Today is Valentine’s Day and it has me thinking about love. Not so much about expressions of love like candy and flowers, but the essence of love. What it is and what it isn’t.
As I look back on my life thus far, I clearly see a defining moment when I made one of the most important choices of my life. It was 2005. I had been dealing with chronic pain every day for 4 years as a result of a sports injury. I was at the lowest point of my life. I absolutely did not love my life or love myself very much for that matter. Life felt way too hard.
At my lowest point, when I was pushed to the edge, when I had exhausted all healing possibilities on the outside, I began my inner search. It was this inner exploration that led me to my spiritual path of Kabbalah. My spiritual path naturally empowered me to use my voice and realize my true passion for music; and I created a rock band called My Silent Bravery. My Silent Bravery symbolizes persistence, perseverance, and inner strength to overcome obstacles in the face of adversity.
The defining moment came when I made the choice to sing rather than continue to complain about my circumstances. And, even as I was making this conscious choice, there was a loud voice in my head telling me I wasn’t good enough to sing. Singing and becoming a musician is not something that came naturally to me. It’s never been easy. I have had to work really hard for it.
I had to learn to turn off the voice inside my head that said that I needed to be perfect before I went for my dream. Perfectionism can stop all creativity, all daring acts of bravery. It’s been called a hidden epidemic.
I turned off that voice and went on to release five albums and perform over 500 shows over the past 12 years with another album on the way. I’ve shared the stage with many national acts who I grew up listening to and who helped inspire me to become a musician. My music has been played on television shows like the CW’s One Tree Hill, CBS’ People Choice Awards, NBC’s Last Call with Carson Daly, MTV’s Real World and True Life, The Oxygen Network’s Bad Girls Club, the History Channel’s American Pickers and many others. My latest song, “Girl You Think You Know” debuted at #3 on the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart and has broken into the top 50 of the Rock Digital Sales Chart. A prior single, “Got it Going On” topped the Billboard Hot Singles Sales Chart remaining at #1 for ten straight weeks.
I only share this to illustrate how powerful it can be to turn off the voice that tries to hold us back—that says we aren’t good enough. We all are good enough—we may just have to work hard to get there.
I can’t imagine my life without my love of music. There has been deep fulfillment in chasing my dream. In many ways, music has been the love of my life. In my darkest hour, it was my spiritual journey that led me to music that flung open the door and beckoned me to trust my voice. It was music that filled my soul with hope, that brought a smile back to my face, that gave me the courage to go for my dreams. Music has inspired me to work hard and overcome self-doubt.
I wrote a song “Good Enough” and then actually debated on whether to put it on my album, “Breakthrough” because I questioned if it was indeed good enough! Ultimately, I decided to include it because I thought that many listeners could relate to not feeling good enough at something. For me, it’s a song about overcoming that voice in your head that tells you that you can’t do something or that you are not good enough. Too often we hold ourselves back, and this is a song about recognizing and moving forward to reach your higher potential or a greater version of yourself.
I am still chasing my dream of being a rock star. And the truth is, when I go deeply into my heart, I realize that I am living that dream. That voice inside my head that used to be screaming that I wasn’t good enough has now become an occasional whisper.
On this day of celebrating love, I urge you to love yourself so much that you go for whatever your heart is calling you to do or be. You are absolutely good enough!
Listen to “Good Enough” here…
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