The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is

Norman Vincent Peale, the herald of positive thought and quiet strength, once proclaimed: “The life of inner peace, being harmonious and without stress, is the easiest type of existence.” In these words, he lifts a veil from the secret of living well. He does not say that riches, power, or fame bring the easiest existence. Instead, he points us to a treasure often overlooked: the cultivation of inner peace, a harmony within the soul that makes even the hardest outward life bearable, and the simplest life radiant.

When he speaks of a life harmonious and without stress, Peale does not mean a life without challenges, for such a thing does not exist among mortals. Rather, he points to a way of being in which the storms of the world do not destroy the calm at the center of the heart. Just as the ocean may rage on the surface but remain still in its depths, so too may the soul, if rightly trained, remain calm even when troubles crash like waves above. This inner harmony, once found, makes existence lighter, for the weight of fear and anxiety no longer presses upon the spirit.

The ancients knew this truth well. Consider the Stoic philosopher Epictetus, born a slave, his body chained but his spirit free. Though his life was harsh, he taught that a man who governs his thoughts and accepts what fate delivers can live serenely, even in bondage. His life was not without hardship, but it was without torment, for he had discovered what Peale describes: the ease of existence that flows from peace within.

So too in the story of Buddha, who, after years of restless striving, discovered that true liberation was not in the pursuit of endless desire but in the stillness of the mind and the harmony of compassion. He sat beneath the Bodhi tree and found what Peale echoes centuries later: that when the inner life is calm, the outer life, no matter how difficult, becomes bearable, even luminous. Thus, from East and West alike, wisdom converges upon the same truth: peace within is the key to the easiest way of living.

Peale’s words also serve as a rebuke to the feverish pace of the modern world. Men chase wealth, claw for recognition, and burden themselves with unceasing labor, believing that only through accumulation and conquest will life become easier. Yet the opposite occurs: anxiety grows, relationships fracture, and the spirit is consumed. The easiest type of existence is not won by conquering the world, but by conquering the restlessness within. Simplicity, acceptance, and balance make life flow like a gentle stream, while greed and fear turn it into a storm.

The lesson for us is profound: if you desire ease in life, do not chase only what lies outside. Cultivate inner peace through practices that restore harmony. Reflect in silence each day. Breathe deeply and remind yourself that the troubles of today are but passing shadows. Speak gently, forgive quickly, and release resentment, for these are the poisons that rob the soul of calm. Live simply, so that the heart is not enslaved to possessions, and serve others, for compassion quiets the spirit more than selfishness ever can.

So, O listener, take Norman Vincent Peale’s wisdom as a guiding torch. Strive not for an existence weighed down by stress and ambition, but for one harmonious and without stress. Make your mind a sanctuary, your heart a wellspring of calm, and you will discover that life itself becomes lighter, even in difficulty. For in the end, it is not outward wealth, nor fame, nor power that makes life easy—it is the stillness within, the strength of peace, the serenity of the soul aligned with harmony. This, above all, is the true ease of existence.