“Protecting your peace” is a rising idea that people need to prioritize themselves and avoid certain situations that might disrupt their “peace”. While this concept may have some validity in certain instances, such as not getting involved in situations that don’t concern you, this comes with the cost of being ignorant of the people around you and overall avoidant of anything that makes you uncomfortable.
Restartt, an emotional behavior blog focused on psychology, shared that “Change does not occur within comfort,” or often referred to as the comfort zone trap. The comfort zone trap refers to a psychological state in which individuals remain in familiar and comfortable situations or routines, often avoiding risks, challenges or experiences that could take them out of their comfort zones.
The psychological effects of being in uncomfortable situations can reflect upon how our brains work. According to Restartt, “Simply put, we place a demand on ourselves that we MUST never experience discomfort. Then, we go on to catastrophize the discomfort by describing it as something truly horrible and unbearable to experience.” Naturally, one does not want to experience discomfort. However, discomfort is part of being human.
Some may argue that avoiding this discomfort is important and that “protecting your peace” is necessary. According to an article by Forbes, protecting your peace is a new positive trend, focusing on saying no and speaking up for yourself. The same article gives the example that “Michelle Obama said no to attending the most recent presidential inauguration and it got major attention.” The article states that Michelle Obama was protecting her peace by saying no, but her choosing not to attend could instead have been due to her political beliefs and opposing thoughts on President Donald Trump. The article quotes, “Every time you say yes to something that drains you, you’re in some ways betraying yourself by saying no to something that matters more — you .”
So yes, while there is nothing inherently wrong with saying no to something you may not feel comfortable doing, sometimes, being uncomfortable is what makes you emotionally stronger. However, even when speaking up for yourself or choosing not to do something, it’s important not to ignore someone else’s feelings or part in the situation. Stand up for yourself, but consider others before doing so.
“Protecting your peace” is unique to Redwood students as a trend that began on social media and connects to relationships. Many people I personally know have told me about how they are “protecting their peace” by stopping talking to someone. Many teens feel the need to avoid certain situations because they don’t want confrontation or address the situation at hand. With social media’s stance of “protecting your peace”, it’s easy to ignore others and avoid problems by simply cutting yourself off from the situation. To counter this trend, people should instead focus on clear communication while still prioritizing their feelings. This will ensure that teens are not avoidant in dire situations.
