The Power of Planning for Peace — Financially and Otherwise
Sometimes, life gently nudges us to pause and really consider what peace looks like right now. It’s in those quiet moments—when the noise settles just enough—that clarity begins to emerge. Finding peace often starts with small, intentional choices, little shifts that create space for calm in the middle of life’s chaos. This blog is a reminder of how powerful that process can be.
In a deeply human and hilariously honest episode of The Freq Show, Jaclyn and Sam open up about what planning for peace has looked like for them—across their finances, family life, weekends, and yes, even holy underwear (you’ll have to listen for that one).
If you’ve ever felt stretched too thin or like your life is always just one decision away from calm but never quite gets there, this one’s for you. It’s about creating margin, slowing down, and making choices that bring real peace, even when it means saying no to things that seem tempting in the moment.
So let’s explore together how peace can grow from intention, how boundaries can free us, and why sometimes the best decision is the one that doesn’t come with a shopping bag in hand.
Creating Margin: What Peace Really Means
It wasn’t always this way for Jaclyn and Sam. In fact, much of their adult life together was lived on the opposite end of the peace spectrum—constantly stretching, taking risks, pushing until they could finally say, “Then we’ll rest.”
But peace, as it turns out, doesn’t just show up when you finally arrive at some destination. It has to be planned for—deliberately, intentionally, and in a way that honors your values and your nervous system.
One of the biggest shifts in their journey came from a podcast Jaclyn listened to—an episode of The Brian Buffini Show featuring Dr. John Delony. The core message? If you want peace, you have to create margin. Not just in your bank account, but in your time, your relationships, your space, your calendar.
Jaclyn and Sam started to realize that peace wasn’t something to wait for after the next big project or business deal. It could be built into the rhythm of their daily life—starting now.
This concept of building margin in our lives brings to mind one of our favorite posts, “How To Start Healing From Anxiety”. Like peace, emotional healing takes small, deliberate steps—and this post offers gentle practices to help support your nervous system.
When Peace Looks Like Saying “Not Right Now”
During Memorial Day weekend, Jaclyn—an interior designer by trade and heart—was tempted by a furniture sale. She had found two beautiful lounge chairs that would be perfect for their office-slash-podcast studio, and they were deeply discounted. Her pregnant body was uncomfortable, the podcast setup wasn’t ideal, and guests were starting to come over for episodes. It seemed like the perfect time to invest.
But then came the pause.
Instead of making the purchase, Jaclyn chose to invest the money into their nest egg—into stocks and crypto that would build long-term peace of mind. It wasn’t an easy decision. At that moment, she admits she kind of regretted it. But the bigger picture reminded her: this is what creating peace looks like. It’s choosing long-term security over instant gratification.
It’s also hilarious, because Sam—ever the minimalist—had no issue waiting. This is the man, after all, who refers to his five-year-old hole-ridden underwear as “lace.” Jaclyn’s reaction to discovering a full draft where the back of his boxers used to be was pure comedic gold, and it’s one of those moments that make their conversations so relatable. They’re building a beautiful life—and laughing along the way.
Speaking of intentional decisions—even small pauses can create profound clarity. If you’ve ever wondered how slowing down can actually move you forward, you’ll enjoy “How Can You Use Mastering To Develop A Growth Mindset”. It dives into the daily practices that shape our identity and inner peace.
Thinking Differently About What You Can “Afford”
Another part of creating peace is reframing how we think about affordability. Dr. Delony’s concept really hit home for Sam: when he and his wife were buying a house, they cut the number their bank pre-approved in half to leave breathing room.
It’s such a simple idea, yet so rarely practiced. And it echoed something that Jaclyn and Sam learned the hard way through business: just because you can afford something on paper doesn’t mean it’s the wisest choice.
Planning for peace, they realized, often means living below your means. It means being grateful for what you already have—even when it’s unfinished or imperfect—and prioritizing sleep over the stress of wondering how you’ll pay for it all.
As Jaclyn put it, she would rather live with a few missing office chairs than go back to waking up at 3 a.m. worrying about liquidity, credit cards, or how to make the next month work. And that, friends, is what wisdom looks like in action.
Diversifying: The Path to Unshakable
Peace also came with diversification. After one of their biggest projects, Villa Secreta, had sat on the market for a month and was costing them $11,000 a month just to hold, the pressure was mounting. It was a wake-up call.
They realized they couldn’t afford to have all their eggs in one basket.
Since then, they’ve expanded their income streams—design business, The Freq App, commercial real estate, and more. They’ve invested in stocks, crypto, index funds. Not all at once, and not recklessly. But strategically. Thoughtfully. Wisely.
Jaclyn’s approach? Start small. She uses an app that rounds up every purchase and puts the change into an account for investing. Even $25, $50, or $100 adds up over time. And if she resists the urge to buy something unnecessary, that money gets rerouted to “make money babies,” as she affectionately calls it.
It’s not about deprivation—it’s about long-term empowerment.
Jaclyn Steele Thurmond at Villa Secreta. (Click on the photo to see the design)
Planning for Peaceful Weekends
The second half of this journey has nothing to do with money—and everything to do with time.
Every Friday, Jaclyn and Sam sit down and plan out the week ahead—workouts, meals, appointments, podcast recording, school pickups, rest, fun, and yes, even gardening. This rhythm has radically changed the efficiency of their days, and more importantly, the tone of their home.
There’s something deeply grounding about knowing what’s coming.
For Sam, weekends used to feel like a chance to collapse—but without structure, they left him feeling more anxious than restored. Now, they wake up, sip their coffee, and already know what’s on the plan for the day—whether it’s working on the garage gym, tending to the garden, or baking homemade bread from scratch.
And it’s not rigid. There’s space for rest, quiet, and slow mornings. But it’s intentional. It’s collaborative. And it keeps them on the same frequency—literally and figuratively.
If the idea of creating true inner peace resonated with you, you might also be inspired by our post “Calm Amidst Chaos: A Gentle Guide to Finding Peace in Uncertain Times.” It's another heart-centered reflection on finding calm—even when life feels anything but peaceful.
Final Thought: What Would Peace Look Like for You?
Planning for peace doesn’t mean life will be perfect. It just means you’re choosing to live in alignment with what matters most to you.
For Jaclyn and Sam, that’s looked like laughing their way through real-life moments, rethinking their spending habits, building multiple streams of income, and finding joy in structured weekends and freshly baked bread.
So the question becomes: what would peace look like for you right now?
Maybe it’s putting off a purchase. Maybe it’s creating a simple weekly planning ritual with your partner. Maybe it’s opening an investment account, even if you only have $25 to spare.
Whatever it is, start there.
Your peace is worth planning for.
(P.S. If you’re moved to donate to Sam’s underwear fund… Jaclyn says her Venmo is open. 😂)
Live on purpose. Live on frequency.
Ien Araneta - editor of The Freq Show & The Beckon Times
