Unlearning the Hustle & Protecting My Peace

Protecting my peace has started to look like having fewer meetings in a day.

Working in the corporate world, it almost felt like a badge of honor to have back-to-back meetings and constantly be “busy.” Hustle culture normalized packed schedules with little room to pause, rest, or even think. Productivity became tied to exhaustion, and somewhere along the way, many of us were conditioned to believe that slowing down meant we weren’t doing enough.

Now, I’m intentionally unlearning that. I try not to schedule more than three meetings in a day so I can create space in between. Space to breathe. Space for unplanned moments. Space to think creatively. Space to exist without rushing from one thing to the next.

Life is feeling less about doing and more about being. Less about proving and more about becoming the person I want to be.

As I shed these old layers and beliefs, it feels a little vulnerable to have this much autonomy over my own schedule. Yet it also feels deeply freeing.

In my last post, I wrote about intentionally creating an ideal week. I tested out taking last Friday completely off from work for the first time in a long time. I spent two hours leisurely browsing through Don Quijote with no agenda and nowhere to rush to. It sounds simple, but it felt healing to move slowly without constantly checking the time.

I also recently visited our local library and checked out children’s books for my daughter, including stories about Hawaiʻi. This time, I decided to pick out books for myself too. It reminded me that I deserve nourishment, curiosity, and learning alongside caring for everyone else.

I even cut my own hair and chopped off two inches because honestly, it’s hot in Hawaiʻi and I wanted something lower maintenance. There’s something symbolic about physically letting go of weight while emotionally learning to do the same.

Cherishing Ordinary Moments

Over Memorial Day weekend, we spent time together as a family at the Honolulu Zoo and Dave & Buster’s in Honolulu. The older I get, the more I realize these ordinary moments are the ones that matter most. Watching our daughter get excited about animals, strolling together, eating meals at home, laughing over simple things, and creating memories in this new chapter of life together.

🎥 I also shared little glimpses from our family weekend here for Family Day at the Honolulu Zoo and Dave & Buster’s, Foodland & Ala Moana.

We’re also slowly embracing Kamaʻāina discounts now that we officially live here in Hawaiʻi, which still feels surreal sometimes.

A friend gifted us a wok as a housewarming present, and we’ve been cooking so much more at home lately. I bought a huge bag of chow fun noodles from Donki, and we made a delicious meal with marinated meat that felt comforting and grounding after such a major life transition.

Understanding Migratory Grief

A friend recently shared the term “migratory grief” with me, and it was the first time I had ever heard it. There’s something powerful about finally having language for emotions you’ve been quietly carrying.

This is her thoughtful article that deeply resonated with me:
📝 Migratory Grief and the Psychology of Relocation

Even when a move is intentional, exciting, and aligned with your values, there can still be grief for familiarity, routines, old identities, and versions of yourself tied to another chapter of life. At the same time, there can also be deep gratitude for what’s unfolding ahead.

Slowing Down in Hawaiʻi

My husband and I recently talked about how time feels slower here in Hawaiʻi and we’re still adjusting to it.

Coming from New York, we were so used to noise, urgency, packed schedules, and constantly feeling like we had to optimize every minute. Hawaiʻi feels different where it is slower, softer, and more spacious.

This is part of the healing we are working on and I trust that over time, we’ll get better at embracing this slower rhythm instead of resisting it. Life was never meant to feel like a race all the time and peace is found in learning how to fully experience the moments we’re already living.

Journal Prompt

What does protecting your peace currently look like in your life?