disciple agreed. The Buddha then explained, “In life, we cannot always avoid the first arrow—it is the natural pain that comes with existence. But the second arrow, the suffering we create with our mind, is optional. We shoot it ourselves when we dwell on past wounds or worry about the future.”

The first arrow is life’s challenges or an unexpected setback—a hurtful comment, a failure. These are difficulties we cannot always control. But then comes the second arrow—the one we stab ourselves with. This is the layer of suffering we add through overthinking and unnecessary worry. Adversity will come, but how we respond to it shapes our experience. When we stop fueling our pain with endless worry and self-criticism, we regain control of our energy and attention.

You know, we are always getting ready to live but never living. As soon as we get up in the morning, we should celebrate the breath that we breathe. The present moment is vibrant, alive, and full of unseen opportunities. We are richest when we take at least a single breath with full awareness, a single glance truly noticed, a single conversation fully engaged—these are the moments when we are richest.

This is not to say that the past holds no value or that the future should not be planned for. But living in the past leads to stagnation, and living in the future leads to illusion. The present is the only space where we can act, decide, and shape our lives.

In a noisy, fast-paced world, calmness is a superpower. When we learn to remain composed, we gain the ability to respond to life rather than react impulsively. And I feel the easiest way to return to the present moment and calmness is to take a deep, conscious breath. That’s all we need. Just try with me—inhaling deeply, feeling the air go through your nasal passages and fill your lungs. Now hold it for a moment, then release it slowly. This is a reminder that you are alive, living here, and being fully present.

No matter how far your mind wanders, the breath is always here, ready to bring you back. Let it be your guide. In the end, the only time you ever truly have is now.

Thanks. Warm greetings and wishing you a happy smile.