Thanksgiving Gratitude

In keeping with the theme of gratitude… I’m about to get real vulnerable with y’all… (why am I southern all of a sudden?!)

I’ve suffered for years. I’ve dealt with depression, anxiety and major issues of self-worth. I’ve spent years in therapy digging deep and getting to the crux of what I was feeling and where it was coming from. And it was invaluable. I got to know myself inside and out and know why I was so unhappy. But something was still missing. I still didn’t quite know how to change it. I knew intellectually… I’d read lots of self-help books, watched all the TED talks, and talked through ideas and strategies with my therapist. But, though not back in the throes of depression, I would inevitably come back to feeling stuck and not being able to turn the ship around.

I’ve spent 17 years in the music industry helping people who want to be stars and make a huge impact in the world through their art and talent. And I’ve loved it. It always felt so rewarding to be a part of that magic. But I got lost in it. My identity and self-worth became so wrapped up in my career that without it I didn’t know who I was or what my purpose was. I felt at my strongest when I was leading a team from behind the scenes, steering the ship for artists and clients through record releases, tours, and marketing campaigns. And it was always in service of helping their light shine… but I lost sight of how to let my own light shine. My purpose became intertwined with theirs. So whenever my career took an unexpected turn (it’s the music industry- there were a lot of them), I got so thrown off course because I felt like I was losing a part of myself.

This past year presented an opportunity to take a step back from the only way I’ve known, and really dig deep into my purpose. I learned tools and skills that have quite literally changed my life. Nothing compares to having tangible, practical tools for awareness into how my brain works and what I can do with it to create the life I want.

I now know deep in my being that my purpose transcends my career… it transcends the “how” when I really believe the “why.” My career is just one of the vehicles I have to help me fulfill my why. So what is my why?  It’s to make an authentic positive impact and be an example of what it means to be in service of a greater good. It’s to help others make lasting impact - in the world, their communities, or even just their own lives. To help them use their music, art, experience, and talents to make the positive impact that they want to make. I believe that has to start from within. 

I’ve actively been learning and using tools that have brought me so much strength and clarity.

And when I discover something that helps me, I can’t help but want to share it with everyone I know and meet. (Just ask my hair stylist, aesthetician, therapist, you name it... when they’re good, I send everyone to them!) Which is why I’m on the path I’m on now... to be able to share those tools with my own perspective and experience with everyone that I can. 

So, right now, I am just eternally grateful for all of it. For the struggle, for the pain, for the confusion, and for the not knowing. Because all of that brought me to where I am now and to where I’m going. I’m grateful that I have the tools to deal with anything that comes my way and the tools to ask myself the hard questions that will continue to move me forward. I’m grateful for all of the teachers and coaches in my life in every form they take - family, friends, clients, artists, colleagues, and yes, some of the most incredibly smart and inspiring life coaches and thought leaders that I have the privilege to learn from and grow with!

If any of this resonates with you and you want to up-level your life, your activism, your music, your art, your career and make lasting impact… get in touch to see if I can help you.