Living Above the Clouds: Learning to Trust Where I’ve Landed

During a hike in the British Properties, standing above the clouds reminded me of perspective, gratitude, and trust. I reflect on moving into alignment, embracing growth, and creating a space for clarity and calm.

Taking a hike through the British Properties recently made me pause in a way I haven’t in a long time. Standing that high up the mountain — quite literally above the clouds — I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude wash over me. The air felt thinner, quieter, almost sacred. It was the kind of stillness that asks you to listen rather than think.

As I stood there, watching the clouds drift beneath my gaze, I realized how rarely I let myself fully arrive in a moment. I’m usually anticipating the next step, the next responsibility, the next version of myself. But up there, none of that mattered. There was nothing to solve, nothing to prove — just breath, sky, and perspective.

This life wasn’t part of the plan. I didn’t map it out, vision-board it, or carefully calculate it. In fact, if you asked a past version of me where I’d be right now, this wouldn’t have been the answer. And yet, here I am — standing in it, living it, slowly learning how to trust where I’ve landed instead of questioning how I got here.

When the sky clears, the view is breathtaking. The ocean glistens below, framed by the coastline and the city, and everything seems to slow down. From up there, perspective widens. Problems feel smaller. Gratitude feels louder. Moments like that make it impossible to ignore how lucky I truly am. These are blessings I didn’t ask for — but I am learning to receive them with open hands and a softer heart.

Expanding Beyond Survival

For a long time, my life decisions were rooted in survival. What can I afford? What’s realistic? What won’t collapse if I rest for a second?

I didn’t budget to live somewhere this expensive. I didn’t plan for ease, beauty, or proximity to the things that light me up. I planned to make things work — no matter the cost to my body or spirit.

But maybe the universe is gently nudging me to expand again. To want more for myself without immediately shrinking back in fear. To stop apologizing for my desires and start believing that comfort, beauty, and opportunity aren’t indulgences — they’re support.

I’m learning that wanting more doesn’t mean I’m ungrateful for what I’ve survived. It means I’m finally honouring what I deserve. And that shift — from endurance to expansion — feels like crossing an invisible threshold.

When Pauses Become Redirection

There was a moment when I was ready to leave everything behind. I had sold what I owned, mentally checked out, and prepared myself for a big change — only for my flight to be delayed. Again. And again.

At the time, it felt infuriating. Like the universe was testing my patience or blocking my escape. Each delay felt like salt in a wound I was already carrying.

But pauses have a way of revealing what momentum hides.

Those delays forced me to sit with myself instead of rushing forward. To feel what I had been numbing. To confront questions I didn’t want answers to yet. And in that stillness, something shifted. Space opened up — not for leaving, but for clarity. For desires I had buried under exhaustion and obligation to finally speak.

Sometimes the bravest thing isn’t leaving everything behind. Sometimes it’s staying long enough to hear what your inner voice has been trying to say.

From Survival Mode to Alignment

Long before I lived in Edmonton, I was doing everything I could to make the North Shore work. I lived in a tiny studio near Ambleside Beach — stunning on the outside, relentless on the inside. I worked constantly, juggling three jobs just to keep my head above water.

From the outside, it looked like a dream. Ocean walks. Golden sunsets. But behind the scenes, I was exhausted. Rest felt irresponsible. Joy felt postponed.

Eventually, my body and heart demanded change. After heartbreak, I made the move to Edmonton. It offered grounding, quiet, and a much-needed pause. It helped me rebuild my nervous system and remember myself beyond survival.

And yet — I never fully belonged. Something always felt slightly misaligned, like I was waiting for my real life to resume.

Now that I’m back in Vancouver, that feeling has lifted. I feel lighter. More awake. More creatively alive. There’s an alignment here — with opportunity, with inspiration, and with the version of myself I’m becoming. This time, I’m not just surviving the city. I’m meeting it differently.

