From Panic to Peace

Living in Survival Mode

There was a time in my life—especially as a younger woman—when I was living in a near-constant state of panic and anxiety. I didn’t feel safe in my own life. I was overwhelmed by the never-ending to-do list that came with raising three little kids, managing a big house, and trying to support a husband who was deeply struggling with his own issues. Every day felt like survival.

From the outside, I’m sure it looked like I was doing fine. I kept everything together. But on the inside, I was crumbling. My husband and I were in therapy—both individually and together with our therapists. We were doing “all the right things,” but things weren’t getting better. Communication was strained. I felt more alone in my marriage than I did when I was truly alone.

I Felt Powerless

My default response when someone asked how I was doing?

“Things are okay.”

But what I really meant was: “I’m barely holding on.”

I couldn’t see the good in my life. I was too focused on everything that was wrong. Gratitude felt out of reach. I was stuck in a victim mindset. My sense of self had become so enmeshed with my husband’s behavior that I didn’t know who I was outside of the chaos.

The Turning Point: Al-Anon

Then, one day, my therapist suggested I try something new: Al-Anon.

I’ll be honest—I didn’t get it at first. The language was foreign. Focus on myself? Let go? Detach with love? It all sounded vague and impossible. But I was desperate, so I kept going. Week after week, I listened to stories from others who had found peace in the middle of chaos.

They talked about boundaries, surrender, higher power, and serenity—not as lofty ideals, but as real, practical shifts they made in their lives. Slowly, I began to wonder: What if this could work for me too?

That was in 2015. Since then, everything has changed.

Choosing Myself, Gently

I began focusing on myself—my thoughts, my energy, my choices. I set boundaries that were firm but loving. It wasn’t always smooth. Some people didn’t like the new boundaries. There were tears, conflict, and hard decisions. But there was also a profound sense of freedom I had never known before.

Around that same time, I met a woman who had such a clear connection to her faith and trust in the Universe. She didn’t try to control everything. She lived with ease and flow, and things always seemed to work out for her. I remember watching her and thinking, I want to live like that.

And so, I kept going. I kept listening. I kept trying.

Growing Into a New Way of Being

Over time, this inner work deepened. I read books by teachers like:

• Eckhart Tolle
• Pema Chödrön
• Marianne Williamson
• Abraham Hicks
• Joe Dispenza

Each one helped me unravel old thought patterns and remember who I really was beneath the fear. I began meditating, journaling, and living more intentionally. I stopped trying to control everything and started practicing trust.

Now, I’m studying to become a certified life coach with Martha Beck, whose work on truth-telling and inner transformation has become a cornerstone of my path.

The Woman I Am Now

I’m not the same woman I was back then. Life hasn’t become “perfect,” but I no longer live in constant panic. I live with presence. I feel connected to something bigger than myself. I trust my intuition. I make choices from love, not fear.

And perhaps most importantly, I know how to come home to myself again and again.

An Invitation for You

If you find yourself stuck in the same patterns—feeling like you’re holding your breath through life, trying to keep it all together—I want you to know: you don’t have to stay there.

Change is possible. It starts with one small step.

✨ I invite you to book a free Clarity Session with me. We’ll gently explore where you feel stuck and what’s possible when you begin to come home to your heart.

👉 Click here to schedule your free session.

With heart,

Lori Arnold
Life Coach in Training, Guide for Inner Transformation
FLY Coaching — Freedom to Love Yourself