Inner Peace

In a world overwhelmed by fear, chaos, and constant noise, Dr. Leelo Bush offers a Spirit-led guide to cultivating unshakable inner peace. She unpacks daily practices—rooted in Scripture, neuroscience, and practical coaching tools—that help you remain calm, grounded, and God-focused even in the middle of life’s storms. This episode empowers Christian coaches and believers to anchor themselves in Christ’s peace and model it for others.

---

📌 What You’ll Learn

• Why true peace doesn’t come from circumstances but from Christ within you
  
  

• Practical routines (morning, reset, evening) to strengthen inner calm
  
  

• How neuroscience supports biblical thought renewal and peace practices
  
  

• Simple reframing tools to replace anxiety with trust and clarity
  
  

• Daily “peace plans” to pre-train your mind before chaos strikes
  
  

---

💬 Quotable Moment

“Peace doesn’t mean the storm stops. It means you can remain steady in the middle of it.”

CHRISTIAN COACHING SCHOOL - SEA…

---

📖 Scriptures Mentioned

• Philippians 4:8 – “Think on things that are true, noble, pure, praiseworthy.”
  
  

• John 14:27 – “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you.”

Resources

• PCCCA Courses: https://pccca.org/courses/
  
  

• Healing the Grieving Brain Guide: https://griefcoachu.com/healing/
  
  

• The Comprehensive Christian Coach Handbook (Dr. Leelo Bush): Amazon link
  
  

Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe (Facebook group): facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe

Full Clean Transcript

This morning when I came out of the kitchen, Evan was already making coffee. He told me how he had somewhat of a sleep disturbed night. He'd been watching the news about the latest FBI investigations into the Charlie Kirk assassination and related discussions. He mentioned the saber rattling among various countries. Not to mention the two hurricanes off the coast of Florida, where we live.

This is our world today. Lots of drama and fear mongering from the media, as well as concerns for our future and ensuring we treat situations with wisdom and justice. It's a lot. And to be clear, Evan didn't tell me these things to upset me. It was just a matter of fact. This is what's going on, and it's a pretty safe guess you have similar thoughts and conversations in your own life.

Today's episode will hopefully bring some relief. Welcome to the Christian Coaching School podcast. I'm your host, Doctor Leelo Bush. I'm a master coach, author, curriculum creator, and the number one authority on Spirit-led Christian coaching. I've trained tens of thousands worldwide since 2003, and if you are ready to uplevel your skills, find greater fulfillment, and employ the most powerful coaching available to mankind, let's go.

Today, I want to talk with you about something we all crave: inner peace. We may each describe it differently, but at its core, inner peace is that deep sense of calm and steadiness in your soul, no matter what's happening around you. It's when you can sit in the middle of life's storms and still feel grounded. Some of us refer to this as being unbothered.

People sometimes ask me, “Don’t you care?” with some kind of frustration in their voice. Of course I care. But I have learned to maintain my peace 98% of the time. Hey, no one's perfect. Then I feel compelled to convince them I do care, but I have peace. I can see how it's hard to understand, especially when someone is in the middle of being very upset.

And let's be honest. Inner peace doesn't just show up and stay without effort. There are so many things in our daily lives that get in the way of it. For example, maybe you're lying in bed at night and your mind won't stop racing about bills, a strained relationship, or an uncertain future. Or you walk into the office and before you've even had your coffee, someone's negative attitude, or a flood of emails, sends your stress level through the roof.

Sometimes it's our own choices, like saying yes to every request until our schedules are packed so tightly we can't breathe. Other times, it's unexpected—a medical diagnosis, a sudden loss, or a crisis that seems to turn your world upside down. Even subtle things chip away at peace. Social media can leave you comparing yourself to others and feeling less than.

The news cycle constantly bombards us with fear and negativity. And let's not forget the small daily frustrations like traffic jams, computer glitches, or even the tone of voice from someone we love that pile up and make us feel frazzled. These interruptions can shift our focus from what matters to what's urgent, leaving us restless and depleted. So what can you do when you're in the middle of chaos and your peace feels threatened?

First, take a pause. Step back, even if only for a few minutes, and breathe slowly and deeply. It tells your nervous system that you are safe, which immediately begins to calm your body and mind. Second, reframe your thoughts. Instead of “I can't handle this,” try telling yourself, “I don't have to solve everything at once. I can take the next step.”

That small shift in perspective can reduce the weight that you are carrying. You can also practice selective focus. If the news, social media, or even certain people constantly unsettle you, give yourself permission to step away for a while. Silence your phone. Close the laptop. Or create a peace zone in your home where you can retreat and reset.

