Peace. I long to embody it — in my heart, in my presence, in my energy. 

 

Here are four intentional ways I have cultivated a deeper sense of peace this month specifically.

 

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Mid-Day Rest 
Something I recently add this year was a mid-day break of 1-2 hours a few times a week.  These mid-day breaks help me pause and slow down, and it pulls me away from the "rat race" feeling of being on the go all the time.  This past Monday and Tuesday, I had a 3 hour lunch break and I decided to spend it at my favorite local park in Palo Alto, sitting at a picnic bench with my lunch, the sun warm on my back. I ate in silence, fully present with my meal. It felt so grounding—my heart filled with gratitude for the fresh air, the sunshine, the laughter of children playing nearby, and the peaceful quiet surrounding me.

 

When I live slowly, my energy softens — into presence and thankfulness. I am grounded in what’s in front of me, rather than the future or my to-do list. The worries about “falling behind” or the tendency to overanalyze fade away.

 

As someone deeply introspective and self-aware, this practice of slowing down — of simply being still and allowing my thoughts to exist without judgment — has brought me profound peace.  I appreciate life as it is, rather than how I think it should be.

 

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Widening My Gaze
As I write this, it is fall — my favorite season. The leaves are changing colors, and one of the things I love most about my job is driving from one client to the next, surrounded by that beauty along the roads. I spend about 60–90 minutes on the road each day, and recently I have noticed something: when I widen my field of vision, I lean into a sense of awe and release.

 

When my focus narrows — on a screen, a page of my book, or a single point — my body feels focused and strained, as if on high alert. But when I soften my gaze and take in the entire visual field, a sense of safety and spaciousness washes over me.  My entire self starts to appreciate the beauty in the nature around me.  My mind, heart, and body all exhale.  It brings me peace.

 

I have started practicing this not only in the car but also on my walks and hikes. It is so easy to look down at the ground, but when I lift my eyes toward the horizon, something shifts. It is calming. Grounding. Centering.

 

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Adding Play

As someone who tends to think deeply, take life seriously, and constantly seek efficiency, I realized that having fun and being playful had quietly slipped away from my life. Movement — especially dancing — has become my outlet for rediscovering play.  Recently, I got back into my Lindy Hop swing dancing classes.  When I dance, I am fully in the moment. I am not analyzing or reflecting; instead, my attention is on the instructor, my dance partner, and the choreography unfolding in real time.

 

Bringing play back into my life has been transformative. It gives my mind a much-needed pause — a chance to rest from all the thinking and analyzing. I have learned that my brain needs a break too, and sometimes the most nourishing thing I can do is let myself simply be — to move and do “nothing” with my mind.

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Making my Room a Sanctuary

My room feels like a true sanctuary. After a long day at work, I love coming home to a clean, tidy, and clutter-free space. I make it a habit to tidy up every day so that mess does not build up over time. During especially busy days or weeks, I notice it is much harder for me to slow down and rest when my surroundings feel chaotic or noisy.  Keeping my room minimalistic visually and digitally creates stillness and rest in my inner self.

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↟↟𓂃 ོ ☼𓂃↟ 𖠰𓂃 ོ𓂃

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💬 What moments of awe or beauty have caught my attention recently?

💬 What activities used to bring me joy or playfulness that I no longer make space for?

💬 What is one small, intentional act I can take this week to nurture deeper inner peace?

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Thank you so much for reading ❤️  

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