Extra: If you want to support your mindset and emotional grounding as you move through seasons of change, I created Petals of Becoming Affirmation Cards — a grounding affirmation deck designed to help you stay anchored in clarity, trust, and self-alignment. You can pull a card during your daily resets, while organizing your space, or in moments of overwhelm to reconnect with calm and inner steadiness.

How Your Space Shapes Your Mind

Just like location and timing shape us, so does our immediate environment. Your space is constantly communicating with your nervous system — whether you consciously notice it or not. Every object, surface, and layout choice sends subtle signals of safety, stress, ease, or overwhelm.

A cluttered room can keep your mind in a state of low-grade stress. A chaotic layout can make true rest feel impossible. And when your environment feels noisy, your thoughts often follow — making it harder to feel regulated, creative, or grounded.

Your room is where you reset. It’s where you begin and end your days, where your body looks for cues that it’s allowed to soften. Organizing my space became one of the quiet but powerful ways I supported this new chapter of my life — and the internal shift it created surprised me.

During my own transition from survival mode into alignment, I found myself returning to simple grounding practices to stay steady through change. My eBook How to Meditate for Beginners became a supportive guide during that time—helping me slow down, regulate my nervous system, and reconnect with myself when everything around me felt in motion.

One of the most impactful places to start is with your surfaces.

Clutter collects on flat areas first — desks, nightstands, dressers — and so does mental noise. These are the spaces your eyes land on repeatedly, often without you realizing it. When they’re crowded, your brain stays subtly alert.

Start small. Clear the surfaces you see first thing in the morning and last thing at night. These moments quietly shape your focus, mood, and nervous system.

Keep only daily essentials or grounding items — a notebook for thoughts, a favourite crystal, or a soothing scented candle. Ask yourself:

• Do I use this regularly?
• Does this support calm, focus, or comfort?

A clear surface isn’t empty. It’s intentional. And intention creates calm.

Structure That Supports You

Your brain thrives on subtle structure. When everything is scattered, your mind never fully rests—it’s constantly scanning, sorting, and deciding. Small, intentional zones within your space can guide your body and mind, helping you move through your day with ease.

Ways to create supportive structure:

Define zones:
- Work or study zone → signals focus, boundaries, and productivity.
- Relaxation zone → invites rest, softness, and nervous system repair.
- Self-care zone → encourages presence, ritual, and reconnection with yourself.
Use storage intentionally:
- Group items by purpose using baskets, bins, trays, or drawer dividers.
- Keep frequently used items within reach; store others intentionally so the space feels curated, not chaotic.
Think vertically:
- Shelves, wall organizers, and hooks free up floor space, reduce visual weight, and allow energy to circulate more freely.

When each area has a clear purpose, transitions feel gentler—you can rest without guilt, work without resentment, and move through your day with more calm, clarity, and flow.

Gentle Rhythms for a Supported Space

Clutter rarely shows up all at once—it accumulates quietly through habits, distractions, and the pace of everyday life. Maintaining a calm, supportive space isn’t about dramatic overhauls; it’s about gentle, sustainable rhythms that honor your environment and your energy.

Ways to cultivate gentle rhythms:

Practice “one in, one out”: For every new item you bring in, release one. This keeps your space from slowly becoming overwhelming and reinforces mindfulness around what you allow in.
Daily mini-resets:
- Make your bed as a signal of closure.
- Put clothes away to reduce visual noise.
- Clear your desk before sleep to create a sense of completion.
  Five to ten minutes a day can completely change the feel of your room.
Support energy flow:
- Open windows to invite fresh air and sunlight.
- Rearrange furniture if a corner feels heavy or stagnant.
- Add plants, light a candle with intention, or diffuse essential oils like lavender, rosemary, or sage.

These simple practices create rhythm, safety, and trust in your environment. When your space feels cared for, supported, and energetically balanced, creativity, clarity, and calm naturally follow.

Curated Space, Open Life

Your space should feel like you — not a showroom, not a storage unit, not a collection of things you’ve outgrown. It should reflect who you are now and gently support who you’re becoming.

