Finding Your Voice

While I am not a huge Nashville TV show fan, I do enjoy the music.

Actually, my favorite songs are the ones that the character’s on the show, Gunnar and Scarlett perform.
If you have never listed to, “It’s Not Yours To Throw Away,”  or, “Lately,” do it. Do it now.
If you are like me, you will be sobbing on the floor, promising yourself that you will hold on to your dream, at all costs.

One day, I went online and to see who the writers were on one particular song from the tv show.  

I then contacted one of them, asking for a songwriting lesson.
To my surprise, this person agreed.

This person told me to bring three of my original songs, lyrics and all.
After I shared my story, I played my songs, nervously.

My voice was shaking, my fingers messed up the chords, but I got through.
After I set the guitar down, this person went on to tell me things I did well, and things I could improve on.
After the technical issues, they then told me their story.

This writer said that after they had received their first publishing deal, they wracked their brain over how to write for current Nashville, (trucks, beer, alcohols, girls, cowboys..” ) you get the idea.

And it worked.
They got cuts, and made a few bucks.

But then, after exhaustingly trying to figure out what a Nashville pop star and publisher wanted, they started writing for themselves.   

They stopped trying to look the part, and just be truthful to what they knew, be truthful to themselves.

When they stopped trying to be what they thought Nashville wanted, they flourished, and flew.

They told me to keep doing exactly what I am doing. They told me to sing my songs out at open mic nights, playing my guitar and the few chords I know.

Basically just reiterating what the people around me have been telling me for awhile.

After our session finished, as I was packing up, they said, “You have already found what many songwriters spend their whole lives trying to find…you have found your voice.”

The significance of this statement is profound.

After the first voice/songwriting lesson I had after I moved to Nashville, nearly 2 years ago, the teacher said, “I want you to find your voice."

I left the lesson crying, because I didn’t know how.  

It’s been a long couple years.  

I’ve messed up on stage, I’ve forgotten the words, and many times, I’ve wanted to run away, and out of Nashville.

I have a long way to go, a lot more mistakes to make, a lot more bridges to cross, and cliffs to jump off (symbolically speaking of course)

 However, this morning, I realized I am at least on my way.
Baby steps, and occasionally, a large leap.

Have you found your voice?  

In other words, have you found your truth?
Have you stripped off the layers, the masks, the shell, and found what makes you, you?
Have you slowed down, and looked into the deep places of your soul?

It’s not easy, and is actually frightening, when you are introduced to yourself.

You find things that you would rather not find.
You see places in your heart which are not very pretty.
You also find your raw talents, and gifting.

I recently saw a quote the other day which caught my eye.

Jim Kwik writes, “It an egg is broken by outside force, life ends. If broken by inside force, life begins.”

 You are so much more capable than you realize.

Perhaps you haven’t even found that thing that brings your soul to life, that thing which ignites the fire within, that thing which makes your feel closer to Heaven.
But you will.  
Oh, you will.
It may even surprise you how it happens.

If you could see the potential that is placed in you, you would truly be amazed.

Today, I was amazed.

 It’s time to find your voice.