And then anchor yourself spiritually. Whisper a prayer. Open your Bible to a favorite verse or play worship music. These reminders reconnect you to God's presence where true peace is found. Remember that peace doesn't mean the storm stops. It means you can remain steady in the middle of it. Choosing peace in small, deliberate ways, whether by journaling your thoughts, taking a walk in nature, or simply sitting in gratitude, creates resilience.

And over time, these practices turn chaos into calm and fear into trust. There's another key to holding on to your peace, and that's what modern neuroscience teaches us about the power of daily thought work. Every time you practice calming your mind, shifting your focus, or reframing your thoughts, you're literally training your brain. Just like lifting weights builds muscle, rehearsing peaceful responses builds stronger neural pathways that make it easier to stay calm when new challenges arise.

If you only try to find peace in the middle of a crisis, it feels almost impossible because your brain is in survival mode. But if you've already practiced day by day how to slow your breathing, choose better thoughts, and remind yourself of truth, then when chaos hits, you're not scrambling. You've already laid down the mental track for how you will respond.

Instead of reacting with panic or frustration, your brain has a plan. You have rehearsed it, and you know what to do. Over time, this consistent thought work helps your peace become second nature, something that you can carry into every situation.

Now let me teach you how to do that thought work step by step so that you are ready before the next wave hits. This is actually a set of short routines you can do at various times of the day.

The morning routine takes about five minutes. Sit tall. Inhale for a count of four. Hold for a count of two and exhale for a count of six. Do this three times. Ask, “What's my loudest thought right now?” and say it out loud. Name the emotion it creates and rate it 0 to 10 with ten being the greatest. Now reframe: “What's a truer, more helpful way to see this?” Craft one sentence you can believe. Anchor it with truth—a short scripture or phrase. For example: “Peace I leave with you” or “I only need the next right step.” My personal favorite is: “I am happy, healthy, calm, and peaceful.” I close my eyes and repeat this to myself at least three times in a row. Then you pick one micro action that matches your reframe. Send the email, put the bill on your calendar, or set a boundary for your time.

It's also crucial to preplan your triggers, and this takes about two minutes. Think of one likely stressor today—traffic, a tough conversation, a tech issue. Create an if-then peace plan: “If the meeting gets tense, then I will slow my breathing, lower my voice, and say, ‘Let's pause so I can respond thoughtfully.’” Visualize yourself doing it once, start to finish.

We also need an in-the-moment reset, and this takes about 90 seconds. When chaos hits, pause. Take two slow breaths. Name it: “This is frustration.” Normalize it: “It's human to feel this.” Neutralize it with a simple thought: “I only need the next step.” Then take the next right step—a boundary statement, a short walk, or a single small task that moves things forward.

And we can end the day with an evening lock-in that takes about three minutes. Ask yourself, “Where did I keep my peace today?” and celebrate one win. Also note one place you might have lost your peace. Rewrite that moment with a better thought and a simple if-then: “If this happens, then I will do that or think that or say that next time.” End with gratitude for three specific things, no matter how small.

If you practice these tiny reps every day, your brain learns your peace plan on autopilot. When new drama pops up, you've already rehearsed how to handle it calmly, clearly, and with the presence of God guiding your response.

So how do you create more inner peace in your life overall? It begins with recognizing that peace is not found in circumstances. It's found in how we respond to them. Philippians 4:8 reminds us to think on things that are true, noble, pure, and praiseworthy. That kind of intentional focus shifts our heart from anxiety to rest.

And Jesus said in John 14:27, “Peace I leave with you. My peace I give to you.” His peace is not fragile. It's steady, supernatural, and available to us right now. If you practice these small shifts, thought by thought, day by day, you will begin to notice that peace becomes your default, not the exception.

Thank you so much for listening today. And if this episode encouraged you, I invite you to subscribe so you don't miss future episodes. And if you feel called to go deeper, maybe even help others find joy and peace, you will love the training and certification programs we offer at PCCCA. You can learn more at PCCCA.org/courses.

I am Doctor Leelo Bush and you have been listening to the Christian Coaching School podcast. Until next time, walk in peace that cannot be shaken.

Before you go, I want to personally invite you to join our private Facebook group, The Courageous Christian Coaching Tribe. This is where bold, Spirit-led coaches and aspiring coaches gather to grow, get equipped, and stay encouraged together. Inside you will find exclusive tips, training, supportive community, and the kind of Kingdom-minded conversations you just can't find anywhere else.

If you're feeling called to coach, or if you want to stay sharp in your calling, this is your place. Our group culture is each one, bring one—so invite a friend to join you. The more the merrier. Just go to facebook.com/groups/courageouschristiancoachingtribe. Or simply tap the link in the show notes.

But don't wait, because the sooner you join, the sooner we can start pouring into you. And I will see you inside the tribe.