5 Practices That Brought Me Peace in 2024

A year is often a mixed bag—some highs and some lows.

Often, a high is immediately followed by a low creating that exhilarating and exhausting roller coaster effect. That’s how I felt this year. As soon as I got good news, a challenge followed shortly after. And that pattern continued on repeat.

But some new daily practices helped me navigate the ups and downs and not get completely swept away. Below are five peaceful practices that blossomed out of struggle this year and moved me forward.

5 practices that brought me peace

1) Saying, “I will not let this affect me.”

I started to notice how the little stressors of everyday life were piling up, affecting my mood, and spilling out to those around me. I couldn’t believe how seemingly insignificant occurrences were getting to me.

I asked my husband how he got through so many challenging circumstances in his life so well and he said, “I always said to myself, ‘I will not let this affect me. I will not let this enter into my life,’ and then I said a prayer. And, it worked for me.”

So, I tried. Whether it was for something big or small, I said the mantra repeatedly. And you know what? It works. It isn’t perfect, but it helps me refocus and keep things in perspective.

2) Saying, “Let them.”

Mel Robbins created The Let Them Theory, and unpacks what it means and how it can change your life in her new book of the same title. Her podcast describes the theory like this, “When you ‘Let Them’ do whatever it is that they want to do, it creates more control and emotional peace for you and a better relationship with the people in your life.”

While this book is still on my “to read” list, I caught the gist of this theory through her podcast and social media and started implementing it in my life. If someone chooses to focus on the negative and rarely see the positive? “Let them.” If a loved one refuses to choose a healthy path? “Let them.” This new mantra has allowed me to make the right choices for myself, redirect my energy, and focus on the things that I can control.

3) Writing The Letters to Peace series

Every Sunday on social media, I share a one to two-line meditation on peace paired with a 20-second or less nature video in my “Letters to Peace” series.

Focusing on peace regularly has helped me become more aware of what gets in the way of my peace and what helps it grow. A few things that get in the way of my peace are clutter, too much time on social media, and being overcommitted. A few things that help protect my peace are nature, prayer and meditation, walking, and creative time.

Understanding what my givers and takers of peace are helps me make the right decisions on how I spend my time and energy and allows me to better show up for myself and those around me.

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, or YouTube to bring peace to your feed and share with loved ones who could use space for calm in their week.

4) Leaning into creativity and collaborating with others

For the first time, I had the opportunity to collaborate with a talented singer and pianist to bring some of the songs I’ve written to life. Initially, some songs were just words on paper while others had a partial melody. During our sessions, we explored the meaning of the songs and variations in melody and notes. Our combined creative energy created pure magic. I hope to share some music with you soon!

Additionally, meeting with a writing critique group on a regular cadence offered accountability, camaraderie, and stronger stories. Writing, or any creative art, may seem like a solo sport, but you can get farther faster alongside others sharing resources and feedback to help each other grow.

5) Expanding my morning routine

My morning routine includes eating a healthy breakfast and journaling (which encompasses gratitude, affirmations, scripture, a to-do list, an act of kindness, and brief thoughts on how the last 24 hours went) before I get ready for the day. But I’ve added three new elements: drinking a full glass of water as soon as I wake up, going outside to reset my body clock, and creative writing. This combined effort has helped make someone like me who is “not a morning person” feel more alive and prepared for the day. I love leaning into this routine!

What helps you feel more at peace?
What interferes with your peace?
What’s one practice you could try to protect your peace?