Let there be peace

Let there be peace…by your own design

December has a way of turning the volume up. Calendars fill quickly. Family dynamics intensify. End of year deadlines arrive clothed in sparkle and yet also with a sense of urgency. For many mid-career professional women, especially those in high pressure roles, this month can feel like a full contact sport.

For this December New Moon, let us do something different. Let us choose peace as a practice rather than a prize. Allow room for peace that does not depend on perfect conditions. May there be room for peace to exist even amongst the chaos. Do not wait for chaos to settle as that may not ever happen, at least not completely.

Across cultures and traditions, this time of year carries a shared invitation. Give yourself permission to sit quietly. Observe. Select your next move with intention and after deliberate reflection. That means slowing down. Taking a breath. It gives room for you to choose to return to what matters. Create light on purpose.

In Christianity, the season of Advent emphasizes waiting and joyful expectation. Peace is cultivated gradually through patience and faithfulness, not rushed into existence. It is a steady devotion rather than a dramatic transformation.

In Judaism, Hanukkah offers the enduring image of a persistent light evening after evening. The light survives despite the struggle and the conflict. It can represent a commitment to tend to what is sacred, even when darkness exists.

Kwanzaa centers on principles such as unity, purpose, and collective responsibility. Peace here is grounded in values and community. It is built through alignment and intentional action rather than performance or perfection.

In Buddhist traditions, peace begins with awareness. By observing what is without grasping or resisting, a sense of calm emerges. Peace is allowed rather than forced.

Earth based and solstice traditions remind us that rest is wisdom. Nature grows quiet without apology. The darkest time of the year becomes an invitation to replenish rather than push forward.

Astrologically, the New Moon represents a reset. It offers a fresh page and a chance to set intentions without dragging old noise into a new cycle.

Different traditions use different language, but the through line prevails: Settle into what’s needing to be dormant. Pause. Tend the light. Begin again with intention.

For your consideration:

Before stepping into the next year, take time to take a heartfelt assessment of this year. Assess where you’ve been, and where your intentions led you in your life and career.  Reflect more deeply, into the whole of your experiences. Sink into the deeper moments, and not simply speed through the highlight reel.

What did you keep showing up for even when it was difficult? Where did you become more discerning about who and what receives your energy? What did you complete, close, or release? What are you proud of that no one applauded? What part of you is asking for peace as a necessity rather than a luxury?

If you feel behind or pressured to do more, let this be a reminder: You are not behind. You are in process. The end of the year is not a grading period. It is a threshold.

For high achieving women, peace often gets postponed until everything is finished. In demanding careers, everything is rarely finished. That belief can keep you running indefinitely.

It may help to redefine peace in a way that respects your real life.

Peace is not an empty calendar. It is a calendar that reflects your values.

Peace is not a perfect workplace. It is the ability to stay anchored when the workplace is imperfect.

Peace is not constant calm. It is having reliable ways to return to center. Peace can be a boundary that you set and that you feel.

Okay, your turn:

What would bring you even a little bit more peace this week? Can you come up with more than one way? How about three to five ways?

I invite you to share your observations, feelings, and experiences by leaving a Reply in the Comments section, below. Soul-to-soul!

© 2025 Lori A. Noonan. All Rights Reserved.