189. Find your peace

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Hello, darling heart, and welcome to this episode of the drink less, live better podcast.

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This is the podcast that helps you to see that drinking less doesn't need to be stressful, lonely, or boring.

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I'm your host, Sarah Williamson, and I decided to have a year alcohol free as a little life experiment and haven't looked back.

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I'm here to support you with your alcohol free or drink less adventures through one to one coaching.

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You can follow me on Instagram at drink less, live better, find resources on my website, drink less, live better.com, and

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buy my book, drink less, live better, in all the places you might buy a book.

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I hope you enjoy this podcast episode. Let's get straight to it. Find your peace.

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I'd love to tell you I walk around in a permanent state of bliss, making calm from chaos is my superpower, and inner peace is my natural state.

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Dear listener, if I did tell you this, I would be lying. I do enjoy moments of bliss.

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I'm sometimes delighted to find pockets of calm in my life where there used to be chaos and peace.

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I do experience peace, But how do I find and hold my peace?

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I'm going to tell you, but first, a story. Yesterday, I was not peaceful.

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Yesterday, I made a small mistake and yet it cost me a huge emotional spiral.

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I missed an appointment with somebody I had paid to see.

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I wrote the wrong time in my diary.

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I pretty much never do things like that.

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I live and die by my diary. I am a scheduler extraordinaire.

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As soon as an appointment is made, either personal or professional, it goes straight in the diary. Anyway, what can I tell you? I am human.

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I wrote 2:30 in my diary, and when I turned up at 2:25, I realized I was 25 minutes late instead of 5 minutes early. My stomach sank.

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I had a real physical feeling of deflation.

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In that moment, I really disliked myself. The internal monologue was brutal.

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Despite being quite self aware, I really went to town on myself.

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How did you do that, you idiot? A simple scheduling task.

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You say you live and die by your diary, but you clearly don't. I caught myself quickly, but ouch. Okay. Okay, I thought. What to do? What practical steps can I take?

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I sent the person a message apologizing, and I didn't offer any excuse. I'm sorry. I wrote the wrong time down. It was my mistake. My thoughts were racing. My shoulders were tight.

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I felt so strung out, but why? Sure. I stood to to lose financially. I understood.

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I had missed my appointment and it was my fault, but I was being really hard on myself.

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I had a list of work I could continue with in the afternoon.

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I had a podcast to record, this one actually, and until today, this was not going to be the subject, so I suppose silver linings

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and all that, but I knew I wouldn't be able to concentrate on work.

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I thought about going for a walk, but I didn't want to.

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I thought about reading a book, but I didn't want to. Want to.

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I thought about calling a friend, but I didn't want to.

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I lay on the floor with Martha, my dog. I stroked her. I told

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her how much I loved her. I told her she is beautiful, and that did help.

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I wasn't trying to suppress my feelings or pretend everything's fine.

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I was trying to find a calm center within myself, which was much harder yesterday than I usually find it.

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So dear me and anyone else who needs this, remember, if a situation threatens to overwhelm you, try this.

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Take a few slow deep breaths and imagine you're drawing a protective circle of light around yourself.

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This is your space of peace and you get to choose what energy you let in, And then call this to mind, the pause practice.

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When you feel tension rising, pause just for a moment. Feel your feet on the ground. Notice your breathing.

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This tiny pause can prevent reactive responses that you might later regret.

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Remember, you don't have to show up with a response to every circumstance.

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Sometimes holding your peace means literally holding your thoughts and words.

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Then think of this, the release ritual.

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Imagine yourself gently releasing any tension you've been carrying.

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You might visualize it floating away like autumn leaves or watching something disappear on a stream or dissolving like mist in the morning sun. Let go. Just let go.

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Or maybe this might help the perspective shift.

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When you're feeling caught up in the immediate situation, zoom out.

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Imagine viewing the situation from a bird's eye view or a rear view mirror view.

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Ask yourself, will this matter next week?

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Am I letting this take up too much space in my heart?

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For those moments when your feathers are ruffled, try this gentle self talk. I choose peace. These aren't just words.

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It's an intention, and that can help you guide yours you back to yourself.

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In that moment, when I was lying on the floor with Martha yesterday, I told her, I'm okay. It's okay. I choose peace. And do you know what?

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The person who I'd missed the appointment with messaged me and said, don't worry about it.

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We've all made a mistake like that. We're all human. Let's rebook it. Don't worry.

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In that moment, I let out a huge sigh and released all the tension I'd been holding on to. Today, find your peace. Hold your peace.

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Would you do something for me today?

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Check out the show notes for a link to a hidden podcast episode that will help you with your 5 PM cravings and and details

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