If you have found peace, what worked for you?

[Squinch]

11. Being absolutely honest with myself about

things that happened, and my role in them. Ruthlessly stripping away the assumptions of my upbringing, examining each assumption consciously, and consciously deciding which to keep and which to discard.

Rejecting the idea that I need to follow anyone else's opinions, or use my life to please or impress anyone other than myself. Making a major career change in my late thirties when I realized that what I was doing was not what I chose, but rather what I went along with. Honoring that first career anyway, for all that it gave me.

Being self-sufficient, taking care of myself, both emotionally and financially, both now and in the future.

Pursuing new interests with focus, and respecting their importance.

Understanding that all the hard times that I went through were the things that most effectively taught me how to be happy today.

ETA: Many people say forgiveness. I don't actually understand the concept. My anger and understanding of things that others have done to me and things I have done to myself have been instruments I used to find peace. I have been careful to remove those people from my life who have wronged me majorly, which to me says I am not practicing forgiveness. Others say that leaving the pain behind and not dwelling on it is an act of forgiveness. I see it as a necessary and positive act of selfishness. I guess it's just semantic.