Change doesn’t come from force — it comes from inner strength.

I volunteered on the route of a Buddhist peace walk recently, and I want to name why.

I’m almost always in leadership and decision-making roles—holding responsibility, guiding direction, staying cognitively “on.” This time, I wanted to give back in a different way. Not as a fan or follower. Not as worship. But out of respect for a philosophy that has endured for centuries.

What resonated most for me was the quiet strength of it.

Buddhism doesn’t push change. It creates conditions. Polyvagal Theory says the same thing—just with nervous-system language.

As someone who works with regulation every day, it was meaningful to step into a role where my job wasn’t to lead, analyze, or decide—just to support a mission rooted in peace, presence, and embodied strength.

A monk tied a simple peace bracelet on my wrist and handed me a flower. No shared language was required for it to land. No explanation needed. The meaning arrived anyway.

That’s where Buddhism resonates for me. And that’s why Polyvagal Theory resonates too.

Both trust the body.

Both honor choice.

Both understand that real change doesn’t come from force.

I didn’t volunteer as a believer. I volunteered as someone who recognizes wisdom when she sees it.