I woke up at 6am today to a beautiful Santa Barbara sunrise...and being that I'm still exhausted from last week I knew that God got me out of bed for a reason. The past few months my life has gotten so far out of wack and one of the ways I know to get myself back on track is to find (or create) structure.

This is like pulling teath for me b/c I love to live a very fluid life mixing work and play and everything in between, but I realize, or I'm beginning to, that even though I'm 28 yrs old I am like a two year old in that I need some consistencies in my life and I usually find that in the morning.

I like to get up and make coffee and then head to my library and on a good day I won't leave or be bothered until noon. I read, pray, and think and this is by far the most valuable time in my day. BUT... when I travel it's a bit trickier especially when I have presentations to give and flights to catch early in the morning day after day after day. If this goes on for too long my life can get wacked like it feels now.

So for those of you who have been affected by this I am sorry and thank you for not giving up on me.

I'm curious how all of you find that peace in your life that we all need? What are your tricks? As I've added elements to my life that compete for my time, attention, and passion I've found it really difficult to not "drop the ball" in every area.


http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/Opensourcep...find-peace.html

DJ, this might not be called a "trick" but it works best for me.

When I start to feel stressed or overwhelmed (like lately, working two jobs and all), I just carve out time to be with those friends or family that can just LISTEN to me. I find when I am getting stressed or feeling overwhelmed, by talking about it, and getting the advice from those I love and respect, really does the trick of focusing and grounding me again.

Just my little piece of zen.

That lovely sunrise might do the trick too though!

That's tough....for me, trying to build my business, making contacts, marketing, and spending huge amounts of money to just get this thing going plus working another job still and getting married in fall..it's extra hard.

But, just like you said...you HAVE to schedule time out. It's far too easy to keep moving and doing what you feel you have to. But you have to remember that your health and sanity need to be worked on just as hard. And a part of this is downtime. Doing nothing time. Relaxing time. In today's world, it's sad, but you have to schedule this time in for yourself. It takes just as much, if not more, discipline to do this as it does trying to make money. But, it's also so much more rewarding.

For me, I have to always remind myself to take time when it comes up to just sit in a park...stare at the sky, watch cool sunsets, take a nap in the sun. You also create peace by being open to all those beautiful things that reveal themselves to you throughout your day. Breathe them in like oxygen and let them refresh you. Relinquish some control sometimes and let life in.

lovely sunrise, dj.

I like to sit and write free association, whatever creative ideas are running through my head, or whatever "to-do's" won't leave me alone. if I do that in the morning I think more clearly all day long.

I also like to think of all the things I can be thankful for. now THAT is blessed assurance.

also check out music by Sons of Korah, they sing straight psalms and it is so peaceful and edifying.

I love these! ...as well as all the other ideas!

I find it with my good friend Jack Daniels... no JUST KIDDING!!!

Whenever I need a break, I like to watch big fluffy clouds floating by... lame I know but, its just so calming watching them float on by, not a care in the world, just hanging out doing their cloud thing. It helps put into perspective the real important things in life.... like actually enjoying life and not working myself into a frenzy

DJ,

Thanks for sharing. You are such an inspiration, and so much of that is how open, honest, real, and transparent you are.

When I'm feeling overwhelmed, I love to take a walk in nature. For me nothing even comes close to being outside; listening, seeing, feeling, opening the senses, and being present. Thats why I choose to live where I live, because I can literally walk out my door and take a walk and admire the beauty of this blessed earth's awe inspiring landscape, and no matter whats going on, everything changes and comes back to peace.

Lately all the frogs are coming to life in the ponds and streams around my house, so at night I often just sit on the porch and listen to natures symphony. Such a wonderful way for me to come back to balance, especially after a hectic week in Vegas. I always look forward to this time of year, because no matter how much I love music, this time of year I end up listening to the frogs and sounds of nature coming back to life more than anything.

Hope you're enjoying finding your peace and coming back to balance as well.

I just take a drive to a park, one that isn't frequented. I walk to a part of the creek, toss down a blanket and just lay on my back with my eyes closed and listen to everything. I let my mind wander, and when I feel settled I slowly get up and head back into the real world.

A very timely post, DJ!

