Nothing can be worse than living daily with an internal war raging within us and the truth is, this is typical of the life so many of us live. At some point in life, different battles and skirmishes breakout in our minds and our output and performance portrays this inner discord that we experience. After all, a man’s action and carriage are influenced by the quality and state of his mind. Without calling a truce, and maintaining inward unity, happiness becomes an illusion for us. Those around us become dissatisfied with our output and our productivity reduces. Even moments of joy and happiness become short-lived as the canons and bayonets within, resume firing as soon as possible. Therefore, there can’t be genuine happiness.
This civil war within is simply an inner division, what I refer to as the total absence of harmony and synergy. Science teaches that our body organs, blood, nerves, etc, need to work in synergy to give us good health or inner harmony, but none of these can function well for long when they are at loggerheads. Oftentimes, the root of certain mental health issues is traceable to inner conflict. Even in mirth, many people are seen laughing outwardly but within them, violent protests and quarrels are ongoing. When next you are in a large gathering of people, spare a few minutes to observe them. Try to count the number of happy-faces and unhappy ones, you will be surprised that most faces are care-worn with barely suppressed hints of a raging inner war.
For some, it is evident on their faces, while others do not show it. But it will be unrealistic to say such does not exist. Why do people allow this to weigh them down? How can one suppress this inner war and not allow it to affect one’s countenance? Does it mean happy people have no worries? Or does happiness simply mean a lack of challenges?
Life, not being a bed of roses, throws different things our way, the good, the bad, and even the ugly and this sometimes throws us into a state of disarray. This accounts for those moments when concentration eludes us and there comes a feeling in our minds that we are under siege. However, we need to know that happy people also have inner battles they fight, no one is without problems. But while some exacerbate their problems by overthinking and suffer emotional stress, some have the mental fortitude to remain calm and unruffled despite challenging situations. The truth is, it’s not easy to remain calm during a battle. Battles encompass fear, pain, and tears. Nevertheless, some people smile even amid adversity.
Dear reader, you must understand that challenges are not merely a part of life, but life in itself is a challenge. It is our responsibility to take a patient and hopeful approach to our challenges before it adversely affects our mental health and well-being. We need to understand that those who win battles are not those who are over emotional and pessimistic about unfavourable situations, but those who are willing to fight against all odds.
Whenever life becomes like a burden and there is inner disunity, we need to know that the onus lies on us to bring a semblance of orderliness to our troubled minds. The truth is that life is full of challenges but your mind is the battleground. When you carry “all the problems of this world” in your mind or you deliberately/ignorantly violate natural principles, you refuse to forgive those who offended you and caused you great pain and distress or you attempt to do more than one thing at a time, you create a good and conducive field for heated battles within you.
If you agree that you have a role to play in this battle, then you should know your attitude goes a long way in determining whether you will win this battle or not. The problem is not in your might, rather, it is in the state of your mind. The state of your mind determines the strength available to you to forge ahead amidst challenges in life. Those who win battles are those who remain positive in all situations. Everyone longs for inner peace and concord.
How does one deal with these challenges that cause inner turmoil?
First, never carry the burden of unsavoury events in the past. It will only bring anxiety and sadness; learn to utilize each day well. Look positively forward to the days ahead no matter what has happened yesterday or what is going to happen tomorrow. Forgive those who have offended you so you can also free yourself from any self-constructed prison. Avoid procrastination, never postpone till tomorrow what you should and can do today. Frustration is another factor that fuels this civil war within. Do not worry unnecessarily over imaginary problems. What may look like a problem may not be a problem at all. So many things that cause inner disunity are superficial. On closer scrutiny, if it is truly a problem, assess its nature and find out options for its solutions and choose the best option in solving it.
In conclusion, you might keep experiencing “a civil war within” until you take a different approach to life. It is a law of life that where there is no center there is no coherence. Bring every thought and raging battle or anxiety to the center and then you can have coherence. Since you have been unnecessarily anxious, anticipating trouble that may never happen, what good has come of it? Always stay positive, and know that challenges don’t last forever, our attitude does.
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Written by Babawale Babatunde
doublebass511@gmail.com