Welcome to MyPeacein50: Let's Begin with Kindness
Jul 07, 2025
There’s something energizing and hopeful about beginnings. I was that kid who couldn’t wait for the first day of school — new notebooks, sharp pencils, and a clean slate. There’s a quiet magic in starting fresh. Whether it’s the first page of a journal, the first steps back into movement, or a silent decision to begin again, beginnings carry both possibility and vulnerability. They hold the promise of renewal — and the weight of everything we’ve been through. Because let’s be honest: we never truly start from scratch. We begin with the full story of who we already are.
That’s the spirit of MyPeacein50.
What is MyPeacein50?
MyPeacein50 is a 50-week, body-centered invitation to reconnect with what is steady, wise, and whole within you. If you’ve found your way here, I imagine some part of you is longing for peace — not the kind sold in curated wellness kits or five-step productivity hacks, but a deeper, more grounded peace. One that isn’t about escaping life but about meeting it with new awareness.
This challenge isn’t about perfection. It’s not about getting it “right” or checking off boxes. It’s about presence. It’s about rediscovering the quiet intelligence of your body, your breath, your intuition — one week at a time. And most importantly, it’s about doing that without shame or urgency.
The idea was born from my own experience: the desire to show up fully in the world without burning out. To hold space for others without abandoning myself. To find a rhythm that honors purpose and peace. I realized I couldn’t do that by pushing through. I had to learn how to begin differently. And I had to learn to listen to the cues from my nervous system that I had spent years overriding.
A Confession — and a Beginning
I have a confession to make. On the day this blog goes live, I’ll be flying home from a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Singapore and Bali. It’s my 50th birthday celebration — a long-dreamed-of, bucket list experience that’s been in the works for months (or, if I’m honest, since I first read Eat, Pray, Love* 20 years ago and saw Crazy Rich Asians* in the theater).
I’ll admit, I was hesitant to share this. I know how privileged I am to be able to take this kind of trip. Travel is one of my deepest joys — a way I grow, reflect, and meet parts of myself I sometimes forget in the day-to-day. But I also know that not everyone can access this kind of experience, and I carried guilt about that. And then my husband gently reminded me: This is the work, too.
MyPeacein50 isn’t about shrinking ourselves or downplaying joy. It’s about learning to be present — fully — in whatever moment we’re in. Without apology. Without guilt. With gratitude. So here I am, starting this challenge from a place of deep presence, in awe of the beauty I’ve witnessed and the space I created to experience it. If we’re going to begin anywhere, let it be from this place: with honesty, with humility, and with kindness. Not because everything is perfect. But because we’re choosing to meet life as it is — tenderly.
Why Begin with Kindness?
So why start with the question: “How might I begin — with kindness?”
Because for many of us — especially those in caregiving, leadership, or healing roles — kindness is something we extend freely to others but struggle to offer ourselves. We soothe others. We hold space. We make sure everyone else is okay. But when it comes to our own needs, we hesitate. We wait to “earn” rest. We put our own peace on hold.
I know this pattern well. It’s a cycle I’ve lived — tending, fixing, managing — until there’s nothing left. And then wondering why I feel so depleted. Part of breaking that cycle has meant learning to tolerate rest. To see it not as laziness, but as resilience. As nervous system repair. As essential.
When we live in a constant state of urgency, our bodies never receive the signal that we’re safe. We stay on high alert, even when the danger is long gone. But kindness disrupts that pattern. It says: You can stop. You’re safe now. You can soften here.
What if kindness didn’t come after the hard work was done? What if kindness was the way we began? Our culture often celebrates intensity: “Go big or go home.” “Crush your goals.” “Be all in.” That might work in short bursts, but it’s brutal when you’re living with grief, burnout, or moral distress — when your nervous system is already carrying more than its share.
To begin with kindness is to interrupt the spiral of urgency. To pause. To breathe. To trust that small, soft beginnings matter.
A Few Reflection Prompts for the Week
As you settle into this first week, I invite you to carry these prompts with you. You don’t have to answer them all. Maybe just one becomes your quiet companion:
- What would tenderness feel like in my thoughts, my choices, or how I move through the day?
- Do I give myself permission to start small, or do I expect perfection from the start?
- Can I soften my judgments, my urgency, my need for things to be different than they are?
- Can I listen beneath the “should” to hear what my body and heart are really asking for?
