Do you find yourself running around like crazy this time of year? Whether it’s holiday shopping, closing out the business year, preparing for parties and big family meals…the list goes on and on. As a result, few of us experience much peace during this “season of peace.”

Here are a few things you can do to bring peace into your life.

5 Ways to Increase Peace in Your Life

1. Inventory your life.

Even though your calendar is packed, do you keep agreeing to take on “one more thing”? The point of life it not to be busy, but to be happy while contributing to society. Does your daily calendar reflect that?

2. Understand it is not your job to make everyone happy.

As women, we often spend our lives trying to make everyone else happy. Be peaceful and happy yourself and others around you might just “catch” what you’ve got.

3. Let “peace” be the decision maker in your life.

When you consider doing something, stop to see how you feel about it. If it adds stress to your life, reconsider. Don’t take on that project with the suicide deadline. Don’t buy that dress that’s always going to wrinkle. Don’t run up your credit cards with holiday purchases.

4. Consider that everyone is doing the best she can. 

When someone is rude, impatient or angry, rather than judging them, realize that you have no idea what’s going on in her life.  Is her mother dying? Her child sick? Her spouse out of work? Consider that everyone you meet is doing the best she can with the hand she’s been dealt.

5. Simplify. Simplify. Simplify.

Do you own your “stuff” or does it own you? Do you really need more decorations? Will anyone miss that third entrée for the holiday dinner? Does your toddler really need another noisy toy? Less stuff might just equate to more peace. Give it a try.