What I Do To Find Peace When I Get Stressed About Everything

I was stuck on a bridge when I knew it would all work out in the end.

I was stuck on a bridge when I discovered the real meaning of life.

It was April 23 at 7:12 pm when I tied my shoes, locked my car, and went for a run.

My car wasn’t the only thing I was running from. It had to do with the endless amount of bills calling my name and the worry that came with the future. I didn’t know what else to do.

The mental pain was hard to endure, and I knew that I wouldn’t last long, pushing the pain away until I started to challenge myself. Whatever pain I could take out there, I would feel better about it because it kept my attention off everything else I didn’t want to face.

WHY I WAS SO CONFUSED

Maybe a lot like you, it feels like life is full of storms trying to see how far you bend before you break. And with the hurricane we’re all going through right now, it’s never been harder to keep our attention off it.
We’re told to stay home, locked in. Our schools, gyms, malls, and for some people, work offices have closed. Stuck in rooms, alone, watching the news cheer the epidemic as if it were paying them directly. Social media overflowing us with bad news and more and more cases.

What else are we supposed to think about? How are we supposed to find peace or maintain it? How are we supposed to function when we don’t even know if we’re really in control?

There are probably a million questions you’ve asked yourself by this point. I get it. I’ve been there. And if you’re anything like me and I’m pretty sure you are, you know the feeling.

WHAT KEEPS ME SANE

I believe this is the best time to discover one thing you can control and do it daily.

You see,

We can’t lose sight of our good habits and the things that bring us joy.

Peace still exists, and we have to remain faithful; we can find it today.

THE EXPERIENCE THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

As I ran back, I found myself in the middle of an adjustable bridge that turns to allow a barge through every once in a blue moon across the Mississippi River. It surprised me as first, and for a second, I thought my life was over until I just sat down and waited.

I took my headphones off my head, turned off my music, and listened to all the sound around me. The first one was the water 10 feet underneath me being sucked into the damn closeby. Then I listened to the birds flying together over the bridge headed west. Maybe they were settled on the part of the bridge that was moving.

After sitting on the bridge for half an hour, the sun began to fall.
The picture above is the closest image of my perspective last night. The phone held close to my face so you could see what I see.

The sun is falling behind the city buildings. The water was destroying waves as it created new ones. The birds were yelling at one another as they soar through the cool breeze.

I could be exaggerating every moment here, but I never felt more relaxation and peace than I did less than 24 hours ago. I’m not talking about the feeling of sitting in a sauna. I’m telling you about a moment where you can forget about whatever stresses you or makes you want to stop pursuing your goals and dreams.

Being able to sit still with your body and mind and become present with peace.

It doesn’t matter how, where, or why you do it. Peace doesn’t have to be a one size fits all method. Just make sure you sweep aside distractions and enjoy the fruits of a full moment you can be isolated. That includes your thoughts, which can always be the hardest part of peace.

So pick something out you genuinely enjoy that is around you and concentrate on it.

After all, if anything deserves your attention right now, it’s you. If we’re going to let anything fall apart, let it not be ourselves.