Living a life of inner peace is not
the same thing as being a doormat.
Bohdi Sanders

Accepting the things which you cannot control does not mean that you have to allow others to treat you rudely or continually disrupt your life. As I said in the last chapter, living a life of inner peace is not the same thing as being a doormat. By all means, stand up for yourself and do not allow others to treat you poorly. But, at the same time, do it in a way that does not interrupt your inner peace.

You can stand up to a bully without getting angry, irate, or emotional. You can stand up for yourself and tell Aunt Paula how things are without allowing it to upset you or ruin your day. Do the right thing, at the right time, and in the right way. There is a right way and a wrong way to do everything, including dealing with conflicts, rude people, and even a malicious enemy.

The important thing to remember is to never allow the behavior of others to affect you. You can’t control what other people say or do, but you can always control how you respond to them, even if that means to simply smile and walk away. Remember, reacting is likely to cost you your inner peace; responding puts you in charge of the situation. You don’t have to be offended because someone is being offensive. You have a choice, so choose not to be offended by anyone or anything.

Bohdi Sanders
excerpt from the MULTIPLE AWARD-WINNING BOOK
The Art of Inner Peace