- What might shift if I moved from proving to trusting?
Let them walk beside you. Maybe they show up in a journal entry or a morning walk. Maybe they echo quietly in the background of your week. You don’t need to demand answers. Just notice what arises when you ask with gentleness.
A Gentle Practice
Here’s your first practice — a small act of kindness for yourself.
- Place a hand over your heart.
- Close your eyes or soften your gaze.
- Take a slow, conscious breath.
- Ask: How might I begin — with kindness?
You don’t need to force an answer. Let the question settle.
Kindness might look like:
Stepping outside for fresh air.
Canceling a meeting.
Letting yourself rest without guilt.
Saying no — or yes — without over-explaining.
Acknowledging how tired you are and choosing not to push through.
And when your inner critic inevitably shows up? That’s your cue to return to kindness. To breathe. To remember that you’re not doing this wrong. You’re just learning a new way — one breath at a time.
What’s Ahead: The Five Arcs of the Journey
Over the course of the year, we’ll move through five seasonal arcs, each designed to mirror the natural rhythms of growth, stillness, healing, and celebration:
- ROOT (July–September): Grounding, Stillness, Safety
- FLOW (October–December): Creativity, Movement, Self-Expression
- BLAZE (January–March): Boundaries, Purpose, Strength
- HEART (April–May): Grief, Compassion, Relational Healing
- SHINE (June–July): Integration, Embodiment, Celebration
Each arc is a new invitation to explore peace — not as a destination, but as a practice that evolves with you. Every week, you’ll receive a short blog post centered on a body-based practice, reflection prompt, or nervous system support tool. These are simple, sustainable practices. Nothing fancy. Nothing overwhelming.
Some practices will land right away. Others may take time. Some, you might resist (I will too). That’s part of it. This isn’t linear. It’s a spiral. You may revisit arcs multiple times, depending on what life brings. That’s not backtracking — that’s wisdom in motion.
The Process
Here’s how it will work:
- Mondays: I’ll publish a new blog on my website, sharing the week’s practice, personal reflections, and the science behind it. You’ll also find a “What I’m Loving This Week” section — simple joys, tools, music, or moments that are supporting me.
- Tuesdays-Thursdays: I’ll share small tidbits and key ideas from my blog post on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
- Fridays: I’ll post a short video on Instagram and Facebook. Some weeks it’ll be me walking through the practice, other times it might be a reflection or a peek into how the week went. I’ll share the highs, the struggles, and everything in between.
You’re invited to join in — in whatever way feels right to you. Subscribe to the blog. Share your reflections or moments on Instagram using #MyPeacein50, or tag me @lisa_m_conradi. Whether it’s a photo, a word, or a private note to yourself, it’s a reminder: you’re not alone in this. Prefer to move quietly? That’s welcome too. Visibility is not the goal. Connection — with yourself — is.
If you haven’t already, download the Calm Calendar, a free companion tool for the challenge. It includes weekly prompts, grounding visuals, and space to reflect. Print it. Scribble on it. Make it yours.
A Final Word for This Week
This isn’t about transformation. It’s about trust. Trusting your inner rhythms. Trusting your body’s wisdom. Trusting that peace is possible — even in the middle of uncertainty, noise, and contradiction. Most healing doesn’t come through dramatic breakthroughs. It comes through quiet repetition. Through meeting yourself — again and again — with gentleness.
So as we begin, wherever you are — whether you’re coming home from a dream trip or just trying to get through the day — I invite you to join me in this practice:
Begin. With breath.
Begin. With care.
Begin. With kindness.
Warmly,
Lisa
💛 What I’m Loving This Week
- Sound: The birdsong outside my office window — a quiet, persistent reminder to slow down and listen.
- Practice: Placing a hand on my heart before opening my email. Just one intentional breath to anchor myself before diving in.
- Tool: These acupressure rings*. Simple and portable, they offer gentle stimulation to the fingers, supporting focus, stress relief, and sensory regulation. They’re my go-to for fidgeting or calming — I feel the shift almost immediately when I wear one.
- Song: “Present Tense” by Pearl Jam. (If you’ve seen The Last of Us, it plays during a pivotal moment in Season 2, Episode 5 — though I haven’t watched it myself!) Released in 1996, it still feels resonant and powerful today. A true emotional journey in a song.
* Amazon affiliate link
See this link for other resources that I recommend to help protect your peace.