Top 10 reasons NOT to give up

1: Everyone who ever told you that you can’t/ Wont….Don’t you DARE prove them right!

   2: You will regret it for the rest of your life and anyone involved with said quitting, you will secretly resent as well

3: Do you REALLY want to? I doubt it!

4: Because it’s like working out, or trying to date someone that isn’t necessarily sure they’re ready but you both know its right…..If you do it, with all the struggles and trials and bad things that no doubt will happen, you will look back and be so grateful for the ride.

5: THE RIDE!!!! OMG the bad and the good and everything in between is what makes this whole damn thing worth it.

6: Because, musician or not, things that you have to work this hard for are so great and test your character, morals, motivation, and even stamina. You find who you really are and when you have to push yourself out of your comfort zone, which you have to a lot whether its pleasing a different crowd, or telling a booking agent to fuck off because they’re ridiculous, its good for you to stand your ground and be who you are.

7: You will learn what drives and inspires you. If you believe in Karma and Chi you know that this sort of thing is the best for finding your center.

8: It’s different than what most other people do in their lives and someday you can inspire others with your commitment to something so different and really looked down on. People never think you’ll make it so when you can do what you love against all odds its inspiring no matter what level you’re at.

9: You learn who real friends are, who has character, who will stab you in the back for a dollar, and who will stand behind you when you act like a total douche. Some of the best actors I ever met were musicians who act like they’re you’re friends because as any of you know, we can all help each other somehow. There is a LOT of people who will use you. The reason not to quit here is that when you find your friends they’re so everlasting and important to you that you will have people you can rely on that you may have never met otherwise.

10: Because if you were really passionate about this to do it and say you want it you would NEVER give up. Everyone has a split second where they say ‘maybe I should just be done’ but it’s in you. Its part of you and you need to do this if you’re REALLY passionate about it. Do not let the pressures of society get to you. Don’t live your life wishing you had.

Practice Makes Improvement; My month of daily practice

I challenged myself last month to practice guitar and/or sing every night for a minimum of 20 minutes. All but 3 nights, I did it.

I wanted to tell you about what I learned because it really pointed a few things out to me.

First, I am retaining the songs I practice better when I play that often.

Next, I never played for only 20 minutes. It was always an hour or more. Its so easy to keep going once you start.

Then, I started feeling my voice getting stronger and my guitar playing getting better.

I also had nights where I was MISERABLE and tired and didn’t want to play so I would have to make myself do it anyway and all but one of those times, once I started, I was glad I did it.

The biggest thing I got out of it was that we played 3 shows on Saturday, and then again 1 on Sunday and by the time we got done I was exhausted but there is NO way my voice would have held up for all that if I hadn’t been strengthening it.

I know now that this challenge I gave myself is something I need to continue. I challenged all our Facebook followers to challenge themselves to do something and got no response. It made me sad because as people AND musicians we should always be challenging ourselves to be better and not one person wanted to improve anything.

I challenge you now. Think of something you need or want and challenge yourself to get it. Sometimes it will be hard. Sometimes it will be the hardest thing in the world. I wanted to just go to bed and sleep quite a few nights and the first night I missed, I only missed because I got home from work and was about dead so I went strait to sleep. I was so sad the next day that I missed one day. It was easier to push myself on tired nights after that.

I truly believe that we all can improve ourselves; we just need to decide what’s first to work on. Now that I know I have at least a LITTLE discipline, I will try to eat better lol.