We were lucky to catch up with John Noltner recently and have shared our conversation below.
Hi John , really happy you were able to join us today and we’re looking forward to sharing your story and insights with our readers. Let’s start with the heart of it all – purpose. How did you find your purpose?
I’ve worked as a photographer and storyteller for more than three decades, but in 2008, I started a media project called A Peace of My Mind as a way—in a divided world—to rediscover what connects us. What started as a small personal project has now grown into my life’s work as I continue to see and understand how storytelling and art have the ability to bridge divides and build community.
It was not a singular ah-ha moment, but rather a series of building blocks that led me here. A commitment to keep showing up and to walk through the doors that opened. I often describe my creative process as walking down a foggy path, where you can only see a few steps ahead of you. But when you take those steps, the fog lifts a little and you can see the next few steps.
In a very real way, I made the decision early on that as long as I could see a few steps ahead of me, I would keep walking. I think purpose is an ever evolving goal, and if you are growing as a human, you continue to uncover new layers of purpose every day.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
I have spent my career shooting for national magazines and Fortune 500 companies. In 2009, I founded A Peace of My Mind, a 501c3 media project that uses portraits and personal stories to bridge divides and build community. Through exhibits, workshops, lectures, on-site studios, and distance learning, A Peace of My Mind leads transformative experiences that help a polarized world rediscover the common humanity that connects us.
I have worked on four continents, gathering stories of human courage, grace, and resilience. He has produced projects for national magazines, Fortune 500 companies, and non-profit organizations. A Peace of My Mind reflects my belief that art and storytelling can help individuals, organizations and communities articulate their deepest values and encourage action toward building social capital and community connections.
A Peace of My Mind just released a new book called Lessons on the Road to Peace that documents a journey of discovery. 900 Days, 93,000 miles, hundreds of stories, and one goal…in a divided world, to rediscover what
connects us. In the fall of 2020, my wife Karen and I sold our home in Minneapolis and hit the road to live small, listen deeply and learn about who we are as a country.
In this 304-page hard cover book, you will follow our travels to the border to explore immigration, to Mississippi to talk about moving Confederate monuments, to the streets of Skid Row to learn about housing security and more. It is a journey that delves into difficult conversations about race, environment, identity and justice, but always with the goal of connecting with people who are finding creative solutions to our most challenging issues.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
In today’s world, we sometimes feel like we need to show up with our armor on. We need to always be playing offense, for fear that if we don’t, we will be forced to play defense. But I’ve found that showing up ready for battle limits our ability to make connections and build relationships. It’s okay to be vulnerable and to show up with humility. We show up for battle and think that we are protecting ourselves, when in fact, we are also insulating ourselves from the very best of what it means to be human.
I’ve learned to have faith in the journey and let go of my need to control each and every thing. Sometimes serendipity and fate have better ideas than I do.
Sometimes just showing up is enough. We don’t need to know how to solve the world’s problems. Sometimes just being present and saying “I see you, I hear you, and you matter” is enough.
How can folks who want to work with you connect?
A Peace of My Mind partners with communities and organizations to help tell their stories. We use storytelling and art to help amplify mission, vision, and values in the world, always with the goal of creating what Dr. King called Beloved Community.
We have used our storytelling process with veterans around PTSD and suicide prevention, with faith communities about finding unexpected courage and with civic organizations about creating a sense of belonging.
We do this work across the country and I’m always interested in conversations that explore possibilities and ways to get your community talking..
Contact Info:
- Website: https://apomm.net/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/apommstories/
- Other: a link to our lates book: https://apomm.net/product/lessons-on-the-road-to-peace/
Image Credits
all photos by John Noltner, A Peace of My Mind
