by Zack Orsborn
Peace is the new wealth, especially in a world that never seems to stop buzzing.
I want you to try something that might sound worse than being picked last in gym class: sit in complete silence for 20 minutes. No music. No phone. Just you and the thoughts that have been gasping for air after being suppressed by constant stimulation.
You might notice a few things. Your hand inching toward your phone. Your legs bouncing as you wonder if the laws of physics have changed and time is somehow moving slower, seconds stretching into minutes. You may feel the urge to jump out of your skin.
But if you make it to the full 20 minutes, something shifts. You might feel calmer. You might confront negative thoughts and watch them dissolve instead of chasing them. You might see the fog lift and new ideas begin firing off.
You’ve just practiced one of the Four Codes of Creative Energy known as Clarity. Clarity is supported by three tools: sitting in silence, meditation, and journaling. You get to choose which one works best for you.
I discovered the importance of Clarity when the bombardment of external noise and stress hijacked my nervous system beyond what I could handle. I turned to distractions, which only made things worse. I became overwhelmed, irritable, and creatively frozen. I couldn’t remember the last time I took a full breath.
Mindfulness meditation came first. It helped me work through the restlessness of being still. I learned to notice my thoughts without becoming consumed by them. They floated in and out as I focused on my breath, without judgment. I entered the present moment and felt a blanket of relief.
Journaling followed. I began practicing Morning Pages, a tool developed by Julia Cameron, author of The Artist’s Way. Each morning, I wrote three pages of freeform thoughts without stopping.
I let my subconscious rise to the surface. Petty complaints. Fears that chained me down. Paranoid delusions. Once I externalized the sludge of negativity onto the page and out of my body, I felt clearer. With that weight lifted, I could focus on gratitude, intention, and creative ideas. My insides felt scrubbed clean, and I started the day lighter and more motivated.
That’s when it clicked: peace is the new wealth.
Still, not every day makes room for peace. Sometimes anxiety, systemic pressures, or the sheer weight of existing makes it impossible to “find calm.” Some days, doing nothing is enough.
Doing nothing is allowed. Our minds and bodies need breaks to recalibrate after endless productivity or survival mode. Even when meditation feels impossible or journaling cramps my hand, I can still sit in silence. I can breathe. I can resist the pull of always needing to do something, which feels quietly rebellious these days.
I set a timer and let my mind wander. I feel my feelings so they don’t hide in the corners of my psyche, waiting to ambush me later. And they will, if ignored.
When I face them, though, I can transform those thoughts into art. They become inspiration instead of triggers. I can refine my artist statement and ask myself, how do I want to show the world that I am alive?
Exercises for Clarity
Schedule a solo outing to find a journal that speaks to you. I recommend Novel or Cooper Young Gallery and Gift Shop. Treat journaling as a sacred, personal practice to stay consistent.
Sit in a comfortable chair and set a five minute timer. Breathe in for four seconds, hold for seven, and exhale for eight. Release tension as you breathe out.
Reduce social media use as much as possible. Social media is a peace thief.
Make a list of other peace thieves in your life. Awareness gives you power to limit their impact.
In your journal, ask yourself: If I were fearless, what would I do? What does peace look like to me? How does stillness energize me? If I had unlimited resources, what would I create? How can my creativity connect me to others?
Take a meditative walk and choose one color to focus on. Spend the walk noticing it in the world around you.
Visit likereallycreative.com/meditate to explore guided meditations that may support clarity and calm.
