12 Reminders For When You’re Feeling Anything But Peaceful

1. Get outside and go for a walk. Yes, even if it’s cold. Nature has an uncanny ability to provide clarity in the moments we need it most. Look at how the trees bend beneath the weight of the snow—you too have that kind of strength.

2. Remember that your life happens outside of your screen. You don’t have to be scrolling all of the time; you don’t have to post on your social media channels continually. You don’t have to watch the news 24/7—you’re allowed to live outside of your phone.

3. Remember, boundaries are not a bad thing.

4. Remember, “no” is a complete sentence.

5. Say “thank you” when you open your eyes in the morning. You have lived to see another day. You have 24 hours that are stretching out before you, and that is a gift.

6. Say “thank you” as you fall asleep at night. Gratitude is a grounding practice, even on the worst of days.

7. Read. Get lost in the words of someone else, in a time that is not your own, in a place that you have never been. Let yourself lose a little bit of sense and time as you fall into the pages of a good book.

8. Listen to your body. Are you tired? Perhaps you need to sleep. Maybe you need to drink more water. Perhaps you need to step away from the coffee and have some tea—or maybe you do need to have that donut or whatever you deem a treat. Maybe you’re clinging to your busyness so much that you’re neglecting your responsibilities to your personal health. And yes, maintaining your health is your responsibility, so pay attention to the signs your body is giving you.

9. Listen to music. Let yourself get lost in the melody and harmony and magic that’s coming out of the speakers. Slow down long enough to marvel at the fact that such beauty came out of someone else’s brain.

10. Mute the voices that tell you to speed up and amplify those that ask you to slow down and look around you.

11. It’s okay to delegate—even Beyoncé hires help. Delegation is not a sign of failure but rather a mark of lasting leadership and a commitment to doing the roles you do hold well.

12. Remember, you get to choose—you get to choose who you give your heart to, who you give your attention to, who gets your time and energy. You get to choose how you react and with what or who you engage. You always get to choose.