I believe that the peace within us and the happiness we gain in life do not depend on where we are, what we possess, or what kind of person we are. It solely depends on the state of our minds. External factors have little to do with it here.
Almost 300 years ago, after John Milton went blind, he discovered this truth: "The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven."
Taking the lives of Napoleon Bonaparte and Helen Keller as examples can prove just how right Milton was. Napoleon had everything that most people dream of—glory, power, wealth, and so on. However, he said to Saint Helena, "I have never had a happy day in my life." On the other hand, Helen Keller was a disabled person who was blind, deaf, and mute, yet she said, "Life is so beautiful!"
I'm in my fifties. If I'm asked what I've learned in life, my answer is:
No one and nothing can bring you peace except yourself.