"Purposeful Progress Equals Peace."

In this episode of WORDS MATTER, Deanna Ley, The Catalytic Coach, invites you into a conversation that may just change the way you define peace. This isn’t the kind of peace you wait to find once life calms down—it’s the kind you create, step by step, through aligned, intentional action.

With her quote, “Purposeful progress equals peace,” Deanna shares a raw and grounded message for anyone who's ever felt stuck in stress, spinning in the noise, or wondering if peace is even possible. She introduces a practical tool called the Peace Gauge to help you discern what supports your peace—mind, body, and soul—and guides you through how to start building a life that feels like home, even in the midst of the mess.

What Listeners Will Learn:
• Why perfection isn’t the path to peace—purpose is
• How to use your own Peace Gauge to make aligned choices
• The difference between reactive action and purposeful movement
• Why peace, gratitude, and joy are interconnected
• Three small shifts that build momentum toward peace

Memorable Quotes:
• “Purposeful progress equals peace.” - Deanna Ley
• “Peace must outweigh pressure.”
• “Peace isn’t something you wait to feel. It’s something you create. One aligned, intentional step at a time.”
• “You can’t change what you don’t name.”
• “Peace doesn’t mean the world around you calms down. It means you know how to stay steady when it doesn’t.”
• “You are worthy of a life that feels like home in your mind, your body, and your soul.”

This episode is your reminder that peace isn’t a far-off destination—it’s a practice. One intentional step at a time.

Your WORDS MATTER, because YOU MATTER.

❤️❤️❤️

Transcript

Well, hello, hello, hello. Welcome back to another episode of WORDS MATTER. Today's episode might be one of the most important ones we've done together. Not because it's polished or perfect. But because it's honest. Real. Grounded.

Today we're talking about peace. Not the kind of peace that's soft and fluffy or embroidered on a throw pillow. Not the kind you think you'll find after the chaos quiets or when everything finally falls into place. Nope. We're talking about peace that runs deeper than your circumstances. Peace that doesn't require perfection. Peace that doesn't wait for ease. Peace that anchors you even when everything around you is spinning out of control.

At the center of this conversation is my own quote. One I've said many times before. But today I'm going to say it again, a whole lot louder and clearer: "Purposeful progress equals peace." 

Let that land. Not perfection. Not arrival at some destination. Not fully in control.

Purposeful progress.

Because here's the truth: many of us don't even know what peace feels like. Not fully, anyway. Not in our minds, our bodies, or in our souls. Because some of us grew up in homes where calm was a foreign concept. Where we learned to scan for danger and brace for impact. Some of us have built lives that look fine on the outside but feel like war zones on the inside. And some of us have spent so long hustling for worth and chasing approval that the idea of peace feels completely out of reach.

And I want to speak directly to that part of you today—the part that wonders if peace is even possible. Well, it is, friends. It is.

But let’s be clear—peace takes work. 

It takes unlearning. It takes courage. It takes movement in the direction of what sits well with your soul—and away from what wages war against it. It's one step—and then another, and then another, and then another. Tiny steps that don’t always feel life-changing in the moment, but strung together over time, they create something powerful: momentum.

And momentum, as you know, is what pulls us forward. It's what lifts us out of the muck—out of our crap in the gap. It's what keeps us from being held hostage by overwhelm or fear or the lie that we're too late or too far gone. Wandering, as we talked about in our episode last week, is also about movement and motion. But worrying and wondering—those are the opposites. They spin you in circles and keep you stuck. They look like motion, but they're just noise. They drain your energy without getting you anywhere.

But peace, friends—peace is built through movement. Through congruent, intentional, purposeful movement. And that’s why I also say that “The cure to overwhelm is action.” But we’re going to take it a little bit deeper today, because not all action brings peace.

Some action is reactive. Some is fear-fueled, or people-pleasing, or perfection-laced. Only purposeful action—the kind aligned with your values, your vision, your truest self—that creates meaningful progress. And that kind of progress is exactly what leads to peace.

So how do you know if something is truly purposeful?

This is where I personally use something I call my Peace Gauge. And I want to share with you what it is, because maybe you'll find it helpful and use it, too. Full credit—one of the amazing women in an I CHOOSE ME Challenge a while ago came up with something she called her Peace Meter. I loved the concept so much that I adapted it to a version that fits the way my brain works.

