Many times, we find ourselves in situations that we could probably have avoided or done something to reduce the possible damage. When you have intentions to protect your peace, your quality of life improves. By prioritising our mental health, we end up avoiding burnout and stressful situations. Here are 4 soft girl intentions that will help you protect your peace in 2026.
Learn to say no
We have all been in situations where someone asks for something that we do not really want to give or do. Yet, we end up saying yes even though we want to say no. So really, the question becomes, did you say yes because you are scared of saying no? Or you did that because you did not want to hurt this person’s feelings? But have you ever stopped to think about your own feelings? Have you ever thought of how that impacts you and your relationship with yourself?
Let’s be real for one second: when you say yes to someone else at your expense, you are actually betraying yourself. Think of yourself as a 7-year-old child. Imagine neglecting her just so you can please someone else, while this completely makes her very uncomfortable. Would you still say yes and neglect her needs, or would you say no? Let this be your thought process every time someone expects something from you that you are not willing to do from the jump.
Reality Check
The craziest part is that, if situations were reversed, do you think that same individual would betray themselves just to make you happy? I, for one, have been in scenarios where I put my friends and family first. Despite how uncomfortable that made me. And I did that in the name of “loving them.” But when it came to them showing up for me, they did not hesitate to say “no.” Now, I’m not saying that you should stop doing things for the people that you care about. I’m just pointing out that if something is beyond what you are willing and capable of handling, just say “NO”! Once you start practicing this more often, you realize how liberating it feels. And no, you would not feel guilty because, for once, you chose yourself and not someone else.
Love yourself in every season
It’s very easy to get caught up in the idea of showing yourself love when you achieve a certain goal or when you acquire a certain thing or look a certain way. This programs your subconscious mind into thinking that the current version of yourself is not deserving of love. I am a firm believer in giving yourself affection at every point in life you might be in. This means being kinder to yourself as you work to achieve the goals you have set your sights on.
There was a point in my life when I was overweight and inflamed, and my mental health was in the trenches. And whenever I wanted to do nice things for myself, I felt like I did not really deserve to because of my physical appearance. I tried to bully myself into weight loss, but that did not turn out great. Years later, I managed to drop the weight, and when I look back at older videos that I took of that version of myself, I break down in tears. Why, you may ask? It’s because during that time, the world was already so cruel to me, yet I did not give myself grace. I mourn for that version of myself. Not because I want her back, but because I could have been way kinder to her.
Focus on your goals
Ever been in a situation where you said you were going to do a certain thing but ended up not doing it? Cause I have. Oftentimes, we tend to make plans set to achieve our goals, but rarely do we follow through. This leads to feelings of regret and self-hatred. The thing with not following through with your plans is that more often than not, you will not achieve the said goal. And I don’t know about you, but whenever I fail to achieve my goals, I am left distraught. I feel horrible, and then I doubt myself, and to be honest,, it messes with my self-trust.
Ultimately, the last thing you need to do is put yourself in a stressful situation. You ought to be intentional about protecting your peace. The moment you put action behind your plans and go after every one of your goals, you then realise how calming it is to know deep down that you can follow through on anything you set your mind to. Discipline is very attractive and very rewarding.
Prioritize your mental health
When it comes to adulting, there is only so much that we can keep up with. From making sure we drink enough water, to having protein with every meal, moving the body . And oh, “Don’t forget to wear sunscreen!” It’s exhausting! To add onto that, we have to make sure our mental health is not neglected. It’s very easy to obsess about all these things and more and forget to check our mental health.
Allow me to quote the bible, Proverbs 4:23, which says, “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” (NIV). I think this verse talks more about our mental health. Wait, hear me out. When you are stressed out or depressed or are struggling with anxiety, among other issues, it is very difficult for you to function. Suddenly nothing seems to make sense and life becomes miserable. And when we do not take time to check how we are doing mentally, it is very easy to miss the telltale signs of someone struggling with their mental health. So bear with me when I say,
Guard your brain, for everything you do flows from it.
shisoka
So as you go about your day, try to be intentional about protecting your peace. And remember that life is not worth living if your mental health has been neglected.
XO, Shisoka.