I've been stressing about the budget for a while, plus numerous other things winding me up! Then this morning when I was trying to print proofs my printer broke! For various reasons I was mad mad mad.

So I went to the park, froze half to death, and decided to drive it to a repair guy and just be patient for a few days until he looks at it. On the way back I decided it's all about mental attitude. So I just prayed and decided to literally flick a switch in my brain. I'm choosing to be optimistic for the rest of the day. Ask me again in 24 hours if it worked!

Of course your solution would have been to outsource the printing, right?!

I'm kinda new here, but I often find that in between the hectic schedule called life it helps to take five minutes and close my eyes to reflect on all the positives that happened in the previous 24 hours. If you're worried you'll fall asleep because of sleep deprevation, try getting to a place where the breeze is warm and keep your eyes open and try the same exercise.

Either way, it's a good way to reflect on what's happened and look forward to what can happen!!

I pray. I listen to sermons on my computer from Mark Driscoll and John Piper, usually in the morning, and I go to my family's summer camp in Freeport, right on the ocean. When I am there I feel as far from my troubles or worries, it is so peaceful there. Oh how I long for summer! Mostly, I pray that God will give me strength and trust that He knows what he is doing, and I don't!

Chocolate chip cookies. Chewy... not crunchy.

When I need peace and tranquility, my husband and I go into our bedroom, light a few candles, lay on the bed and just talk to each other about our days. More often than not, it ends in a quick nap. This always seems to reengerize us and leave us feeling refreshed.

When we are on the road separately, it can be pretty difficult to have those moments, but we are in constant comminication with each other. This helps me feel more relaxed and at peace.

YEEEEES! That too.

I have 2 very different ways to de-stress myself and to center myself.

1. I love to lay in the tub with a good book or magazine. Nothing business or children related! LOL Just something for me. The warm water really helps me! (In fact, I will be getting in the tub very soon because I have been on the road for 12 days and I miss my tub!!!!)

2. I love to get on the treadmill, throw my ipod in my ears and just walk. The music helps me relax and the exercise helps me feel like I am doing something just for me! It burns off calories, makes me work up a sweat and the music just makes me feel good!

That is a beautiful sunrise DJ! I haven't seen a sunrise like that for years. When I was a counselor at church camp on Lake Erie, I used to get up early to catch the sunrise on the lake. To me, there was nothing more peaceful than that and I loved "hearing" God speak on those mornings. I guess I will have to take a trip to the Lake soon!

Thanks for being so open with us DJ. There is something so refreshing about seeing people who are in a position you want to be in, being human!! It is so easy to Super-Hero them...that it is helpful knowing that they feel the same way I do sometimes!

Steph

I didn't find true peace in my life till this past year ironically. It's a surreal experience to hear that you'll be dead before your 28th birthday. While it's not an experience I would wish on anyone, it's the best thing that has ever happened to me. There's such a freedom in coming to the realization that all the things we worry and stress about in life are truly meaningless in the end. Who cares how much money I made, or if I was hanging with the popular crowd, or where my career was going! Facing your mortality causes you to reevaluate every aspect of your life, and I found my priorities were seriously off. I had devoted so much time and effort to my businesses that I had alienated myself from my family and friends and most importantly God. Oh I still had a relationship with them, but not the kind of relationships that make a difference in someone's life. I was the casual friend to everyone, getting too involved in their lives just took too much time. I was also arrogant. I felt that I could accomplish everything I wanted and needed in life all by myself. What an idiot I was. Who cares what you accomplish if you're alone and devoid of character by the time you accomplish it.
God took everything I valued from me this year, and I will never be the same. I lost my health first. It's humbling to be a bald woman who at times can't even stand up on your own. I lost the ability to drive, seems they don't like it if you pass out at the wheel. Next came the ability to be cool in a social setting, it's just not cool to go running to the bathroom to throw up from the chemo. Then came my businesses, first one tanked due to a crooked business partner. My photography obviously couldn't happen if I couldn't stand up for more than a few minutes at a time. So, there I was unable to make any money or be part of the working world. This was huge for me since I had always been so prideful about how accomplished I was in the business world. Basicly what I was left with was simply me, none of the pretense that I had put on for years......just me. It was the hardest year of my life, and by far the thing I am most grateful for. I learned a dependency on God that has changed my life, there is such a peace in doing His will for your life. No more fighting to get my own way. I learned that true friends are the greatest treasures in life. Not the people you are trying to network with to further your business, I'm talking about the friends that you can be 100% yourself in front of and who challenge you when you're in the wrong and support you when you are having a bad day. The ones that will drop everything to come and hold your hand. Ones who will shave their heads so you're not the only one to get stared at when you go out to dinner together. That's the kind of friend I hope to be for others.

