Why Inner Peace Requires Intentional Action
The holiday season arrives with celebrations, gatherings, and traditions. In the midst of it all, peace can feel elusive. But peace isn’t something that happens to us. It’s something we cultivate through connection, rest, stress management, and nourishment.
The Foundation: Why Connection Matters
Recent research from Northwestern University studied more than a hundred “super-agers”. This means people over 80 with the cognitive function of someone decades younger. After 25 years of research, they identified one standout trait: gregariousness. Super-agers have more von Economo neurons—brain cells associated with sociability—than their peers. These neurons are found in social species like whales, elephants, and great apes. Animals that have strong connections tend to outlive and outsmart their peers.
Researcher Brené Brown puts it simply: “We’re neurobiologically hardwired to be in connection with other people. In the absence of connection, there’s always suffering.” True connection means being in relationships where we feel seen, heard, and valued.
This holiday season, measure success not by what you accomplished, but by how present you were. Put down the phones. Ask real questions and listen. Practice gratitude when beautiful moments arise instead of catastrophizing. Choose presence over perfection, and give yourself permission to simplify so you can fully show up for the people you’re with.
Protecting Your Rest
Peace requires rest, and rest requires discipline. Not the discipline of pushing through, but the discipline of protecting what replenishes you.
Identify the leaks Where is your peace being disturbed? Late-night scrolling? Saying yes to every invitation? Staying up to finish tasks that could wait? The first step to protecting your rest is naming what’s stealing it.
Guard your sleep schedule Even during the holidays, maintain consistent sleep and wake times as much as possible. Your circadian rhythm thrives on predictability. This supports everything from energy levels to immune function.
Create boundaries around rest Communicate your limits. It’s okay to leave early, skip an event, or say no. Your body needs recovery time, especially during busy weeks. Rest isn’t something you earn—it’s something you require.
Practice intentional transitions Don’t go straight from high-energy activity into bed. Create a 20-30 minute buffer to shift from doing to resting. This might be gentle stretching, reading, or simply sitting quietly.
The discipline of rest means choosing it even when there’s more to do. Your peace depends on it.
Managing Stress Wisely
You can be aware and informed of suffering in the world and still need to protect your peace. This balance can feel impossible, but by being aware of your own needs, you have more to give to what matters to you.
Know where you’re prone to stress Is it family dynamics? Financial pressure? The news cycle? Social obligations? Name your stress triggers so you can prepare for them rather than being ambushed.
Create conscious boundaries You don’t have to engage with everything. Limit news consumption to specific times. Step away from difficult conversations when you’re depleted. Choose which battles matter and which you can release.
Build in reset moments Even five minutes of intentional breathing, a short walk outside, or stepping into another room can help you reset your nervous system during stressful moments.
Remember: protecting your peace isn’t selfish. It’s what allows you to show up effectively for what matters most. You cannot pour from an empty cup, and you cannot create positive change in the world when you’re running on fumes.
Nourishing Yourself for Winter
Winter is not the season for restriction or deprivation. This is a time for fortification—deeply nourishing your body so it can handle the demands of the season.
Eat for the season Your body needs different support in winter than in summer. Focus on warming, mineral-rich foods that provide sustained energy and support your immune system.
Build your meals around:
Bone broths and mineral-rich stocks – nourishing and warming, providing minerals your body craves in winter
Root vegetables and winter squashes – grounding, satisfying, and packed with nutrients
Healthy fats – olive oil, butter, coconut oil to support hormone production and sustained energy
Warming spices – ginger, cinnamon, turmeric to support circulation and digestion
Incorporate nervine herbs and teas These plants support your nervous system during stressful times:
Oat straw – deeply nourishing to frazzled nerves
Lemon balm – calming and uplifting
Nettle tea – mineralizing and supportive
Consider keeping nervine tinctures on hand for moments when you need extra support.
Maintain consistency Your body finds peace in regular, solid, clean eating. When you nourish yourself consistently, your body knows it’s safe and cared for. This isn’t the time for fasting, restriction, or skipping meals. Your body needs fuel to handle holiday stress and maintain your energy.
Stay hydrated Winter air is drying, and it’s easy to forget to drink water when it’s cold. Warm herbal teas count. Keep a water bottle visible. Consider adding electrolytes to support hydration at the cellular level.
Plan ahead Keep nourishing snacks accessible. Pack food when traveling. Don’t let yourself get so hungry that you make choices that don’t serve you. This might mean energy balls in your bag, a thermos of bone broth, or pre-portioned nuts and dried fruit.
When you’re well-nourished, you’re more resilient to stress, better able to connect with others, and have the energy to be present for what matters.
The Integration
Peace during the holidays isn’t just one thing. It’s the integration of connection, rest, stress management, and nourishment. Each supports the others.
When you’re well-rested, you can be present for connection. When you’re nourished, you have the capacity to manage stress. When you protect yourself from unnecessary stress, you sleep better. When you feel connected, nourishing yourself becomes an act of love rather than another task.
This holiday season, give yourself permission to:
Simplify your commitments
Protect your rest
Set boundaries around stress
Nourish yourself deeply
Show up fully for the moments that matter
Your peace isn’t a luxury. It’s the foundation that allows you to be the person you want to be—for yourself, for your loved ones, and for the world.
Looking for more ways to support your wellbeing this season? Check out our guides on maintaining your wellness routine while traveling and nourishing yourself during busy weeks.
Sources
Hom, Annika. “‘Superagers’ seem to share this one key personality trait.” National Geographic, August 11, 2025. https://www.nationalgeographic.com/health/article/superagers-brain-personality-differences
Brown, Brené. Interview by Steven Bartlett. “We’re In A Spiritual Crisis! The Hidden Epidemic No One Wants To Admit!” The Diary Of A CEO, 2024. https://podcasts.happyscribe.com/the-diary-of-a-ceo-with-steven-bartlett/brene-brown-we-re-in-a-spiritual-crisis-the-hidden-epidemic-no-one-wants-to-admit
Kristi Zimmer is the CEO of Temple Natural Health, a natural medicine clinic focused on detox, digestive health, and nervous system balance. With a background in massage, colon hydrotherapy, and nutrition, she combines her personal healing journey with a passion for holistic wellness.
She leads a team of professionals dedicated to compassionate care and continuously strives to improve the clinic’s services through client feedback.
