Own Your Space: Identity, Presence, and Becoming Who You Already Are
When you’re burned out, feeling lost, or wondering how to remember who you are, this episode feels like a hug wrapped in laughter and human realness.
Actor and creator DJ Pieper joins Quick Before You Forget host Ty Schmidt for a real conversation about staying grounded in a chaotic world, using music, mindset, and movement to come home to yourself without turning healing into another thing to optimize.
DJ shares the song that instantly brings him back to presence, why nature resets the nervous system, and a powerful journaling practice—“lies vs truths”—that helps you quiet the noise, stop comparing yourself, and reconnect with what’s real.
If you’ve been living in survival mode, chasing the next milestone, or feeling like you’re falling behind, this is your reminder: you are loved, you’re not alone, and you can take the next step—quick, before you forget.
In this episode: burnout recovery mindset, grounding techniques, journaling prompts, inner child healing, presence without your phone, creativity without monetization, and rebuilding identity through music + movement.
00:00 – Getting “hit by a car” + nervous system humor (and survival perspective)
DJ opens with a wild story that sets the tone: life is chaotic, but he’s here—laughing because he’s okay.
00:42 – Meet DJ Pieper + what this show is about (music, mindset, movement)
Ty introduces DJ and frames the episode around vulnerability, presence, and becoming.
02:30 – Childhood memory: noise + love + grounding
Growing up in a packed Sicilian household—loud energy, big support, and the quiet steadiness of his grandpa.
05:27 – The lesson from Grandpa Tom: “say less, ask more” + own your space
DJ shares a confidence principle: be comfortable where you stand—this space is yours.
07:26 – The grounding song: Kings of Leon, “Back Down South”
How music can instantly return you to the present—and why memory + sound are so regulating.
09:45 – If DJ had a megaphone in today’s chaos…
His message to the world: “You are loved.”
11:15 – What he’d tell his 22-year-old self + the fear of being forgotten
A raw thread: chasing greatness, identity, and the pressure of time.
14:42 – What keeps you going when you feel behind?
DJ’s answer: create something, then go outside—nature, walks, and “smelling the roses.”
17:49 – Put the phone away: presence creates connection
Ty shares how real conversations happen in lines when you choose to be present.
19:16 – The “help someone” story: fixing a retaining wall → unexpected relationships
A powerful example of how generosity leads to connection (without trying to “network”).
22:43 – Unreal moment: $30, a train, acting class, Niagara Falls, and divine timing
A cinematic story about risk, trust, and getting rescued by the right people.
30:24 – Identity + music as integration
DJ talks about never feeling “enough” of one identity—music helps dissolve the question.
33:28 – Movement: skateboarding, BMX, and becoming kid-you again
Why movement isn’t fitness—it’s remembering yourself.
37:52 – How to find yourself again (inner child, joy, and play)
The core coaching moment: stop treating life like a monetization machine.
39:27 – “Not everything needs to be monetized.”
A burnout antidote in one sentence.
46:08 – Journaling prompt: “Lies vs Truths”
Write the lies you’re hearing → turn the page → write what’s true.
47:33 – Milwaukee + the 50 states goal (2 nights in every state)
Travel as a way to learn humans—life through people.
54:30 – Where to find DJ + current projects
Instagram/website + Star People mention + what he’s creating now.
57:23 – Anti Fashionism + masks, prompts, and bold creative outreach
A standout section for artists/creatives: visibility without selling your soul.
1:01:16 – Ty’s closing gratitude + invitation to connect + review the showA warm community-forward close
Top takeaways:
- Staying grounded isn’t a personality trait—it’s a practice (music, nature, movement).
- Presence creates connection (and connection brings you back to yourself).
- Burnout worsens when everything becomes a metric, a brand, or a monetization plan.
- Try the Lies vs Truths journaling prompt: name the lie → replace it with what’s real.
If you’re burned out or feeling lost, try this today:
- Put your phone down for 10 minutes
- Play one grounding song
- Write one lie you’ve been believing
- Write one truth that’s still true about you