So, all that to say I found peace in God first and foremost. But also in learning that life isn't about taking the next cool picture, or gaining recognition for my accomplishments. It's about the opportunity to effect others lives in a positive way. By being deeply involved in their lives, and demonstrating day in and day out how much you love and value them. Life is meant to be lived selflessly.

1) I watch my baby girl sleep. All seems right in the world when she's so peaceful and quiet...makes me think of all I'm thankful for, and reminds me that the Father puts us where we are for a reason, and we don't have to know that reason. I say that because my husband and I were married almost two years ago, and five months afterward found ourselves pregnant...it wasn't exactly in our "finish our degrees, be the happy newlywed couple, and then five or so years down the road have kids" plan. But I can't imagine how life would be without her, and makes me feel selfish when I think of "my plan."

2) I also do some sort of alone time, even if it's a trip to Walmart, it allows me to zone out of my responsibilities at home and clear my head. Odd, I know.

3) Being in communication with the Father and reading His Scriptures is one of the biggest though. Reminds me that He's bigger, and that He's been at this way longer than I have.

I have difficulty relaxing. I think it is because I am very single minded and when something is stressing me out I can't just walk away and forget about it. The only thing that I have found that works is to go camping for at least 3 days. The first day is all about winding down and it takes most of the first day just to forget about all of my responsibilities. Maybe some of you would benefit from taking more prolonged breaks, or maybe it's just me.

I second the camping/hiking/being out in nature. Getting out in nature with no phones, electronics and all those daily gadgets..yes including cameras...can be great. Get rid of all the trappings of daily life and just live as simple as you can even if only for a few days.

DJ,

I use to be a stress case. Back in college I got so worked up I ended up getting Acid Reflux Disease for 3 years. Then I truely started following Gods word and He healed me of that. The only thing that seems to work for me is turning to God and going to my rockin church. When I step inside it feels like home! I know i'm not focusing on God like I should when I start getting little shadows of what my ARD was before. Then I grab my Bible and dig in deep!

I find peace hen I spend time with my 3 + 1.5 year old sons - taking them to the local beach (400m away!) or just playing trains with them downstairs. Helps me focus on why I am running my own business when I dont feel like sitting down to the computer.

After all, one of the first things I was taught about running your own business is that you do it to create the lifestyle you want - in my case to be able to spend more time with my family and my beautiful boys!


Jonathan

Be Still and Know that I am God......

DJ - you do so much! You make me tired! I've found that as I get more busy I have to make sure my life is decluttered, so that I can make time for what is really important - my husband and 3 kids. Also, pursuing some interests that are just for me (playing classical guitar, hiking) and have absolutely NOTHING to do with my business helps keep me from burning out.

Great book: Traveling Light by Max Lucado (very readable, and has a cd of music to match - all taken from the 23rd psalm)
Traveling Light by Max Lucado

Steve, I don't believe you are really God.

And on OSP?

agrees enormously!

Hey DJ,

Thank you for all you do.

Coincidentally I just had a day/night where I was asking myself this question.

What I did...evaluated the things I have going on in my life right now. Commitments both long term and short term, mine by choice or by necessity. I prioritized them and knocked a few off the bottom.

Yes, I'm sure I let some people down. I pulled out of some commitments that will make other peoples life more difficult. But the commitments at the top of my list are far more important to me, and I will be better able to take care of them by sacrificing the ones at the bottom.

I have teenagers. One is making some "stupid" teenager choices right now. Because my children are so far above any other commitments I have, the decision to drop others was that much easier to make.

Tonight I will sleep better than I did last night. Peace.

When I feel like I need to reconnect with myself, in addition to listening to Gods promises for my life, I go home...

