We recently had the chance to connect with Janie Terrazas and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Janie, thank you for taking the time to reflect back on your journey with us. I think our readers are in for a real treat. There is so much we can all learn from each other and so thank you again for opening up with us. Let’s get into it: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Singing, dancing, and drumming.
I’ve been dancing and singing since I was a child—it’s always been one of my favorite ways to express myself creatively and freely. It wasn’t until later in life that I discovered just how healing these simple acts of joy truly are. Research shows that singing and dancing not only uplift mood but also strengthen brain connectivity, boost memory, and even help prevent cognitive decline.
Studies published in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience and The New England Journal of Medicine show that dancing is one of the top activities for reducing the risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s because it combines movement, rhythm, coordination, and social engagement—all powerful stimulants for the hippocampus, the part of the brain linked to memory and learning. Singing, on the other hand, engages both hemispheres of the brain, increases oxygen flow, and triggers endorphins and oxytocin—chemicals that support relaxation, bonding, and overall vitality.
A few years ago, I added drumming into my mix of mindful play. Over time, I’ve collected different types of drums, but honestly, all you really need is a pair of drumsticks and something to tap on—because rhythm lives in everything. Drumming is one of the oldest forms of music known to humankind, and indigenous cultures have always understood its power to align the mind, body, heart, and soul.
When we drum, we connect back to the original rhythm of life—the heartbeat. Ba-boom, ba-boom. That pulse within our chest is the first drumbeat we ever hear. I believe we are all here to sing and dance to the beat of our own drum.
As part of my PazMesa (Peace Within) Self Mastery Program, I include a daily 10-minute movement protocol that helps people “power up their peace within.” It combines stretching, rotation, qigong, and drumming the body from head to toe. This gentle rhythmic tapping sends acoustic vibrations through the body that stimulate the vagus nerve, regulate the nervous system, and shift it into “rest and digest.” It also helps clear the body’s energy meridians and lymphatic system—naturally strengthening the immune system while promoting clarity, calm, and connection.
To me, singing, dancing, and drumming aren’t just fun, creative outlets—they’re living medicines. They remind me to stay embodied, playful, and present… and that’s where I always find myself again.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers and tell them a bit about what you do, your brand or organization, and what makes it interesting or unique?
My name is Janie Terrazas, also known as The Mindfulness Coach. I’m the founder of The PazMesa Self-Mastery Program and creator of RiseAboveTV, both dedicated to helping people mindfully cultivate peace from the inside out—piece by piece. (Paz means “peace” in Spanish, and Mesa means “within” in Greek.)
Through PazMesa and RiseAboveTV, I’m building a mindfulness and peace movement that educates, elevates, entertains, and unites humanity for the greater good of our mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being. Everything I create—whether it’s a class, a conversation, or a community event—is rooted in one mission: to empower people to remember who they are, reconnect to their innate wisdom, and rise above fear through the power of mindfulness, creativity, and love.
I’m also preparing to launch my upcoming book, which serves as both a teaching tool for authentic living and unconditional loving. It is an invitation for readers to journey inward. The book weaves together neuroscience, spirituality, and somatic wisdom to help people return to their natural state of wholeness and vitality while learning how to harmonize mind, body, heart, and soul.
One of the community events I’m most excited about curating is our Mindful Music Circles, where sound becomes a bridge for healing, joy, and human connection. We use drumming, singing, and movement to ground and uplift the spirit. All are welcome to join—bring your own instrument, or simply bring your voice and energy. Together, we co-create music and meaningful moments that remind us: when we harmonize with one another, we strengthen the collective rhythm of peace.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
What breaks the bonds between people is often fear, pride, and miscommunication. When honesty feels unsafe, when playfulness exits the relationship, and when stress takes over, disconnection begins to grow. Over time, underappreciation and the feeling of being unseen, unheard, or uncared for quietly erode the foundation. Most relationships don’t crumble overnight—they dissolve slowly through neglect, avoidance, and unspoken needs that never find their way to the surface.
Many say “communication is key,” and that’s true—but communication is more than words. It’s also comprehension. And you can’t understand someone if you’re not actively listening, staying present, and engaging from a state of compassionate curiosity. Without that, people talk at each other, not with each other.
In my PazMesa Partnership Program, I teach couples how to build REALationships instead of the relationsh*ts they are used to—because chemistry and compatibility are not the same thing. Chemistry is what sparks; compatibility is what sustains. To thrive for the long haul, couples must learn how to discern between the two and consciously create bonds rooted in mutual fairness, safety, and respect.
Restoration begins when both people choose to take an honest look at themselves and are equally willing to put in the effort to heal and rise above relational behaviors that do not serve them. Choosing presence over pride, connection over control, and compassionate curiosity over assumption, is the essence of my S.A.F.E. Communication Method, which stands for:
Seek the truth — hold safe space for two subjective realities while staying rooted in objective awareness.
Accept accountability and responsibility — take ownership of your mistakes, atone sincerely, and aim to make the necessary adjustments.
