P stands for POSITIVE, LOVING, AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

E stands for BALANCED ENERGY

A stands for ACTIONS

C stands for CELEBRATION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

E stands for EXPERIMENTATION AND EDUCATION

Each day I try to figure out where I could use improvement and then do the necessary work. The more work I put in these areas, the more fulfilled I feel overall. The best part is that there’s always room to grow!

POSITIVE, LOVING, AND SUPPORTIVE ENVIRONMENT

I stay close to people (partner, friends, and family) who are supportive of my personal goals and parenting goals while staying clear of toxic unsupportive relationships. I also make it a point to forgive those who've hurt me, express gratitude for their positive actions and the growth they inspired in me, and forgive myself for past mistakes.

Not sure what your goals are? Ask yourself this: What’s the biggest problem in the world you’ve encountered that you’re passionate about solving? Close your eyes and write down whatever comes to mind in the next 30 seconds. Don’t overthink it.

Now, how can you make the biggest impact (product, book, podcast, webinar, social media videos, course, coaching, teaching, speaking, blog, art, music, change of career, new business, volunteering, mentoring, fundraising, advocacy) and help the most people with the above problem through your unique skills? Again, don't overthink this and write what immediately comes to mind. And don't be afraid to dream BIG!

Work on your goals a little each day, and give yourself the space to adjust as you go. The Happier Day Flowchart can help you stay unstuck.

Additionally, you may find the Peaceful Parenting Guide helpful in creating reasonable parenting goals with your child.

ENERGY (BALANCED)

Many people feel sluggish in the morning, mentally drained by the afternoon, and anxious in the evening. Unfortunately, this pattern can just keep repeating itself and spiral into a cycle of chronic depression and stress.

Instead of getting trapped into such a cycle, I do my best to balance my energy throughout the day in alignment with the circadian rhythm so that I can remain steady and productive.

My ideal schedule looks something like this (except for Sundays, when I slow down and refrain from strenuous physical and mental activities)

 —

BEFORE 6 AM:

Watch this silly little video right after I wake up. If you’re pretty familiar with the show Friends, then you might enjoy it too!

Recite affirmations and plan my day with the help of the Happier Mom Daily Celebration Journal. If you have trouble starting your day, consider using the Happier Day Flowchart. 

BETWEEN 6–10 AM:

How I move: Have an enjoyable and grounding workout on my recumbent exercise bike; Vigorously massage my face and body with Kapha oil to boost circulation and energy; Shower with a cold rinse at the end to boost circulation; Do household tasks (with the help of the Happier Mom Task Tracker); Run errands; Sing

What I eat: Oatmeal; KIND Bar (Oats & Honey with Toasted Coconut)

What I drink: Jasmine green tea for detox support, focus, and gentle calm

How I sit: Cross-legged (promotes grounding/body awareness)

What I do on breaks: Creative computer tasks for no more than 25 minutes with blue light-blocking glasses to avoid stress on my eyes/nerves/body (while keeping the computer at eye level)

Music I listen to on noise-cancelling headphones: Energetic and upbeat music (physical tasks); Bach (creative tasks)

Emotional state: Joy and gratitude of being alive and being excited to do things or get things done today

[What I do on overwhelming period and pre-period days: Avoid strenuous physical and mental activity; Do optimized stretching if possible; Listen to sound bath music (and put my head down if necessary); Use Mahanarayan oil instead of Kapha oil to soothe muscles and joints; Eat extra mindfully to prevent bloating; Drink special tea (such as Pukka Womankind Tea) to reduce bloating, muscle ache, and fatigue; Use a chair massager throughout the day; If my body calls for it, I take complete rest and try to finish any important tasks beforehand]

BETWEEN 10 AM–2 PM:

How I move: Mindful workout that helps me tone my whole body, stay calm throughout the day, and focus on mental tasks; Clean up; Optimized stretching to significantly reduce bodily stress

What I eat: Nourishing meal such as seasonal soup/salad and baguette slathered with ghee

What I drink: Peppermint tea for digestive support

How I sit: Cross-legged

What I do on breaks: Mentally intensive computer tasks for no more than 25 minutes a time; Mouse position with hands cradling head; Cool off with Burt’s Bees micellar rosewater facial towelettes if necessary

Music I listen to on noise-cancelling headphones: Music with a strong and focused beat (physical tasks); Mozart for Focus (mental tasks)

Emotional state: Joy and gratitude for being able to help the world with my brain

BETWEEN 2-6 PM:

How I move: Do household tasks (with the help of the Happier Mom Task Tracker); Run errands

What I eat: Fresh fruit; dried edamame; seeds; nuts

What I drink: Chamomile tea for mental relaxation

How I sit: Cross legged with a chair massager

What I do on breaks: Lighter computer tasks for no more than 25 minutes a time; Optimized stretching; Light grounding  

Music I listen to on noise-cancelling headphones: Chopin; Relaxing Mozart; Relaxing Bach; Sound Bath; Sound Bath Focus

Emotional state: Joy and gratitude for having everything I need in my life

BETWEEN 6-10 PM:

How I move (on hot days when I feel like showering): Slowly massage my face and body with Mahanarayan oil; Shower; Tidy up

What I eat: Nutrient-dense meal focused on healthy proteins and fats with minimal carbs, such as Kaizen "rice" with tadka dal and raita

What I drink: Chamomile tea for mental relaxation

How I sit: Cross-legged

What I do on breaks: Wind up tasks; sit and reflect on the day

Music I listen to on noise-cancelling headphones: Relaxing/devotional; Sound Bath; Sound Bath for Sleeping; Gentle Classical for Sleeping

Emotional state: Joy from everything I accomplished today and gratitude for everything and everyone that helped make it possible

*If you’re a fan of Carnatic music, check out my playlists on Spotify (under Ammu Vivekananda)

ACTIONS

I believe the three most important actions you can take are: caring for yourself, maintaining consistent healthy routines, and contributing to others.

These actions function like the parts of a flower:

• The roots represent your self-care and boundaries —avoiding toxic influences like excessive screentime, unhealthy food, or substance abuse. They provide core stability and nourishment.
• The stem stands for your daily routines—like skin care, dental care, hair care, and sleep. These daily habits give structure and steady support.
• The petals are your outward contributions: preparing healthy meals, helping maintain a clean home, and spending money mindfully—whether on essentials, meaningful experiences, and giving back to others.

Think about where you need the most help, starting with the "roots", and try to make small changes every day to improve your life.

CELEBRATION OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS

Rather than being anxious all the time about having a perfect life for your kids, I believe it’s more important to take a pause and celebrate your accomplishments, celebrate your children’s accomplishments, and recognize the things you’re grateful for every single day. The Happier Mom Daily Celebration Journal helps me do just that, and it's made a huge difference in my happiness.

You can also track your monthly accomplishments and share them with an accountability partner. You might be surprised by how much you’ve accomplished in just a few weeks!

EXPERIMENTATION AND EDUCATION

The fastest way you can improve your life is to identify your stressors and experiment with intentional changes to reduce or remove them. Otherwise, you risk repeating the same patterns again and again.

I use the Happier Mom Daily Celebration Journal to help with this process.

If you're trying to remove stressors and reach your goals but need a little guidance along the way, ChatGPT is a great place to start — it’s basically a free digital encyclopedia with emotional intelligence, common sense, and zero mansplaining. So, already one step ahead of most men these days. 😉

~ Here’s to building a life where P.E.A.C.E. flows naturally for you every day! ~