The Peace Gauge is a simple—but powerful—discernment tool. One you can use anytime you're faced with a decision, commitment, or choice. You start by asking yourself one question: "Does this add to or sustain the peace in my mind, body, and soul?" But here’s the key: all three have to agree.

For example, if your mind says yes, but your body is tight with anxiety and your soul feels off—that’s not a yes, friends. It only counts when all three parts of you—your thoughts, your body, and that beautiful spirit of yours—all say yes in unison. And if they do? It’s a GO. But if it disrupts your peace, drains your energy, or throws that soul of yours off-center, then it’s a HECK NO.

Let me give you two quick examples of how the Peace Gauge works.

Let’s say someone invites you to join a committee. You like the mission. You care about the people. But you’re already stretched so thin. You pause. You run it through your Peace Gauge. Does it support peace in your mind, your body, and your soul? If not—even if it’s a “good thing”—it’s a HECK NO. Because peace must outweigh pressure.

Here’s another. You’re choosing what to eat after a long, stressful day. You’re tempted to numb. But first you pause and ask, “Will this choice support my peace—physically, mentally, and emotionally?” If the answer is no—if it will lead to guilt, discomfort, or regret—then choose differently. Not out of restriction, but out of respect for your peace.

Because peace isn’t something you wait to feel. It’s something you create. One aligned, intentional step at a time.

You build peace when you say YES to things—in your mind, your body, and your soul—that honor your purpose. You build peace when you set boundaries and trust the nudge instead of the noise. You build peace when you stop waiting for "ready" and start moving toward what feels right.

So let me offer you three ways to bring this home. Three invitations to help you create purposeful progress that will lead you to more peace.

Number one – Name what robs your peace. Be honest. What pulls you out of alignment in your mind, your body, or your soul? What disrupts your sleep? What drains your joy? What triggers anxiety? Awareness is step one. You can’t change what you don’t name.

Number two – Define what peace actually feels like for you. Not the social media version. Not someone else’s definition. What does peace look like—feel like—in your life? Is it stillness? Simplicity? Movement? Margin? Laughter? Boundaries? Being fully present? Get clear. Because when you know what peace feels like, you’ll know how to recognize it—and protect it.

Number three – Choose one small action that is congruent with that peace. Just one. Not a giant overhaul. One step. Maybe it’s going to bed earlier. Maybe it’s pausing before saying yes. Maybe it’s canceling something that no longer fits. Maybe it’s drinking more water or reaching out to someone you love. Whatever it is, make it purposeful. Let it move you closer to peace.

And as you do, that’s when things will begin to shift.

Because peace doesn’t mean the world around you calms down. It means you know how to stay steady when it doesn’t. It means you stop living from pressure and start living with purpose.

See, for me, peace isn’t a solo act. It actually lives in a triad: Peace. Gratitude. Joy. They lift each other up. They fuel one another. When I feel peace, I feel gratitude. And when I feel gratitude, my joy rises. And when I feel joy, I know I’m walking in alignment with the life I was meant to live.

So if peace feels far away for you right now, please don’t give up. Start where you are. Start with what you’re grateful for. Start with what feels right in your soul. Start with what sustains or adds to your peace.

Because "Purposeful progress equals peace." 

Let that truth ground you. Let it guide you. Let it remind you that peace isn’t passive. It’s an active, powerful practice. And it’s not reserved for the lucky or the calm or the ones who have it all together. It’s for you. Right here. Right now. In the middle of the mess. In the middle of The Becoming. In the middle of your one wildly meaningful life.

Peace is a practice. Purposeful progress is your path. And choosing it? It’s not just something you can do—it’s something that you deserve.

You are worthy of peace, my friends. You are worthy of joy. You are worthy of a life that feels like home in your mind, your body, and your soul.

So take the step. Check your gauge. Choose what aligns—and keep going.

Because you’re not just building a peaceful, peace-filled life... You’re becoming someone who protects it.

Friends, the words we see and read, the words we hear and the words we say to ourselves and about ourselves—about what we’re doing and how we’re doing it—they all matter.

Your WORDS MATTER, because YOU MATTER.

Have a great day.