Free your mind and body — release false assumptions, limiting beliefs, and emotional reactivity through conscious regulation of your thoughts, feelings, and nervous system.
Express and expand your heart — communicate your truth honestly, effectively, and with respect.
When we embody these principles, we reintroduce play, peace, and possibility into our partnerships. We remember that love isn’t about perfection—it’s about connection, repair, and evolution.
Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
This may not be the answer most expect, but the truth is—yes. There was a time in my life when I didn’t just think about giving up on my dreams… I tried to give up on life itself.
At 21, I fell prey to a toxic, abusive relationship that left me feeling hopeless and unsafe. The threats, the fear, the emotional exhaustion—it all became too heavy to bear. I wasn’t afraid to die; I was afraid to keep living the way I was. In that darkness, I attempted to end my life.
But life—God—had other plans. My roommate, who had left for a concert, suddenly remembered she’d forgotten something and returned home. While she was gone, I attempted to overdose. When she came back, she found the note I had written to my family and immediately rushed me to the hospital. As I regained consciousness, I heard a voice within me whisper, “You will use this to help others someday.”
I’m not advocating for suicide. What I am saying is that we need to understand it better, so we can remove the “crazy” stigma that keeps people silent and suffering. That moment became the seed of everything I do now—it ignited my passion for getting to the core cause of our actions, pain, and patterns. It taught me that suicidal thoughts aren’t a sign of weakness or evil—they’re a symptom of deep suffering, of a soul that’s been pushed beyond its limit.
Through my healing journey, I learned that pain, when faced and alchemized, becomes purpose. That experience is why I understand the importance of teaching and practicing “shadow work”—and why PazMesa exists. It’s why I speak openly about the darkness, because silence keeps people trapped in shame. I want others to know they are not alone, not broken, not wrong for feeling pain. There is always a way through.
Today, my mission is to help people find their peace within—to remind them that even in our lowest moments, the light of love and purpose is still alive inside us, patiently waiting to be remembered.
If you or someone you know is struggling, please reach out for support. The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7—just call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org. You are not alone, and there is always hope.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. Whose ideas do you rely on most that aren’t your own?
The three guiding lights that have most shaped my path are Yeshua, Carl Jung, and Alan Watts. Their wisdom forms the foundation of the PazMesa Self-Mastery framework and my understanding of what it means to live as a healthy, balanced, authentically whole human being—one who embodies vitality, clarity, receptivity, creativity, joy, presence and prosperity in all ways.
Yeshua—the Christ Consciousness—was the first to lead the way in embodying and teaching unconditional love. His life and message revealed that the divine exists within us and around us, and that through free will we can access that inner kingdom of peace. He modeled what it means to love beyond fear, to forgive, to serve, and to live in harmony with the laws of cause and effect. His teachings remind us that the true power of peace begins within, and that heaven is a state of heart and consciousness, not a distant destination.
Carl Jung, the Swiss psychiatrist, provided the psychological framework to understand the human psyche and the spiritual process of individuation—the journey of integrating the conscious and unconscious self. His exploration of archetypes, the shadow, and the collective unconscious gave language and method to what Yeshua modeled spiritually: the alchemical transformation of darkness into light. Jung’s work helped me see that inner peace isn’t found by denying our pain but by befriending and integrating it.
Alan Watts, the British philosopher and modern mystic, translated the wisdom of Eastern philosophy into a language the Western world could grasp. His teachings on mindfulness, presence, polarity, and the illusion of separateness helped me understand that life is a dance between form and formlessness—between the temporal ego and the eternal soul. He illuminated how surrendering to the flow of life, rather than resisting it, restores balance and harmony to the mind and body.
Together, their ideas form the trinity of insight that fuels PazMesa:
Yeshua reminds us to live and love from divine truth.
Jung teaches us how to integrate and humanize that truth.
Watts invites us to play and flow with that truth in the now.
Their combined wisdom continues to inspire my work and my mission—to help others return to the power of peace within and live as the whole, radiant beings they were designed to be.
Thank you so much for all of your openness so far. Maybe we can close with a future oriented question. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
I hope people say that I helped them understand the true meaning of unconditional love and non-judgment—that my presence reminded them of their own inner light and the power they carry to rise above any challenge. That I made them feel seen, heard, and deeply understood. That I brought laughter, joy, and a tender, loving energy that reawakened the creative spirit of their inner child.
I hope they remember me as someone who inspired, uplifted, and served with sincerity, compassion, and playfulness. Someone who humbly offered wisdom that encouraged others to heal, grow, and come home to their wholeness.
And if, in some small yet meaningful way, my love, words, or actions inspired someone to live with more peace, passion, and purpose—to leave this world a little brighter and kinder—then my mission and my life will have been fulfilled.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.JanieTerrazas.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/JanieTheMindfulnessCoach
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janiethemindfulnesscoach/
- Twitter: https://x.com/janieterrazas
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/janieterrazas
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/janie-the-mindfulness-coach-shavano-park
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@janiethemindfulnesscoach
- Other: https://www.youtube.com/@RiseAboveTV360
Image Credits
Juan Ramos (Featured photo)
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