T-minus 4 days until I start Charlie Puth’s pop songwriting and production course! 🎹
I’m so excited to take a 30 day deep dive into all things music and work more on my craft.
There’s always, always room for growth. 🌱
➡️ Do you want to join the class with me? Click here for more details. Enrollment closes tomorrow, so make sure to hurry if you’re interested in joining!
The only difference between where you are and where you want to be is the steps you haven’t taken yet.
The dress I’m designing is underway! I may or may not have seen a sneak preview during a zoom call recently. 😉
It’s so cool to see something drawn on paper, or an iPad in my case, be brought to life like this. (Thanks for tag-teaming the sketch with me mom!)
Thinking back over the last couple months, there’s a few things that have stuck out in my mind…
1️⃣ I definitely DON’T draw.
2️⃣ I haven’t sewn anything since middle school, and I most definitely DON’T remember how.
3️⃣ I definitely did NOT go about this journey all by myself.
You see, my job isn’t learning how to make a perfect fashion sketch.
My job isn’t learning how to sew and piece this dress together.
The truth is, there is no possible way I would ever be able to do this project by myself. There are SO many people behind the scenes who are using their individual gifts and skills to make all of this happen.
My job is simply communicating ideas and casting vision to make this project come to life. And that happens by finding the right people to come alongside you and support you along the journey.
💫 REMINDERS FOR THE WEEK: 💫
It’s not about learning every step yourself. It’s not about going it alone.
It’s all about finding WHO has already been there, and how can they help you to get to your destination faster.
Don’t ever limit your dreams based on your current skill set. Community is EVERYTHING and we all go further faster when we use our “superpowers” to impact the people in our world.
How are you using YOUR gifts to bless and encourage somebody this week?
Writing songs is a lot like journaling… just with music. 🎵 I remember when I wrote my first song at 11 years old. (Wow that was a long time ago lol!)
At that young age, I didn’t realize how much guilt I was carrying around. Both my siblings were dealing with severe medical issues, so they needed a lot more attention. People constantly compared us all.
I was the “healthy kid” because I didn’t have genetic disorders and allergies to everything.
“Wow, you’re lucky.”
“So you’re the normal one.”
My sister weighed an unhealthy 65 pounds as a teen until she was properly diagnosed and treated. People said I was “big” compared to her, even though I was at a perfectly healthy and normal weight.
After years of hearing the same things over and over from everybody, I had so many unprocessed emotions that had to be addressed.
When my parents bought me my first keyboard, I just loved that thing to pieces! (Shout out to my favorite keyboard brand @casio_us for being awesome!)
I stayed up in my bedroom for HOURS and HOURS just writing about life and what I was feeling. In fact, I didn’t realize the half of what I was really feeling until I could write it on paper and understand where I was at emotionally.
Certain songs that I write feel so transparent and personal that it almost feels like I’m posting a diary entry. And sometimes that can feel scary.
But I realized that there’s always someone out there that needs to hear the message and the story that you have to offer. Someone out there gets it.
I’ve found that being transparent helps you to realize that you are never alone. It brings clarity to exactly what you are feeling and how you can heal from past hurts.
I think that’s what I love most about writing music. For me, it starts the conversation on dealing with hurt, overcoming it, and reaching out to those around you who are still working through those tough emotions.
That’s the reason I write. I want people to see that in the middle of every struggle, no matter how big or small, God sees you. He loves you. He is waiting for you with arms wide open.
I wrote this song because we live in a culture that feels so incredibly demanding of our time.
Contrary to popular belief… you cannot be everything to everyone all of the time.
Sometimes it’s hard to recognize when you are burning out.
Or worse — you recognize the fact, but choose to ignore it completely.
Sometimes instead of pausing and taking time to refresh, we only run faster and push ourselves harder, thinking the stress will go away on its own.
If you feel like you’re living in a constant state of stress and overwhelm, maybe it’s time to evaluate the things that take up the most time and energy in your life.
“It’s okay to say NO. You’re saying YES to SOMETHING ELSE.”
This is literally my mantra ALL. THE. TIME.
Please never underestimate the time you need to slow down and rest in the Lord.
There are times I have been guilty of feeling “too busy” to make that time for myself, but when I do….
It makes a whole world of difference.
Slow things down for a minute and focus on the people and things that really matter most.