Reader Question:Dear Anandra, I want to quit my job and focus on making music for a living. I am very talented, but have been becoming too caught up in a job that steals my soul. I have saved up a bit of money to get me through a few months, but still need something to give me the final push to actually do it this time (have been thinking about it for a long time). What do you think?
~Karly
Response from Anandra: Dear Karly,
There is nothing more wonderful than putting your energy into what makes your heart SING!
When your deepest inner voice is urging you to follow a certain path, you honor the life inside of you by aligning your will and your actions with your higher purpose. Call it "God's will," "divine destiny," "dharma," or what you will... but the overpowering sense of oneness with all that is, which results from listening to and acting on your soul calling, is unmistakable.
When you're standing at the proverbial fork in the road (sorry to use such a cliché!), and your feelings clearly indicate expansiveness, joy, love, and fulfillment when you imagine yourself going down one path, and dullness, dread, contraction, and heaviness at the other, do you really need me to tell you what I think? (Smile. Wink.) If you just need a nudge to have the confidence to follow your heart, here it is!
If you've done your homework, have a nest egg, connections in the business, a reasonable knowledge of how to make a musical career happen, and realistic expectation of what a musician's life typically entails, even better.
For you and anyone else taking a leap to follow their dreams, be kind to yourself and be sure to balance this great expansive move with a sense of stability.
It sounds like you may have already done this, but to further support your dream and pave your soul's path in solid gold, I'd recommend investing time and energy into building your confidence in the areas you're shaky on. Maybe it's personal accounting and budgeting. Maybe it's sight-reading music. Maybe it's familiarizing yourself with legal details and standard agreements with managers, promoters, etc. Maybe it's understanding recording levels and microphone techniques. Maybe it's telling jokes on stage.
The point is, there is a comprehensive skill set that accompanies any profession, and you probably have your weak areas. Go to the library and do your research on what it takes. Define what constitutes a successful musician's life for you, find a mentor, and observe what you admire and don't admire about their life. Making yourself a well-rounded professional will increase your confidence and open a lot of doors for you. There are a lot of talented people, but a true professional is a rare gem that will get recognized.
While you're in the act of refining your skills, especially when you're working on those areas you've tended to avoid, energize your actions and stoke your motivation to stick with it by reminding yourself that you're investing in your most fulfilling contribution. (If you or others reading this aren't confident about their professionalism yet, keep your day job with gratitude that it's supporting you while you hone your skills. You can remain in integrity, and balance both without conflict, by choosing clarity about your heart's priority and being grateful for the stability your current job provides.)
Keep your mind and your heart tuned into the originating pulse of your dream, even if/when you get tested by the appearance that things aren't working out as you'd like them to. If the pulse is still alive, and you're supporting it by continually evolving your skills, the life inside of you will make sure you're in the right place at the right time.
Blessings!
Anandra, Intuitive Life Coach
Disclaimer: Anandra's advice is not meant to override your personal health providers' recommendations/prescriptions, but is intended to offer a new perspective and encourage your inner wisdom to guide the best course of action.
Each week, we invite a different intuitive to answer a question from a reader. If you'd like to submit a question for Anandra please email her directly.
You might also like to read:
- Putting Your Dreamer in the Director's Chair
- Stop Putting Your Dreams on Hold
- How Long Must I Wait for My Dreams to Manifest?
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