Keep items that inspire you, ground you, or soothe your nervous system. Objects that carry meaning, not obligation. Release what no longer aligns — even if it once did. Growth often asks us to let go of versions of ourselves we no longer live in.

Minimalism isn’t about having less. It’s about choosing with intention and surrounding yourself with what truly supports your energy.

Space, after all, is an invitation.

When you clear physical clutter, you also loosen emotional and mental weight. You create room — for rest, for ideas, for creativity, and for opportunities you couldn’t previously hold because everything felt too full.

Organizing your room becomes an act of self-respect. A quiet but powerful declaration that you deserve clarity, calm, and beauty woven into your everyday life.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo guides you to keep only what sparks joy, creating a space that supports your mind and body. It’s a simple yet powerful way to bring clarity, intention, and calm into your everyday life.

Final Thoughts

Lately, I’ve been reminding myself that not everything needs to be forced. Not every choice has to make sense on paper, and not every chapter needs to be rushed just to prove momentum. Some clarity arrives only when you stop pushing and allow yourself to be present with what is.

For a long time, I believed growth meant constant movement — more effort, more endurance, more resilience. But I’m learning that growth can also look like stillness. Like listening. Like staying long enough to understand what a season is trying to teach you.

Where you live, how you heal, and how you care for your space all mirror your inner world. When you choose to create space — physically, emotionally, or mentally — you’re not falling behind. You’re becoming available. Available for alignment. Available for rest. Available for the version of life that meets you with support instead of resistance.

Creating a calm, intentional environment has reminded me that safety can be built gently. That clarity doesn’t always arrive through big decisions, but through small, consistent acts of care — making the bed, clearing a surface, opening a window, choosing softness where I once chose survival.

You don’t have to have it all figured out. You don’t need a perfectly executed plan. You only need to pay attention to what feels steady, honest, and aligned — and trust that it’s enough for now.

Sometimes the life you’re meant for doesn’t arrive with fireworks or certainty. It arrives quietly, asking you to slow down, look around, and say yes to what’s already holding you.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the main message of “Living Above the Clouds”?
The post explores trust, perspective, and the transition from survival mode to alignment, inspired by a transformative hike and life changes.

2. How does nature influence mindset and personal growth?
Spending time in nature creates space for reflection, reduces stress, and helps you gain clarity about your direction and priorities.

3. What does it mean to move from survival mode to alignment?
Survival mode focuses on getting by and staying safe, while alignment feels expansive, intentional, and connected to your deeper desires.

4. How can organizing your space support emotional well-being?
A clear and intentional environment reduces mental clutter, supports your nervous system, and encourages calm and focus.

5. Why are pauses important in life transitions?
Pauses create room for reflection and clarity. Sometimes delays or stillness help reveal what truly aligns with you.

6. How can I start creating a more supportive environment?
Begin with small steps — clear one surface, define simple zones, open windows daily, and keep only items that support calm and purpose.

Key Takeaways

Perspective can shift everything — sometimes all it takes is stepping outside and looking at your life from a higher view.
Moving from survival mode to alignment is a powerful step toward growth and ease.
Pauses and delays aren’t setbacks; they can be redirection and clarity in disguise.
Your environment directly influences your mindset, focus, and nervous system.
Clearing clutter creates space for calm, creativity, and intentional living.
Growth doesn’t always require more effort — sometimes it requires more stillness.
Creating space in your home and life allows you to become available for new opportunities and alignment.

Create Space for What’s Next

If this story resonated with you, take a moment today to pause and reflect on where you are — physically and emotionally. Clear one surface, open a window, or let go of something that no longer aligns. Small shifts create powerful change.

You deserve an environment — and a life — that supports your growth, clarity, and calm.

What is one thing you’re ready to release or realign? Share in the comments — I’d love to hear from you.

Until next time… keep becoming the grounded, glowing you. ✨

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DEVI JANICE