Inner peace is something people through ages have sought after. I might have observed wrong but during recent years it seems like the value given to peace, harmony - what ever you wish to call it - has decreased where there should have been given an increased dose. This is the initial feeling I get.
A general rule for reaching this state is balance — balance in all aspects of life. It is nothing complicated but it is a complex art. Balance in one's life is a result of a combined sum of healthy practices, habits, values, attitudes and moral decisions. In connection with this I disagree with many. There are some among us that would have us believe that a balanced life requires an occational indulgement in a vice in order to create a balance with virtue. Not so. We are to get rid of our vices, overcome our weaknesses and make ourselves clean of all immorality, addictions and spiritually as well as physically harmful practices. This way we become confident and strong. This way we build a firm foundation to stand on.
During this process an individual aquires skills and talents. An individual grows in knowledge and achieves many things. There lingers a danger of pride in all this. Without being careful it is easy to start bragging or look down on those who have not achieved so much. It is easy to become blinded by the knowledge and know-how.
Pride is something to stay away from. It makes progress hard. It becomes a hinder for learning. Scriptures and many spiritual leaders speak against pride. Seeing the damage and trouble it causes they have a good reason to do so.
Here one might then ask: "am I not allowed to be proud of myself and of my achievements?"
My answer is yes, you are allowed to feel that way.
To be able to feel proud of what you have done or even more importantly of what or who you are is crucial to a balanced self-esteem. I consider being proud and being prideful to be two completely different attitudes regardless of them being close. To be proud is to acknowledge and to give appropriate credit. To be prideful is to boast and take credit that does not belong to you.
A happy individual is the one who is proud of what s/he has achieved, done and is. S/he does not boast or look down. S/he is humble and receives all experience with gratitude.
You can be humbly proud.
