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Wednesday Wisdom: Making Peace My Home There was a time when I thought survival was the best I could hope for. I carried pain like armor—heavy, familiar, and always with me. I wore self-sacrifice like a badge of honor. I thought over-extending myself made me strong. I thought holding back my truth made me lovable. Then came a moment of clarity: I deserve better. Not just a better love or better treatment from others—but better from myself. Better boundaries. Better care. And peace. But no one tells you how 'off ' peace can feel when you’ve lived in survival mode for as long as you remember. When you’re used to bracing for disappointment or danger, peace can feel like an empty room—a little too quiet, a little too still. You start waiting for the other shoe to drop - beacuse our body remembers what our mind tries to forget. I didn’t know how to just be in peace at first. I had to learn. I had to feel safe in my own body again. That’s where self-awareness became my anchor. When I started paying attention to what I was feeling—without judging it or running from it—I began to notice how certain emotions lived in my body: tight chest, tense jaw, fluttering stomach. I didn’t push them away, I just named them - stress, anger, nerves. And something amazing happened. The more I noticed how I 'felt, ' in my body, the calmer I became emotionally. My thoughts softened. My breathing slowed. My mind could finally step out of survival mode and start making thoughtful decisions again. Here’s what’s happening behind the scenes: When our bodies feel overwhelmed, the brain reacts by activating our survival systems—fight, flight, freeze, or fawn. The rational part of the brain, the prefrontal cortex, temporarily takes a backseat so we can focus on escaping danger. This is automatic, and can happen without us even knowing. But when we slow down, breathe, and tune in, we send signals to the brain that say, "It’s okay, I’m safe now." That’s when the thinking brain comes back online. That’s when clarity returns. That’s when peace becomes possible. Peace isn’t passive. It takes practice. Peace isn’t the absence of problems—it’s the PRESENCE of YOU! These days, I’m learning how to coexist with peace. To sit in the quiet without fear. To trust stillness, instead of chasing the next storm. Maybe you’re there too, or maybe you’re just starting to believe that peace is possible for you. Here are a few questions to reflect on today: � When was the last time you felt truly calm, and what helped you get there? � Is there a part of you that resists peace? If so, what might that part be afraid of? � What would it mean to make peace your 'home' instead of your 'vacation'? You don’t have to run anymore. You can rest. And you don’t have to earn peace—it’s already yours to claim. Peace isn't a destination. It’s a way of being present - breath by breath. A Recipe for Dating: Lessons in Conscious Coupling and Self-Love