“You can find peacefulness in the rowdiest market or noisiest bar; it’s your own willingness to let go.”

Like everyone else, Datin Dian Lee is constantly discovering, as the saying goes, ‘life, as a journey, and not so much about the destination.’ Along the way, Datin Dian has struck up her rhythm, driven by none other than Zen. 

Read also: Why Datin Datin Dian Lee is a mother who inspires us

For one, being a devout yogi and resident instructor at her wellness centre Be Urban Wellness and founder of Healthy Ever After have created the equilibrium to her entrepreneurial projects under Clearwater Group. Being a mother to three has also taught her how to cherish the little miracles in life. Her ability to cultivate the best of any given situation has earned her a rightful place on Malaysia Tatler’s 2017 Generation T list.

In our quest to discover more about holistic peace, we spoke to Datin Dian about mindfulness and practical wisdom on finding harmony despite the 101 things to do.

1. Zen is a journey you have to nurture.

“You need to practice it. I plan to start by sensing my breath, and connecting with myself when I wake up and before I go to bed. It’s important to have a present moment of awareness – I’ve been working on for the past year.”

2. There’s peace, even in the most crowded space.

“You can find peacefulness in the rowdiest market or noisiest bar; it’s your own willingness to let go. It’s easier said than done but on this meditation journey, think of it as a muscle you hone.”

3. Everyone lives for a favourite part of the day. Mine is…

“Coming home to my kids. We have this routine: Monday to Friday I try to stay home, have family dinner, talk about my kids’ days, I put them to bed, read to them and end with lots of hugs… those are my best moments.”

4. To be successful is to recognise what you can handle.

“For me, it’s to be able to take on what I can manage. It sounds like a lot to juggle but on this 'finding Zen' journey, it’s about recalibrating your life. If you’re constantly stressed, you’ll find you can’t handle it. When you have the capacity to deal with it, it becomes easier.”

5. Set the intention to look inwards and to gain knowledge. 

“I want to just simply embrace living life. It’s so easy to get caught up in this hamster wheel that sometimes when you step off it, you have to have a right perspective – I want to explore that more because life is not a box, it’s about self care, beliefs and health.”

6. This is the first, simple step to finding daily peace.

“Put down your phone. We are in a society that’s constantly teaching us to take ourselves away from ourselves. People don’t encourage each other to spend time together anymore. You’ll be amazed that once you let go of your phone – even for just a day – that you’ll actually be okay.”

7. It’s okay to be stressed. We’re all humans.

“There will be times you want to pull your hair out or strangle somebody. People get upset with themselves, they’re stressed that they’re stressed but it’s vital to be kind to yourself and say, “hey, I’m human” – allow yourself to be stressed but when you’re done, move on.”

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