How to Choose Peace in your Design Business: Make It Right Instead of Being Right

One of my Designer Sanity Circle members shared a story in our mastermind that really stuck with me. She opened with: “Something went wrong this week…”

If you’ve ever wondered how to handle difficult design clients when things go sideways, this story is for you.

The “wrong” was an appliance delivery. The client insisted it was the wrong color—even though the designer had everything documented and signed off correctly. The client cried, the designer was stressed, and she was struggling to keep her emotions under control.

Then she called her appliance rep. His response? Calm as a lake:

“Oh yes, I’m sure we can fix that. I think I can order another color door. How about we just take care of it?”

Notice what he didn’t do:

• He didn’t check his paperwork to prove he was right.

• He didn’t point out the signed-off documentation.

• He didn’t dig his heels in to defend himself.

He skipped the ego part—the “I’m right, they’re wrong”—and went straight to peace: “Let’s make it right.”

The Ego vs. Peace

Our ego wants to shout: “This shouldn’t be happening! I did everything right. They should be happy and grateful. I don’t deserve this!”

But what’s the result of that? More stress. More conflict. Lost sleep. Endless conversations in our heads.

Or—we could skip all of that and go right to peace. That’s what the appliance rep chose. Sure, it cost him money in the short term. But what did it earn? A client for life. Peace for himself. And an example of leadership that changed the energy of everyone involved.

This is why managing client expectations in design is about more than documentation and contracts—it’s about how we show up when things inevitably go off-script. Staying calm and focusing on solutions is one of the most powerful conflict resolution tools for designers.

When the designer called her clients back with this calm, solution-focused energy, they actually put her on speakerphone and told her how much they loved her for their partner to hear.

Should the client have paid for the new door? Yes.
Was it worth the fight? No.
Peace is worth more.

Choosing Peace Ahead of Time

I’ve had that vague daily dread of opening my email, bracing for the next crisis. But what if those “crises” aren’t crises at all?

If we decide ahead of time that we’ll always move to "make it right instead of being right", then we’ve already chosen peace. That choice changes everything:

• No more sleepless nights.

• No more spiraling.

• Clients who often end up happier after something “goes wrong” than they were before.

This is one of the most important interior design business mindset shifts we can make. It reduces stress, strengthens client relationships, and can even turn mistakes into client loyalty.

It’s spiritual alchemy—turning a negative situation into a positive one. And it’s why I often say my design business has been my spiritual practice. Every “mistake” is another chance to learn and grow.

Power vs. Force

I shared this diagram from David Hawkins’ Power vs. Force with my group:

The lower states—shame, blame, anger—always create negative outcomes. Acceptance, willingness, and peace? They bring positive ones.

The cause and effect is clear. When we see it, we can make more intentional choices about the energy we bring to each circumstance.

Bringing It Back to You

Here’s the invitation: the next time something “goes wrong” in your business, pause before reacting. Instead of gathering your proof, defending yourself, or spinning in stress, try asking one simple question:

“What would it look like to just make this right?”

Notice what happens inside you when you ask it. Notice how it shifts the energy in the room.

Because at the end of the day, your peace is worth more than being right. And your clients will feel it, too.

✅ 3 Steps to Practice “Making It Right”

1. Pause before reacting. Take a breath. Notice the urge to defend yourself. Let it go. 

2. Ask the question: “How can I make this right?” Focus on solutions, not shame or blame.

3. Choose peace over ego. Remember: your calm presence often creates better outcomes than being “right” ever could.

✨ Craving conversations like this in your design practice?

With the right interior design business support, you don’t have to carry this alone. Inside Designer Sanity Circle, we talk through the real struggles behind the scenes and find both the practical systems and spiritual grounding that keep us steady.

Join us inside Designer Sanity Circle, where we meet live every week to find both practical and spiritual solutions to the challenges we face in our design businesses.

It’s not just about the business systems that keep things running smoothly (though we’ve got those too) — it’s about the soul support that keeps you grounded, inspired, and sane. And honestly? That’s just as important.

👉 [Click here to learn more about Designer Sanity Circle]