Peace Tastes Better Than Regret

Choosing Peace, One Decision at a Time

A reflection on food, love, boundaries, and the quiet wisdom of asking one simple question before we say yes—to anything.

Some lessons don’t announce themselves loudly.

They show up softly—again and again—until one day you realize they’ve been teaching you all along.

Lately, mine arrived through food.

There are things I love that don’t love me back.

Bagels. Cake. Certain indulgences that look delightful in the moment and then quietly unravel my peace later. My blood sugar spikes, my energy drops, and the price I pay lingers far longer than the pleasure ever did.

And one day, without trying to be poetic, I found myself thinking:

“I love you, but you don’t love me back.”

That’s when it clicked.

This wasn’t just about food.

The Wisdom of Discernment

There’s another line that keeps echoing for me:

“I can admire you without inviting you into my body.”

How many things in life does that apply to?

Food.

People.

Situations.

Dynamics that sparkle briefly but demand too much in return.

Admiration doesn’t require participation. Attraction doesn’t require surrender. Wanting something doesn’t automatically mean it deserves access to us.

That realization—gentle but firm—feels like maturity. It’s not rooted in fear or restriction. It’s rooted in self-respect.

And then there’s the question I come back to again and again, the one that quietly clarifies everything:

“Will I be glad I did this in three hours?”

Three hours later tells the truth.

In blood sugar.

In emotions.

In relationships.

A Lesson for the Young (Even If They Learn the Hard Way)

I think often about youth—how much wisdom they resist on the surface while quietly absorbing more than we realize. I didn’t have someone sitting with me, asking these kinds of questions, helping me think deeply about choices, boundaries, and self-worth. And that’s okay. I turned out just fine.

But if I had heard someone say:

• Peace tastes better than regret.

• You can admire something without letting it consume you.

• Ask yourself how you’ll feel after—not just during.

I think I would have listened. Even if I still needed to learn some lessons the long way.

Perhaps they listen more than they let on. A few thoughtful words, shared lightly and without pressure, can become a lesson in the making.

A Lesson for the Rest of Us Still Becoming

For adults, this is where growth gets beautiful.

At some point, we stop asking “Can I handle this?”

And start asking “Is this kind to me?”

That shift changes everything.

It’s how we choose foods that nourish instead of punish.

It’s how we choose relationships that feel steady instead of destabilizing.

It’s how we learn that not every desire deserves indulgence—and that saying no can be an act of deep self-love.

The Line I’m Keeping Forever

If there’s one sentence I’ll carry with me, it’s this:

“I can admire you without inviting you into my body.”

That’s a boundary wrapped in grace.

That’s discernment without bitterness.

That’s strength that doesn’t need to raise its voice.

And maybe the truest thing of all?

Peace tastes better than regret.

In food.

In love.

In life.

I’m still growing. Still learning. Still becoming.

And I’ve never been more proud of the woman I’m turning into.

Honey Note 🐝

You don’t have to say yes to everything that catches your eye.

You don’t have to change your body to be chosen.

And you don’t have to give your heart—or your self-respect—away just because something feels exciting in the moment.

There’s a question that will guide you better than almost any rule ever could:

“Will I be glad I chose this later?”

Not just in the moment—but later.

Later tells the truth.

Not every compliment is care.

Not every attraction is safety.

And not every craving—emotional or physical—deserves a yes.

You’re allowed to admire someone without letting them define you.

You’re allowed to enjoy treats without letting them control you.

And you’re allowed to walk away from anything that costs you your peace.

If something makes you feel anxious, smaller, or unsure of your worth—pay attention.

If something asks you to trade your peace for approval—pause.

If you ever feel pressured to change who you are to be wanted—walk away.

You are allowed to admire without indulging.

To desire without surrendering.

To choose yourself—even when that choice isn’t popular.

The right people, the right choices, and the right moments will never ask you to shrink, doubt yourself, or feel less than enough.

They will feel steady, not chaotic.

They will add to your life, not drain it.

Choose nourishment over novelty—every time.

— Honey 🐝