I come from a very small island off the eastern shore of New Brunswick, Canada, a little place called Grand Manan. My dad is a lobster fisherman and I lived my life on the sea. It is a place that I never quite understood or appreciated when I was young, and could not wait to break away from, now all I want to do is go back.

I know it sounds cheesy but I find peace near the ocean, I have salt water in my veins and whenever I am home, my life just seems to make sense.

I think so many times we become disconnected from our lives due to stress, agendas, money, going all the time, that we loose sight of the simplicities in life.

We need to enjoy all the little moments, good books, a cup of tea, prayer, hugs, the morning sun...all the things that we unknowingly take for granted.

I pray that you will have the time to reconnect, that God will not only bless wonderful and busy life, but bless all the moments that happen in between!

Sweetly Broken,

Nicole

WOW, Nicole - your post could have been mine!! I was also born by the ocean, and my parents used to take me to the beach every day, even in the winter. Now, as an adult, I long to get back there!

The ocean brings me peace! Also, sunshine, nature, simple moments of discovery with my children.

You just changed a life....mine! If this post didn't make you stop and rethink your priorities and adjust your mind to focus on what truely matters in life....I don't know what could do that for you...This is TRUE peace!

Oh YES!! YES YES YES. Nature is my peace as well. I live in the city now, which is kind of against my nature, but every morning I walk my dog and I have found many trails and natural areas right around here that I never would have known existed if I were to have stayed home in my house. I can't wait for the frogs to come out here. They are still sleeping so far. I think I am further away from them now, since we no longer live RIGHT next to the swamp, but we do have water nearby, so hopefully i will still hear them. Peace comes very slowly to me these days and sometimes it hides itself behind all the stress I'm carrying with me. But... nature is the most likely place for me to unwind a bit and feel alive again.Wow. Powerful. I'm speechless.

I wish I had an answer for you. I remember getting into this discussion at the Jose Villa workshop. It seems that everyone but me felt some kind of inner peace while shooting. I always feel frustrated and unsatisfied, no matter how well the shoot went. But I'm trying hard not to let the frustration lead me to the bottle.

But I always feel some level of frustration. I've been plagued on and off by panic attacks since college. I think it's just part of my personality not to feel content. I think this has had some benefits, however. I do always push myself. I never want to become complacent in my vision. I never want to show up, get some safe shots, and go home.

I think the only time I really feel at peace is when I'm listening to music. My wife and I used to take these crazy drives that would last for four or more hours on the weekends. That was really peaceful for me. I guess the answer depends on your definition of peace. I don't always see the word as having a positive connotation. Peace to me is sometimes boring. The parts of life I remember are the ones where I was thrilled, scared, sad, or anxious. Inner peace sounds great; but in practice, it's a little vanilla for me.

Thanks so much for sharing! I'm blessed to hear part of your story

I definitely agree with lots! I would never find peace if it weren't for Jesus

I de-stress when I go for a run (rare, but when it does happen it's good!) or playing tennis. Even reading a book. I read so many academic books for research (history nerd to the core , that it is nice just to read a quick and entertaining book.

Lori - God Bless You! Your post today was what I needed. As a faithful person, I have been feeling pulled away from what should keep me grounded. I worry to much about things that don't really matter at the end of the day. I thank you for sharing such an insightful post.

Psalm 46:10 --as someone else said: "Be still and know that I am God." Just as you do, DJ, In the morning I head for the coffee and my "nest" to read, pray, listen, and when I don't get that I get ornery and off track. Traveling does make it hard....

Find the stillness inside of you anywhere anytime. I'm learning to do this more while reading "A New Earth" by Eckhart Tolle--wonderful book that will help quieten your mind and awaken your soul....It's a follow up to his other great book: The Power of Now.

Lori, thank you. Your words have touched my soul today.

I find peace through my morning bible time and prayer! It's so important to SLOW down in the morning...even if it means getting up early and then rushing to get out the door because of that extra 15 minutes of prayer. But it's worth it. I find peace in my family, just hanging out as well.

Music, nature and time with my kids (I take them on individual 'dates') and time with my husband.

Sitting on my back deck and overlooking the open fields while drinking coffee - that's also a quick way to calm myself.

Music.