Word of the Week: Ataraxia

There’s a word I learned about last week: Ataraxia (pronounced: at-uh-RACK-see-uh), an ancient Greek term meaning serene freedom from distress.

Even just saying it out loud slows my breathing a bit.

At-uh-RACK-see-uh.

There’s a quiet beauty to the idea that there could be a space in my mind, my day, my life where distress is not the driver of the bus.

Honestly, finding peace in our current world feels like trying to read a book in the middle of a loud construction site. The noise, both literal and emotional, is everywhere.

But I’ve been wondering: what if peace isn’t a once-a-year beach vacation or an unattainable state of Zen in a yoga class? What if it’s something we intentionally sprinkle throughout our day?

Micro-Moments of Ataraxia

Here are a few small ways I’m experimenting with creating tiny pockets of peace:

✨ Turn off notifications for one day. Work email, group texts, news alerts...all of it. The world can wait for a few hours.

☕ Swap a doomscroll for a tea break. Brew something comforting, hold the warm mug with both hands, and just breathe.

🚶 Step outside, even for five minutes. Look at the sky, listen to a bird, feel the air. The body remembers stillness even if the brain is buzzing.

📵 Put your phone in another room after 8 PM. (Yes, I’m still working on this one, too.)

🗒️ Write down one thing you’re grateful for before bed. It doesn’t have to be big. Sometimes it’s “I survived today” or “the soup I had for lunch was good.”

Boundaries That Build Peace

I’ve been learning that sometimes peace means disappointing other people in order to honor my own limits. Some boundary ideas I’m trying on:

• Email-free Sundays: The world will keep spinning if I wait until Monday to reply.

• “No” as a complete sentence: I don’t need to over-explain.

• Blocking time for rest like a meeting: If it’s on my calendar, I’m more likely to respect it.

Flipping the Script with Self-Talk

Here’s the hardest part for me: when my brain starts narrating the day with negativity with,

“You’re behind again,”

“You should have done more,”

“Why can’t you get it together?”

I never pause and ask myself:

If I can speak this harshly to myself, why not try speaking kindly, too?

So lately, my commitment to myself and my self-talk is sounding more like:

“You’re doing the best you can with what you have today.”

“It’s okay to go slower.”

"You are worthy of care and calm, even on your messy days.”

It feels awkward at first, but the more I practice, the more ataraxia sneaks in.

Finding serene freedom from distress might not happen overnight, but it can happen one micro-moment at a time. Maybe today, we simply start by saying the word, letting it settle into our bodies, and noticing when we need to exhale.

Reflection Prompt

Take a quiet moment today and journal about this:

• When was the last time I felt truly at peace - even for just a few minutes?

• What was I doing? Who was (or wasn’t) there? What did my body feel like?

• If I could create more moments like that in my daily life, what would need to shift. A habit, a boundary, a thought pattern?

Close your writing with a supportive note to yourself, as if you were encouraging a dear friend:

“I am allowed to choose calm. I am allowed to create moments of ataraxia in my own life.”

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About the Author:

Elizabeth Rago is a storyteller, media strategist, and community builder who’s equally at home writing compelling content or navigating teenage chaos with tea in hand.

A seasoned writer with 20+ years of experience across industries—from mental health and design to insurance and advocacy—she’s also the founder of MDW (The Modern Domestic Woman), a no-fluff resource hub for women in transition.

Whether she’s ghostwriting for execs or spotlighting small-town gems, Elizabeth brings heart, humor, and a fierce belief in the power of connection. Learn more at MDWcares.com or find her on Instagram and LinkedIn.