At fifty-four, I am living my best life – mentally, physically and professionally. A newfound sense of calm flows through my days. Every morning I wake up, place my feet on the ground, and know I am where I am supposed to be. Life is not perfect, but I approach my problems differently now. I am two feet in.

The two feet in philosophy means committing to my choices one hundred percent and knowing that no matter what challenges I face, I will make it through. I live that way because I trust myself now. I stick to my decisions instead of endlessly analyzing and second-guessing. There is no bigger obstacle to progress than an internal dialogue clouded by doubt.  Life requires perseverance, but it also needs vulnerability. We must open ourselves up to our potential and hold onto our truth. To calm our minds, we need to trust our instincts.

As peaceful as my life is now, it is not without challenges and days of emotional difficulty. Over the years, as I have refined my two feet in lifestyle, I have developed a toolkit of resources to help stay calm and grounded. There is no magic formula for what to practice and when: I decide based on how I feel on a particular day and what is needed to re-center my emotions and get back to feeling peaceful. Each resource focuses on a different aspect of mental balance and wellness, but I find all are equally useful in calming my mind, depending on what I need:

• Meditating. In 2024, I learned about transcendental meditating (TM). Initially I learned to meditate using guided meditation apps. That was the only way I could help my mind calm down. Over time, I realized I could find calm in the silence, so I treated myself to the gift of learning TM. It is a meditation based on an internally repeated mantra. I love that I can practice this anywhere, anytime. I have found I can easily float into a deeper state by quickly combining this form of meditation and my next wellness tool, breathwork.
• Breath Work. At 54, I finally learned how to properly breathe! In October, I decided to embark on a 12-week 1:1 breath work program. I immediately learned that I didn’t know how to breathe deeply with a diaphragm breath. Once I figured it out, I was hooked. I saw how quickly I could lower my heart rate and feel a deep sense of calm taking over my entire body. I have learned multiple other breathing techniques that I implement daily to either calm myself, help induce sleep or give me a boost of energy when I am feeling sluggish. Breath work is incredibly powerful, free and something you can learn to do anytime, anywhere.
• Tapping Meditations. I learned about tapping meditations only a few years ago. They are my initial “go-to” for a quick mental re-set. Nick Ordner has an app called The Tapping Solutionthat walks you through the steps. You can use tapping to change the way your mind handles everything — stress, anxiety, worry. Tapping helps you learn to use your breath to become calm. It might seem funny when you first start as it involves tapping on different points on your body while you think about or recite different sayings. But try it a few times and I assure you that you will feel calmer.
• A Five-Minute Journal. This valuable daily tool is a gratitude and reflection journal (available on Amazon). I start each day with two to three minutes of writing, then repeat that process again at day’s end. It’s great way to start your day with a positive, open mindset. It also helps me stay present with gratitude and intentions, instead of starting the day by running down a to-do list the minute I get out of bed.
• Social Media Mindset and Wellness. Social media, often seen as an assault on a calm mind, can be used to your advantage. There are many different groups you can follow both for inspiration and education. I like to get posts of daily affirmations to help keep my mindset on track, and follow the Law of Attraction Live on Facebook and Instagram. I also leverage social media to provide inspiration on wellness and overall healthy living, including a focus on healthy eating.
• Music. Another tool I tap into daily is the power of music. Music can change the energy of a room entirely or just change how you feel at a given moment.  If I’m having a sad or troubling day, turning on upbeat, danceable music can turn my mood around. There is power in the sound vibrations and the physical release from dancing. I often have music playing throughout my home. I find the instruments in the background remind me to stay upbeat and present.
• Outside Support. At different times in my life, I have found therapy, antidepressants and sessions with a Spiritual Intuitive to be very helpful. There is never any shame in contacting professionals for help dealing with any of the mental and emotional aspects of life.

As I am exposed to new things that I find inspiring or grounding, I continually expand this toolkit. Try a few of these resources and consider building your own version.

But don’t try to make it perfect. I’ve found that finding peace and calm in life isn’t about perfection. Perfection is the enemy of the good — and the good is what sustains us through even the darkest times. We need it. We’ll find our own “perfect” — in those brief moments of contentment and joy, as we breathe in, look around and think: I’m on my way. I am truly living.

~JC xoxo