Creating peace within yourself can be imaged by thinking of a stream when there are a lot of rocks for shallow water to flow over. It makes a lovely gurgling sound, but when you have deeper water and not so many rocks, it moves along without any sound at all. No ripples. No waves. Completely smooth and peaceful. So, you can relate creating inner peace to removing the rocks from a stream and letting it be deeper. And each of the rocks is an illusion or a fear or a misconception or a false belief. And they’re easy to remove. Well, maybe not so “easy,” but just take it one by one.

Here is a technique for looking at feelings and beliefs that I still find quite useful. You give the answers with a focus on self, without involving other people or outer conditions. It’s not a matter of looking at what you think something or someone has done to you. It’s a matter of looking at what you are inwardly doing to yourself. It’s meant to be a quick tool of a sentence or two per answer.
 
Generically a person can ask: What takes you out of peace? Write the first thing that comes to mind in one short sentence or phrase. Usually, I’m using this process because I’m aware that something has disturbed me. And so, an answer is fairly obvious. But when I’m just doing a self-check, two other things help that might be helpful to you if nothing comes to mind. Think of a recent event that triggered anxiety, anger or irritation. Or ask yourself what you think would make someone else lose their peace? Some people find it easier to depersonalize things. But remember the answer actually applies to you. It’s what you think.
 
But usually, a specific event has occurred to prompt wanting to walk thru this exercise. In this case the first question can be worded: “What event disturbed your peace?” So, begin with very briefly describing the incident in one or two sentences. Beware of going down a rabbit hole here. It’s very easy to get off on emoting and forget the purpose of this exercise, which is to see behind the outer situation and to see behind our reaction to it.
 
Identify the current feeling of non-peace. Here are a few potentials:
Anxiety? Unrest? Ill at ease? Irritation? Anger? Need for change? Fear? Worry? Concern? Powerless? Justified? Responsible? Righteous? Disappointment? Sadness? Confused? Bewildered?

Determine what belief is causing this feeling. Some potential sentence beginnings to choose from are:
People should be…
The world should be…
I didn’t expect…
This always happens…
This can escalate into…
I always hate it when…
I demand to be treated…
It’s unacceptable to…

Identify triggers. Briefly describe the event or circumstances that led up to this disturbance of peace within yourself.

Look at the drawbacks of allowing the cycles to continue.

Ask yourself if you would defend these feelings and beliefs.

Then ask yourself if you DO defend them.

Look at the results or consequences of harboring these feelings and beliefs.

If you’re willing and ready to surrender them, then create a short action plan using whatever tools you have. Create whatever works for you, here are some ideas:
Create a positive phrase or mantra that can be repeated daily to replace the belief.
Visualize placing feelings or beliefs or triggers in a purifying fire whenever they occur.
When a similar thought or feeling begins literally put your hand in front of you as if you’re stopping someone and say: Stop.
Figure a way to face a fear head on.
Create a visualization in which you experience the trigger you listed, but respond in a different way.
Ask for help.