Premeditating Peace of Mind.
We think about peace of mind a lot here, because it’s at the heart of our “why” at TROVA. Peace of mind is a core value. This resonates with most people because we (or those of us living the over-examined life, at least) tend to agree that peace of mind, as a state of mind, is the best kind of mind. So for us, when we get philosophical about our origin story and what we hope to change or impact in the world, when it comes to peace of mind, we arrive at an interesting crossroads.
There are two types (at least) of this mental condition of harmony.
In one, we find ourselves effortlessly enjoying “peace of mind.” It’s not quite accidental, but it’s also not the result of our direct actions to attain it. Imagine sitting on the porch with a loved one, sipping something satisfying, watching the sun rise– or set. Those moments carry equanimity.
But there’s another type of peace of mind that requires our intention to ensure it. We take action because we need to know things won’t go wrong— that we can “relax,” so to speak.
Consider what we do most obviously to achieve peace of mind— the “habitual” things we check off the list that ensure immediate safety or future rewards.
Seat belts.
Locking the door.
Flossing.
Working out.
We make this stuff part of our day because the results are generally better when we do. There are no promises, but the data supports them– as do the odds– so we do them.
What gets overlooked, often, are scenarios we take for granted– either because “disasters” seem anomalous or because we truly have a blindspot for the “what if?”
It’s easy to market a product like TROVA using fear— because…what if the teens get into the prescriptions? Or the gummies? Or, what if the toddler presents the vibrator… at the dinner party!? These scenarios are disastrous or embarrassing– for different reasons. TROVA exists to prevent such things from happening (hence, peace of mind.)
But marketing aside, the internal state of “peace of mind” is interesting to us because of how little we recognize our direct, or indirect role, in creating it. Couldn’t we have more peace of mind if we just…tried?
Why leave it to luck?
Why count on good odds?
Why not sleep better…if you could?
Peace of mind means we feel at ease. It doesn’t change how vulnerable we are, but it offers a safe haven, related to a circumstance, where we can breathe easier.
It’s a sense of resolution, preparedness, and cohesion.
It’s answers…where there were questions.
So in the portfolio of uncertainties, where can we be more certain?
Couldn’t we be living in less anxiety, more joy, fewer ruminations and more emotional strength?
In our story, we were good parents with “open minds,” and the thought of our small children discovering– and consuming– our modest (or more likely our houseguests’) stash of recreational edibles gave us pause. But creating TROVA quickly became so much bigger than a “child proofing” exercise.
Parenting today, more than previous generations, is full of curveballs we never saw coming.
So TROVA became not just a product, but a mission to consider how we relate to so many issues of family culture— with conversations around trust, privacy, safe-recreating and even necessary secrecy.
Peace of mind is at the heart of our reason for being, but it’s only the beginning of the conversation when it comes to how we relate to all the adjacent topics around how to parent (and live) in a modern world.
