Inner Peace Challenge

Inner Peace Challenge

When life circumstances bring me to my breaking point I have a few different methods that give me serenity moments.

The first is worship music by Maverick City Choir. Their melodies and beautiful harmonies of worship bring an instant sense of peace when everything is screaming around me, be it family stress, not being ahead or deciding if I should go back to college for real this time. Blasting their songs and singing till my voice cracks as I drive aimlessly on the highway with no destination in mind is a freedom and joy I truly treasure and always feel like whatever was burdening my mind is gone. It’s a safe bet to mention I also blast the Backstreet Boys for the same effect but more so for the teenie bopper in me and it’s the same stimulating release of emotions that are sentimental, we all need those reminders yes?

I also enjoy playing piano. Challenging myself to difficult classical pieces is so satisfying when my dog is my only audience these days. It brings a sense of accomplishment when the keys aren’t hit as often like when I was a teenager.

Playing my alto saxophone with the melodies I hear in my head is a new thing I’ve been learning over the last few years and it’s such an embodiment of relaxing, allowing your own Spirit to guide the music. Some of the best songs I’ve ever played have been in these quiet moments. Ironically enough when I feel the urge to write those 2am and 3am poems it's a surreal experience that happens subconsciously that surrounds a peace in my spirit that allows me to have a restful sleep for the rest of the night, and are always some of the most profound writing experiences!

I always find joy walking in various different park locations. Walking with friends is fun too but most times as you can tell I enjoy my solitude. Parks, oceans, lakes, and ponds are my deepest reflective moments when I feel like breaking or my brain is just too loud with too many thoughts overwhelming me.

Another place I find peace is walking in cemeteries. Long before I lost my dad four years ago, cemeteries have always been an ironic place of peace for me. Call it the artist in me, the depression I’ve overcome or the dark movies I adored as a child like BeetleJuice, but visiting where my father is buried is peaceful, I even play my sax there on sunny days for all the ghosts. Sometimes people who are visiting their loved ones listen and give me compliments. I figure in those moments of sadness or joy me playing my sax for myself and dad also brought some peace to those people and I honestly can’t articulate in enough words how filling those precious moments are.

One of the last places I find peace is with horses. Barns. Horses are my childhood favorite animal. My dad made one of those childhood dreams come true of learning how to ride a horse and to this day as an adult, the smell of the barn and horses still washes over me with complete satisfaction. I even remember a time when I was a teen and my father telling me he wanted that kind of peace. Amazing right?

All of these places, music, poetry, walking my dog around the neighborhood are all things I prioritize for my own sanity. It’s all things I rely heavily on to pray, a moment for myself to remind me of my purpose when I feel like I’m not doing enough, to realign myself with the constant reminder we as humans are so much more than what we do on a day to day basis.