🦋 Coping with Change: Important SHIFT from RICE into PEACE & LOVE for the Whole Person - for YOU - Body, Mind, Heart & Spirit

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Change can hurt in ways we don’t always expect. A sprained ankle reminded me recently that physical injury and emotional pain often need the same kind of healing attention.

I took a tumble, literally, and found myself learning about a newer approach to healing. The gold standard, as far as I can remember, has been Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation (RICE). When I first wrote this, PEACE & LOVE were not the standard recommendations for healing something like a sprained ankle. But when I discovered this fresh approach to Healing, with some of my favorite words attached (rice is wonderful, but Peace and Love are the BEST), I became very inspired to update this information. 

Unlike the old RICE method, this new series of steps doesn’t just quiet the pain; it supports true recovery. 

When I am coaching a person, I can usually tell their likelihood of success by how they feel about themself. Directly proportional to feeling better are feelings about ourselves. My life has been a true science experiment, only with the willingness to stand back up after thousands of falls. I consider myself not only Strong and Stable enough for someone else to lean on, but I am 100% committed to Love first, which offers me Peace, which leads to a Thriving Whole person.

And as I tended to my ankle, I realized… This is exactly what my heart has been asking for, too.

Especially now, as I navigate the quiet ache of watching my son fly off to college in Amsterdam. The intensity has softened, but the tenderness remains. I’m no longer in the fall, but I’m still learning how to move forward.

Here’s how I’m practicing PEACE & LOVE for emotional healing:

PEACE (The First Tender Days)

🛡️ P – Protect

• I protect my energy.
• I say no to what feels like too much. 
• I give myself permission to not “push through” or “be strong” before I’m ready. 
• This is not avoidance, it’s TLC, Healing, and the Kindest thing I can do for myself sometimes.

🌅 E – Elevate

• I gently lift my perspective, just 1 tiny notch.
• Not to dismiss the pain, but to hold it alongside something bigger: love, growth, and meaning. 
• This ache exists because I succeeded and something new & beautiful is blooming for someone I love.

🚫 A – Avoid Over-Soothing

• Instead of numbing or rushing to “fix” the feeling, let it be.
• Constantly trying to cool or suppress emotions can sometimes slow real healing.
• Allow the warmth of grief to move through without shutting it down, it will pass, especially if you redirect some time & energy into something new, creative, active…

🤗 C – Compress (Contain with Care)

• I wrap myself in support. 
• Friends who listen. 
• Write in my journal. 
• Don’t tell, but once in a while, wearing my son’s sweatshirt he left behind sorta feels like an emotional bandage. 
• I’m not spilling everywhere; I’m holding myself together with tenderness.

📚 E – Educate

• I remind myself: healing isn’t passive, I must take some actions for my self-care.
• I’m learning what MY grief needs.
• I’m unlearning the idea that I should be “over it” by now.
• Growth asks for participation, seeking your solutions.

LOVE (The Days That Follow)

🚶‍♀️ L – Load

• Begin to re-engage with life, gently.
• A walk. 
• A plan. 
• A small step forward. 
• Don’t wait until “I feel ready.” 
• Rebuild readiness through picking new activities, awe-spotting in nature & soft movement. Volunteering or knitting. A meetup group or a museum visit.

🌤️ O – Optimism

• Choose a hopeful lens, even when life feels fragile.
• Natural positivity, quiet trust that something meaningful is unfolding, even here.

💓 V – Vascularize (Stay Connected & Moving)

• Keep my heart in motion, engaging with others, especially those who are in the same reason and/or season.
• Connection, conversation, and even light activity, walk with friends or find a hiking meetup. 
• Let life flow through, instead of shutting out or down.

💪 E – Exercise

• Strengthen all over, at your own pace and rhythm. Pay for a massage, acupuncture, a personal trainer or therapist, good ones work miracles.
• What is this season asking me to learn/grow? Plants purify air. Knowledge Grows Humans.
• Resilience. A skill that can be built. How can I use my Gifts to help 1 person, pet, or plant today? DO IT - today! Maybe again next week, too?
• Identity. What do you love and when did you last enjoy it? (For example, read, cook/bake, decorate, drive, sing/dance, play…)
• Make space for both missing some things that have changed and practicing becoming more of what/who you really want to be. 
• I am growing, even while I ache.

💛 Final Thought

Coping with change isn’t about staying strong or getting over it.

It’s about participating in your own healing.

Gently. Intentionally. With compassion.

Try This Today: Your Own PEACE & LOVE Practice

If your heart feels tender right now, you might begin here:

• Protect your energy by saying no to one thing that feels like too much
• Elevate your thoughts by writing one truth that brings comfort or meaning
• Avoid numbing, let yourself feel without rushing to change it
• Reach out for support, even briefly
• Learn something about what you’re going through (name it, normalize it)

Then, when you’re ready:

• Take one small step forward (a walk, a task, a plan)
• Choose one hopeful thought to return to
• Connect with someone or something that brings flow, compassion or support
• Do one thing that strengthens you, even a little

Be gentle with yourself.
This is a practice, not a performance.

Tools That Support This Practice

As you tend to your heart, having comforting tools nearby can make all the difference:

New P.E.A.C.E & L.O.V.E Info

📖 Step Stones to Calm Emotions - My 30-Day Journal Workbook - This is where I guide you through the emotional practices that helped me find my footing again. Each day offers gentle prompts, movements, and messages for your own RICE journey.

✨ Glitter Gel Pens - There's something about colorful, sparkly pens that makes journaling feel less heavy and more hopeful. These are the ones I keep on my desk.

💜 Soft Purple Compassion Blanket - A dear friend sent me this beautiful blanket after my dad passed. The weight and softness of it became my compression during grief. I still wrap myself in it when my heart needs holding.

🌸 Essential Oil Diffuser with Colored Lights - To calm emotions, engage as many senses as you can. This diffuser pairs soothing scents with gentle light - a multi-sensory ritual that helps cool the emotional inflammation.

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Get Your Free PEACE & LOVE for the Heart Growth Sheet

Want a guided practice to work through your own emotional PEACE & LOVE protocol?

I've created a completely FREE, no email required, printable Growth Sheet with reflection prompts for each step.

Continue Your Journey

If PEACE & LOVE for the Heart resonates with you, you might also enjoy:

📖 Step Stones to Calm Emotions - My 30-day journal workbook with practices for emotional wellness and intentional growth.

🌿 Take the Life Maze Assessment - Discover where you are on your pathway and what stone to strengthen next.

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Remember: If emotional pain persists or feels overwhelming, please seek support from a qualified professional.

You're not alone. 💕