1. Decide on your happy place

We're all different and find our peace in different places.  As an introvert, my happy place is outdoors, enjoying nature, away from the noise of the city. That's when my brain can (almost) be quiet.  But, I do have ADHD, so sitting still isn't enjoyable for me, I have to be moving.   Walking in nature, watching my dogs run around and swim in a lake or the ocean is perfect. Not to be overly picky, but... the beach is great and all, but I don't enjoy the sand. It's so dang sticky and it gets in everything, including my camera (yikes)!  I'm more of a lake person, but you won't hear me complaining about being at the beach or doing portrait sessions on the beach. You just won't see me laying on the beach, because I get bored too easily for that.

So where's your happy place?

2. Plan your vacations for the year

With all our technology, curbside pick up, door dash, etc. we should have tons of spare time every single day, right? Even with all the conveniences time seems to get away and life moves too fast, and unless we consciously make time for ourselves we end up on the hamster wheel of the boring day-to-day stuff and forget to enjoy life. The best way I've found to ensure I take vacations is to plan my vacations at the beginning of the year for the whole year and then mark my calendar. 

So now that you have your happy place in mind, grab your calendar and plan your vacations.

3. Find small ways to find peace between vacations

Living in Las Vegas, and working for a living, I can't just drive away and hike every single day.  I mean I could, and I think I may have when I was young.  But I'm old now and it seems to take me all day to get things done.  So between vacations, I need to have some next best things to bring me peace when I'm in town.  The main way I can feel zen when I'm in town is by taking photos. Generally, I'm content to photograph anything, but animals are definitely my favorite.  Yes, lame, I do that for a living.  But it still brings me happiness, so it counts. 

I also love projects, which is why I'm usually doing some personal projects that are photography-related. Currently, I'm doing a 6 month photography challenge where we have a different shooting assignment every two weeks, I'm also shooting for Tails of the World, a fundraiser book project, and I'm running a fundraiser calendar contest.

What will make your heart sing and keep you going between your vacations? That's what you need to fit into your daily life.