AprilSingsalot – Page 10

Music and Meditation

January 21, 2017 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

My New Year’s resolution was to have a daily spiritual practice.

I’ve done ok so far, but making it more than 5 days in a row is a struggle.

How are you doing with yours?

For me, something’s gotta change.

I need some inspiration, some reason to continue when I’d rather sleep in.

Feedback from these posts are very helpful to me, so I began reading through them for inspiration.

What came up over and over was something like this:

“I really enjoy these weekly devotionals.”

What?!? Don’t tell anyone, but

I had no idea I was writing devotionals.

Looking back over them, I see now that is what they became.

So in an effort to embrace what works, here’s a thought:

I’m offering a daily music and meditation experience during February.

Sound like something you’d be interested in?

Each morning an email will arrive with up to 5 minutes of instrumental music and meditation prompts for you to use as a devotional.

Next week I’ll put out a sample, but if you want to get in early I’ve created a special gift for the first 15 people to sign up!

Check out more details here!

My Vision Board Fell Off the Wall

January 16, 2017 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

True confessions time. I spent the last week of 2016 creating a vision board.

Roll your eyes if you must, but it seemed like something fun to try. It’s full of bright new ideas and great growth and happiness that I want to manifest in 2017. How can you argue with that?

Put it up on the wall and all was good….until the new year hit and I returned to my “everybody says I should do this so I may as well do it” routine instead of trying to follow a new path.

My vision board fell off the wall.

Literally.

My business buddy suggested that maybe since I wasn’t following any of the ideas I put up there my vision board gave up on me.

Total crap? Maybe. But it got me thinking…

What got me the most positive feedback in 2016?

This blog.

I collected all the responses and printed them on pretty paper and taped them on the walls of my office.

Feeling very inspired…….I returned to my normal, regular, safe routine.

You can see where this is going right?

All the pretty paper started to fall off the wall…

So I put everything back up (with reinforced tape this time!) and spent serious time reflecting and writing about what to do next.

Over the course of the last week I’ve gotten a new idea that may be “the one”.

Today was the day to put out some feelers on it and get feedback.

Instead I decided to run errands… to the post office (closed for the holiday), the library (closed for the holiday), drop off recycling (bins are too full), and shop at a boutique (you guessed it…closed!).

<Sigh>

I picked up lunch (running all of those non-errands really worked up an appetite!) and headed home to send those emails.

Vision board: 1

April: Preparing her comeback (I am not a zero…not now, not ever)

Stay tuned, and if you come by the house watch out for falling inspirational objects!

Permission Granted

January 11, 2017 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

It all started Friday night when I found out that a shipmate passed away.

Unexpected. Unbelievable. Unexplainable.

We were stationed in Navy Band New Orleans together. He was a good friend.

How could this happen?

It’s given me a greater sense of urgency to stop waiting around.

I’ve thought for so long that there was some magical degree,

or amount of money,

or number of followers,

that would make me feel that it was finally ok to follow my passion.

Step out and begin.

I’ve been waiting around for validation that is NEVER coming.

Because there is no committee in the sky passing out permission slips.

You were born with a permission slip to be you.

So was I.

Somehow or another I lost mine along the way.

I found it this morning.

I hope this song inspires you to grab your permission slip as well.

permission granted begin

Begin

I wonder when the show will start

And will it take you far?

When the curtain rises and the show begins

Will you step up and be the star?

Ooo Ooo This is where life begins

Ooo Ooo Your adventure awaits within

This is the start, You can go far

Believe it and dare to jump in

Ooo Ooo This is where life begins

I wonder how long the show will last

And who else is in the cast?

When the curtain closes and the show is over

It will all have happened so fast!

Ooo Ooo This is where life begins

Ooo Ooo Your adventure awaits within

This is the start, You can go far

Believe it and dare to jump in

Ooo Ooo This is where life begins

So put your show on the road

Get a ticket, let’s go!

