Each morning, I begin with a simple ritual.
I write in my journal: Today is my peaceful day.
I write it at least three times.
Then I stand, feel my feet on the floor, glance around the room, and speak the words out loud.
These words are more than a mere affirmation.
I feel them deep in my heart.
When I’m feeling a little unsafe, unsure, or uncomfortable,
I place one hand on my heart and another on my belly and repeat the words.
Lately, life has offered up a few bumps in the road,
and I’ve found myself wondering…
do these words still hold when things feel unsteady?
Do they work?
Well… yes and no.
No—the external things that may be triggering are still happening.
It isn’t as though they stop and say, Oh, wait… this is her peaceful day. We’ll just pause for now.
Yes—because I can feel my heartbeat and my breath.
And in that moment, I am brought back into my body—
out of the spiral of thought and into something steady and real.
With these words, I find the courage to take the next step,
even if that step is tiny.
And those tiny steps remind me that I am safe—
capable of finding the ground beneath me
and coming to rest.
Not because everything has changed—
but because I have.
It doesn’t really matter what words you use,
as long as they speak to your heart.
You might try this:
Write your words down three times. Use paper and pen—old-fashioned, I know, but it engages something deeper.
Then stand.
Notice your feet touching the floor.
Take three slow breaths.
And speak the words out loud, three times.
Give it a few days—maybe a week—
and notice what begins to shift.
No, this won’t change the external world.
But it may change how you meet the world around you.
And sometimes…
that is everything.