Research shows that simple daily choices—like breathing exercises, gratitude, and time in nature—help calm the body and mind.
The idea is simple enough to fit on a sticky note: “I am in charge of how I feel today.” Turning that daily intention into action takes practice. It also has science behind it. A growing body of research shows that skills like reframing thoughts, slowing the breath, and spending brief moments in nature can calm the body, lift mood, and help people respond rather than react.
The nut graf
Peace is not the absence of problems. It is the set of choices people make when problems show up. Psychologists call those choices “emotion regulation.” Among the most effective tools is cognitive reappraisal, the habit of noticing a stressful thought and deliberately viewing it in a more constructive way. Large-scale studies show that strategies like reappraisal reliably shift emotional experience and behavior.
What calm does inside the body
Calm is not only a feeling. It is a measurable shift in the nervous system. Slow, controlled breathing increases vagal activity and heart-rate variability, two signs that the body is moving out of a threat response and into a state more suited for clear decisions. Reviews of dozens of trials report that voluntary slow breathing improves stress resilience, while breathing around six breaths per minute appears to optimize these effects.
Mindfulness training can help people access that state more often. A wide range of evidence finds that mindfulness-based therapy reduces anxiety, depression, stress, and distress in both clinical and nonclinical populations.
Why choosing peace builds resilience
Positive emotions do more than feel good in the moment. Barbara Fredrickson’s broaden-and-build theory holds that emotions like contentment and gratitude widen attention and help people build social and cognitive resources that they can draw on during hard times. In short, choosing calm today can make it easier to find calm tomorrow.
Gratitude is one practical path. Classic randomized studies found that people who regularly listed blessings showed higher well-being and more positive affect than those who did not.
A person’s sense of control matters too. Research on locus of control links a stronger internal sense of control with healthier outcomes, reinforcing the mindset that daily choices influence emotional health.
Nature is a fast, accessible reset
Not every reset requires a gym membership or a silent retreat. Evidence suggests that short, realistic doses of nature help reduce stress and restore attention. A 2025 meta-analysis of urban nature exposure found that even brief time in city green spaces produced meaningful mental health benefits across thousands of participants.
Even when a park is not available, the brain still responds to nature cues. Experiments show that simply imagining natural settings can lower stress and increase relaxation compared with imagining urban scenes.
Public health experts note that viewing or being in nature can reduce blood pressure, heart rate, muscle tension, and stress hormones while improving mood.
How to practice “I choose peace” today
These steps are brief by design. They can be done between meetings, in a school pickup line, or before a difficult conversation.
- One-minute reframe – Write down a stressful thought and ask: “What is another accurate way to see this?” Reappraisal reduces stress in controlled studies.
- Six breaths at six per minute – Inhale five seconds, exhale five seconds. Do six cycles. This pace is shown to support relaxation.
- Try 4-7-8 when anxiety spikes – Inhale 4 seconds, hold 7, exhale 8. Trials report anxiety reductions with this technique.
- Fifteen minutes of green – Step outside to a tree line, courtyard, or park. If you cannot go outside, look at nature photos or visualize a favorite outdoor spot.
- Three lines of gratitude – List three specific things you are thankful for and why. This exercise consistently boosts mood.
Bringing peace into conversations
Choosing peace is not passive. It is active self-regulation that changes tone and outcomes. Slowing the breath lowers physiological arousal. Reframing prevents all-or-nothing thinking. A short nature break refreshes attention so listening comes easier. Those choices add up, building the mental “reserve” described by positive emotion theory.
The bottom line
“I am in charge of how I feel today” is more than a motivational line. It matches what the evidence says about how minds and bodies work. People cannot control every stressor. They can control useful responses, and small daily practices make those responses more available when life is hectic.
References
- Gross, J. J. (2015). Emotion regulation: Current status and future prospects. Psychological Inquiry, 26(1), 1–26.
- Khoury, B., et al. (2013). Mindfulness-based therapy: A comprehensive meta-analysis. Clinical Psychology Review, 33(6), 763–771.
- Zaccaro, A., et al. (2018). How breath-control can change your life: A systematic review on psychophysiological correlates of slow breathing. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 12, 353.
- Lehrer, P. M., & Gevirtz, R. (2014). Heart rate variability biofeedback: How and why does it work? Frontiers in Psychology, 5, 756.
- Fredrickson, B. L. (2004). The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, 359(1449), 1367–1377.
- Emmons, R. A., & McCullough, M. E. (2003). Counting blessings versus burdens: An experimental investigation of gratitude and subjective well-being in daily life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 84(2), 377–389.
- Rotter, J. B. (1966). Generalized expectancies for internal versus external control of reinforcement. Psychological Monographs: General and Applied, 80(1), 1–28.
- Antonelli, M., et al. (2025). Urban nature exposure and mental health: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Nature Mental Health, 2(1), 12–25.
- Schertz, K. E., & Berman, M. G. (2019). Understanding nature and its cognitive benefits. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 28(5), 496–502.
- University of Minnesota, Earl E. Bakken Center for Spirituality & Healing. (2016). How does nature impact our well-being? https://www.takingcharge.csh.umn.edu/how-does-nature-impact-our-wellbeing