Push the pedal to the metal

Pull the pin on your potential

You’ve got the gift

Untie the bow

Ooo Ooo Now your life begins

Ooo Ooo You’ve found the adventure within

You’re at the start, You will go far

Believe it you’ve dared and jumped in

Ooo Ooo Congratulations, Begin.

I did NOT see that coming

January 6, 2017 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

If I had to describe 2016 in one sentence it would be:

“Huh…I did NOT see that coming…”

One of the best examples is this blog.

I started in May with absolutely no idea what I was doing.

All I knew was that I wanted to write, record, and share original music and describe how music helps me through life.

This is now my 34th post and I can honestly say “Mission Accomplished”

…and so much more!

What started out as my attempt to inspire others has in turn inspired me. Every post has resulted in multiple responses from people with interesting insights, thoughtful questions, and wonderful words of encouragement.

And that challenge to myself to write and record original music? It resulted in enough songs that I was able to sell my own digital album of music!

The weekly emails now reach over 300 people (392 to be exact!) and I’m truly excited and honored each week to create and share with you.

Thanks for being a part of this journey, here’s to more fun surprises in the new year!

As a shared a few weeks ago, my favorite advent song is “All through the Night”. Here’s a fun video of the song with harp and vocal…and me in my pjs!

More Complicated Please

December 30, 2016 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

“I Want to Play Something More Complicated!”

That’s the phrase I hear most from students at this time of year.

They hear these complicated piano solos of their favorite Christmas carol and they’re desperate to duplicate it.

But it’s not possible for them yet because they haven’t learned the fundamentals. The really unexciting (but necessary) stuff like scales, chords, and theory that make playing complicated pieces possible.

Try explaining that to an 8 year old.

It’s impossible.

Which is why I end up creating simplified versions for them that work for their skill level. It’s a compromise that will hopefully keep them interested in music long enough to learn the skills to play at a higher level.

And so it is with life. I know I want to have more students to teach. A larger choir to direct. More opportunities to travel and perform.

But perhaps my “teacher” is saying you have more fundamentals to learn first.

So I’m going to start my days with a non negotiable spiritual practice. And by taking time every morning I hope to develop the skills I need to pursue those dreams.

It's not a race. Keep a steady tempo, in life AND in music.

Race Tempo

December 23, 2016 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

When I’m teaching a student to play or sing a new piece of music they tend to slow down in the hard parts and then race through the easier parts.

It’s a natural tendency we all have and something we have to fight against in music in order to keep a steady tempo.

And so I remind my students…It’s not a race.

Slow down and learn the notes.

It will all come together eventually and become a beautiful song.

And then I realize how true that is in life.

We’ve all heard slow and steady wins the race haven’t we?

Yet it’s so easy to get caught up in the fast and furious pace all around us.

I know I’m often tempted to skip ahead to something that looks more fun or easier than where I am now.

So this is a reminder to myself…It’s not a race.

Enjoy the journey…Eventually it will turn into be a beautiful song.

All Through the Night

December 15, 2016 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

A lullaby to remind us of God’s constant love for us

All Through the Night

May you find peace and love around and within you today.

Fear not I am with thee, peace be still. In all of life's ebb and flow." Not just the calm quite times or the crazy busy times. ALL the time.

Pieces of Peace

December 9, 2016 aprilsingsalot Comments Off

This week I learned (yet again) that if I wait for the world to provide me with peace, I’m never going to get it.

As I was rushing to get the rest of the decorations up around the house today I started wondering when this season was going to stop being stressful and start being fun.

Of course, I was pretty sure this wasn’t my fault. I had a pretty good list going of all the things other people should have done that would have helped give me some peace. If only my husband had said this, or there weren’t so many programs and activities to attend, or my dogs weren’t barking incessantly….

Please tell me I’m not the only one….?

So I set out to pick up the pieces of my sanity (littered amongst the wrapping paper, unopened mail, and Christmas lights) and find peace in the best way possible….playing music.