A War Within Ourselves

I find it interesting that as you get older, what seemed to be little problems turn in to much larger problems.  Becoming at peace with ourselves is now a chore that we much invest energy into.  Anything from meditation, yoga, self-help books and seminars are all geared to make YOU a better YOU.  Why do we struggle with this so much? And pay money for others to solve our own problems?

Do a lot of our social conflict and wars stem from our inner wars? If we are all individually at peace with ourselves would we be a more peaceful society? 

I believe the way we interact with others is a direct reflection of within.  We all know those individuals that constantly have a chip on their shoulder, looking for a fight everywhere they go.  It's obvious they are suffering from inner turmoil.  They feel bad and want everyone else to suffer too.  The only reaction we can give them is to not do a thing.  We are directly responsible for the way others make us feel.  It is a very hard concept to grasp, and even harder to act in this manner.  If someone really gets under our skin, the first reaction is to defend yourself and stand your ground and get upset.  They don't even deserve that reaction. The best thing is to take control of the way you're feeling and turn it into a peaceful acceptance. 

It is a fact that we cannot cure everyones inner demons, nor can we avoid international wars.  The only true way you can grasp chaos is to bring peace to your inner self. 

We have conquered basic survival, now we need to conquer the war that takes place within.