Peace of mind is something I never truly understood until I started losing it. When you are younger, peace sounds like something old people talk about. You think you just need vibes, loud music, money and friends. But then life happens. You grow older and things get heavier. One day you wake up and you realize how loud your mind has become. You start looking for the small things that can help you breathe better, even if it is just for a minute.
For me, the one thing that gives me peace of mind right now is something that most people would consider ordinary or maybe even a bit strange. It is not prayer, it is not journaling, and it is not even money. It is washing my clothes by hand.
Yes, you read that right. Washing my clothes. Not with a washing machine, not in a fancy laundromat. Just me, a bucket, some detergent, and the sound of water. I know it sounds like a chore to most people, but for me, it has become therapy. That moment when I roll up my sleeves and start scrubbing a shirt or rinsing out my socks, I feel like I am doing something for myself. I am not online. I am not replying messages. I am not thinking about all the things that stress me out. I am just there, focused on soap, water, and the fabric in my hands.
There is something so raw and grounding about doing something simple with your hands. It reminds me that I am still human. In this world where everything is digital and fast, I like that this one act still takes time. You cannot rush it. You have to wait. You have to scrub. You have to rinse. And while you are doing it, your mind begins to settle. Your thoughts slow down. You remember that it is okay to do one thing at a time.
People often say meditation helps them, or yoga, or going on long walks. And that is fine. But I have tried those things and sometimes they feel like too much pressure. Like I am doing them just because I want to prove I am being mindful. But when I am doing laundry, I am not trying to prove anything. I am just doing something necessary. And somehow that honesty brings peace.
Sometimes I even talk to myself while washing. I bring out my shirts and begin to remember what happened when I wore them. This one reminds me of the church service where I almost slept off during the sermon. That one reminds me of the day I had to run in the rain because I forgot my umbrella. These memories come back in pieces and instead of overwhelming me, they give me a strange comfort. Like a reminder that I have lived through things. I have survived them. And I am still here.
Another thing I love about it is the smell. There is something about the smell of clean clothes. Not the kind you buy in a can or spray on your body. But the natural, wet, sun-dried scent that makes you feel like you are starting over. It is one of those smells that instantly calms me down. When I finish washing and I hang the clothes out to dry, I step back and just watch them for a moment. It feels like I am hanging out a version of myself too. A cleaner version. A lighter version.
I know this might sound weird to someone who has a washing machine or who sends clothes to the dry cleaner. Maybe they would never understand why this act gives me peace. But I think peace is not always found in what is big or loud or expensive. Sometimes peace is in the things that force us to slow down. The things that make us notice life instead of rushing through it.
We live in a world where everything is fast. Fast internet. Fast food. Fast relationships. Even our problems come fast and in groups. And that is why I have learned to hold on to anything that gives me a chance to pause. For some people it might be watering their plants. For others, it might be dancing in their room or organizing their bookshelf. It does not matter what it is. What matters is that it brings you back to yourself.
I do not know if washing clothes will always give me peace of mind. Maybe one day I will get tired of it. Maybe I will move somewhere with a noisy washing machine and forget how calming it once felt. But for now, it works. It helps. And I think that is enough.
Peace of mind is not something we stumble on once and keep forever. It is something we have to keep finding again and again. And if the thing that brings you peace sounds weird to someone else, so be it. This world is hard enough. If you find something small that makes it better, hold on to it.
So for now, if you ever see me by the side of the house scrubbing away at my shirts and looking strangely peaceful, just know that in that moment, everything in me is calm. The world might be noisy, but my mind is quiet. And that is more than enough.
