Don’t let the behavior of others destroy your inner peace.  – Dalia Lama

In the 1996 movie Happy Gilmore, staring Adam Sandler, one of the techniques employed by Happy’s coach Chubbs was for Happy to find his “happy place.”  You know the place . . . it is where you go in your mind’s eye to relax . . . to escape.  It is that place that makes all of your day-to-day struggles, all of those little events, drift away like fading memories.

Your happy place may be a vacation destination . . . it may be a specific event or time.

Your happy place may be spiritual . . . it may be isolated.  Your happy place may be with others or it may be quiet and alone.  For you . . . the place that you are most at peace is personal.

The more I experience life, the more I search for prolonged times of inner peace.  I encounter individuals who bring peace to my life.  You know these people in your life . . . the ones who bring you back to center . . . the people that make you a better you.  I also encounter what Jon Gordon refers to as “energy vampires.”  These people – and their behavior – pull me from my inner peace.  These people pull me below the line, they challenge my ability to stay purposeful and discipline.

One of my goals during a summer of productive reflection is to be more discipline when dealing with energy vampires.  In my inner core . . . in my heart of hearts and soul of souls . . . I am confident in my purpose.  I have strong faith in the work that we do every day.  We can’t let the negativity of our outside world . . . we can’t let negativism of social media or the vitriolic tone of national politics destroy our inner peace.  We must be strong . . . we must rise above and stay above the line.