Sometimes peace of mind doesn’t come from adding more into your life.
It comes from letting go.
Letting go of habits that drain you.
Letting go of mindsets that weigh you down.
You don’t have to become a whole new person.
You don’t have to meditate on a mountain or quit everything.
You just have to notice what’s making everything feel louder than it should… and gently choose something quieter.
Here are 11 things to quit if you want peace of mind again — with honest examples, tiny mindset shifts, and cozy tools to help you get there.
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1. Saying Yes When You Mean No
I have a post here on how to say no to people without feeling crappy.
People pleasing always seems harmless.
You don’t want to upset anyone. You don’t want to come off as rude. So you say yes to the party, the favor, the call, the extra work—even though your gut is quietly begging you to say no.
Every time you override your truth, you teach yourself that your peace doesn’t matter.
And that weighs on you.
What to try instead: Practice tiny nos. “I’m not up for it tonight.” “That won’t work for me.” You don’t owe long explanations.
This book really helped me since I’m a born people-pleaser: The Disease to Please: Curing the People-Pleasing Syndrome
2. Letting Your Phone Be the First and Last Thing You See
My friend constantly looks at her phone and she’s told me how it’s ruined her life.
Waking up to your notifications and falling asleep to TikTok is like sleeping with a megaphone next to your face.
Your brain never gets a chance to land in stillness.
You start and end your day with noise, comparison, and stimulation. No wonder your thoughts feel cluttered.
What to try instead: Try putting your phone across the room at night. Replace your morning scroll with 5 minutes of journaling or stretching.
Try this: Sunrise Alarm Clock That Mimics Natural Light
3. Constantly Replaying Past Conversations
“Did I sound weird? Did I offend them? Should I have said it differently?”
Replaying awkward moments like a broken record won’t change the past. It just keeps you stuck in an emotional loop.
A lot of us have anxiety and this is something even I’m working on.
What to try instead: Practice telling yourself, “That moment is done. I did the best I could with what I knew.”
Try this: Let That Sht Go: A Journal for Leaving Your Bullsht Behind
4. Comparing Your Life to Everyone Online
They’re married. You’re single.
They’re in Europe. You’re at your kitchen table.
They’re glowing. You have under-eye bags.
It never ends.
Social media has trained us to compare our reality to someone else’s highlight reel.
What to try instead: Mute anyone who makes you feel less-than. Curate your feed with cozy, slow-living, affirming content.
5. Overcommitting to Things That Don’t Matter to You
Every yes takes energy.
When you fill your calendar with things that don’t align with your values, your peace gets squeezed out.
What to try instead: Write down 3 things that matter most to you this season. Let those shape your schedule.
6. Ignoring Your Body’s Whispers
Tight chest.
Shallow breath.
Racing thoughts.
Back tension.
Your body speaks softly at first. If you ignore it long enough, it starts to scream.
What to try instead: Pause and check in. “What does my body need right now? Stretching? Stillness? Water?”
Try this: The Mindbody Prescription: Healing the Body, Healing the Pain
7. Trying to Keep Up with Everyone
If everyone’s running…
You feel like you should be running too. Hustling, upgrading, building, growing.
But chasing someone else’s pace is the fastest way to lose your own.
What to try instead: Ask yourself: “What would slow success look like for me?” Lean into that.
8. Being Available 24/7
You answer texts instantly.
Emails at midnight.
Your status is always green.
And you’re quietly exhausted.
I used to believe that being productive was what I was born to do. And I used to wonder why I’d burn out so hard.
I highly recommend setting “offline hours” and communicating them. It’s okay to be unreachable sometimes.
9. Holding Onto Friendships That Drain You
We all have that 1 energy vampire in our lives.
Not all friendships are meant to last forever.
Some relationships once felt good but now leave you tired, anxious, or unseen.
What to try instead: Create space. Take a break. Let the ones who love you as you are grow deeper.
Try this: Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself
10. Multitasking Every Second of the Day
You eat while checking emails.
Watch TV while scrolling.
Talk on the phone while cooking.
It feels efficient.
But it fragments your attention, drains your energy, and makes everything feel more rushed.
What to try instead: Try doing one thing at a time today.
Just one. And notice how it feels.
11. Believing You Have to Earn Your Rest
You tell yourself, “I’ll relax after I finish everything.” But the list never ends.
And your peace keeps getting postponed.
What to try instead: Flip the script. Rest is not a reward. It’s fuel. You don’t have to earn it.
Peace isn’t a place you arrive at. It’s something you create.
Choice by choice. Moment by moment.
And every time you quit something that doesn’t serve you… You make a little more room for calm, softness, and breath.
