Sometimes you can find peace of mind by transferring yourself to

Hear the gentle wisdom of Yves Béhar, designer of visions and shaper of forms, who spoke these words: “Sometimes you can find peace of mind by transferring yourself to different situations. They’re just reminders to stay… calm.” Though born in the world of design, these words rise above craft and commerce; they are a meditation on the nature of the human spirit. For he reminds us that serenity is not always born of stillness—it is sometimes found in the shifting of place, the change of setting, the renewal of perspective.

To seek peace of mind is the longing of every soul. Yet how often do we believe it can be found only by forcing silence upon ourselves, by retreating to stillness or withdrawing from the world? Béhar teaches otherwise: that sometimes movement, not immobility, brings clarity. To step into a new situation, to leave behind the patterns that entrap us, is to grant the heart a new landscape in which to breathe. Like a traveler who leaves the city’s noise and discovers the vastness of the desert sky, so too do we discover calm when we dare to move.

Consider the ancient story of Siddhartha Gautama, who became the Buddha. Surrounded by the palace’s riches, he could not find contentment. Only when he left those walls and saw the suffering of the world did he begin the journey that brought him to enlightenment. His peace of mind was not given to him in stillness alone, but through the movement from one situation to another—through the courage to step beyond the familiar into the unknown.

So too in history we find the example of Nelson Mandela, who in his long years of imprisonment could have surrendered to despair. Yet even within his cell, he transferred himself inwardly into a different state of being, transforming his captivity into a place of preparation. Later, when released, he moved again—this time into the new situation of leadership, where he chose not vengeance but reconciliation. His ability to remain calm amidst turmoil gave birth to peace in a divided land.

The emotional truth of Béhar’s words lies in their simplicity. Life does not always allow us to control events. We cannot command storms to cease or hardships to vanish. But we can choose where to stand, what situations to inhabit, what environments to allow into our souls. And sometimes, the very act of transferring—whether it be stepping into nature, finding new companions, or even changing the rhythm of daily tasks—reminds us of the deeper truth: that calm is not absence of difficulty, but presence of perspective.

The lesson for us is radiant: when restlessness consumes you, do not believe you are chained. Move—if not across oceans, then across the thresholds of your own life. Change the room in which you sit, change the people with whom you speak, change the tasks you choose to perform. These new situations will not erase your burdens, but they will remind you that you are larger than them, that you have the power to remain steady and calm in the face of change.

Practical wisdom follows: practice the art of shifting gently. When conflict arises, step away before you answer. When worry overwhelms, walk outside and breathe under the sky. When monotony drains your spirit, place yourself in new surroundings where your heart may awaken. These simple acts are not escapes but recalibrations, reminders of your inner balance. Through them you learn that peace is not elsewhere—it is within you, waiting to be awakened by a shift in view.

So let Yves Béhar’s words endure: “Sometimes you can find peace of mind by transferring yourself to different situations… reminders to stay calm.” Take this teaching as a compass. When storms rise, do not only resist—move. When burdens weigh heavy, do not only endure—shift. And in each shift, remember that true calm is not found in the world outside, but in the still flame of your inner being, which no storm can extinguish.