Tame the Inner Chaos: Why Your Greatest Challenge Is You

Reclaim Your Peace & Creativity In 2025

Before We Stop the World, Let’s Start with Ourselves

The start of the year often comes with a sense of renewal—a chance to assess what we want more of in our lives. What do we hope to attract? What do we wish to invite for our growth and well-being? It’s a time filled with good intentions, and one word tends to resurface time and again: boundaries.

We declare boldly, “This year, no more being a doormat!” We envision ourselves resolute and firm, determined to stand our ground in the face of others who encroach upon our time and energy. But often, we miss a vital truth: the greatest challenge to living our best life isn’t the world around us—it’s ourselves.

A Weekend Lost to Inner Chaos

I learned this the hard way. Not too long ago, I realized how flimsy my own boundaries were—not with others, but with myself. A few days of unease crept in, a kind of restlessness I couldn’t shake. Whether it was my body fighting off a cold or subtle anxiety over my next book—the one I still haven’t started—I spent an entire weekend trapped in my own discontent. Like a grumpy little dog, I growled through those days, pushing even our little furry girl to retreat to my husband’s lap for shelter from the scary 'growling monster.'

By Monday morning, I was utterly fed up with myself. I’d wasted a weekend, a precious slice of time I couldn’t get back. And that’s when it hit me: no one had sabotaged my peace. No one had derailed my writing or asked me to stew in a bad mood. The culprit was painfully clear. It was me.

Reflecting on Presence: Are We Really Using Your Time Well?

That realization opened my eyes: before we raise boundaries to keep the world at bay, we must first build them within ourselves. The “mini-mes” that inhabit our inner worlds—those impulsive, distracted, and chaotic parts of us—must be reined in. They’re the ones running wild when we feel scattered and out of control, the ones we allow to drain our precious time.

When we complain about not having enough hours to do the things we love, we need to ask ourselves: Am I truly present in the time I do have? When we point fingers at others for our misfortunes, let’s take a hard look inward and ask: Am I being honest about how I’m using my energy? Did I really need to spend another hour rehashing the same conversation with a friend who clearly cannot hear me? Was it necessary to start yet again the 'rubbish feud' with hubby when I could have redirected that energy toward something more loving

2025: The Year to Build High Boundaries with Ourselves

I want 2025 to be the year when my boundaries with myself go up so high, that my wild mini-mes will have to think twice before trying to climb them. I want this year to be the time when I stop complaining about not having enough hours and space to do all the things I love and enjoy instead of the flow I create when my mind is clear and I offer presence to the very moment I am living.

Of course, this won't be easy. Breaking old habits and taming those restless parts of ourselves takes patience and the utmost compassion. But every time we pause, breathe, and choose presence over chaos, we take a step closer to a life that feels whole and aligned. Each small boundary we set with ourselves—whether it’s resisting distractions, silencing self-doubt, or honoring our creative time—helps us reclaim our peace and creativity

Dear Friend, may you grant yourself the gift of peace this year. Let the world around you spin as wildly as it pleases, while you lovingly slow and steady the one within. And when the hours of the day feel as though they’ve slipped away, may you cherish and honor each moment you’re living.