{Happy} Friday funday with a splash of music

I watched the first :30 or so of this video and  set it up as a saved draft for next Wednesday's "music wednesday". As I finished watching the video, I realized I couldn't wait.

Thank you to Fast Co for bringing the initiative of this video to my attention. Just watching the promo clip made me smile from ear to ear and start tapping my foot along to the beat. The lyrics hold true, too, to what I'm trying to accomplish in my life and what I think I'm writing about searching for in this blog. I think a lot of people will be able to relate. I mean, look at the chorus:

"Because I’m happy

Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof 

Because I’m happy 

Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth 

Because I’m happy 

Clap along if you know what happiness is to you 

Because I’m happyClap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do"

Sometimes we let others or the things around us get us down. Sometimes we let those things seal us and our happiness potential into a space too small....a room WITH a roof. We deserve to be happy, and we can be. We just have to act towards the things that make us that way and cast aside or ignore the things that don't.

I am really excited to see the full 24hr production and can only imagine the fun they had making it. The article mentions that this will be the first 24hr video produced and talks about the creative obstacles related to that. Pharrell actually has a really good quote about how creative obstacles are the best kind because they force us to push ourselves and think in new ways.

“The best work comes from people who are motivated by crisis--when something stops the original idea, they respond by coming up with something even better. Existence is all mathematics,” he says. “There’s an equation for success in every obstacle.”

I think this is true with every obstacle in our life, creative or otherwise. Thinking about, taking action, and overcoming something that was a hurdle in our life's path causes us to be an even better version of ourselves. And probably happier too!

Happy Friday guys.

Dance party Wednesday

For this week's music Wednesday, I thought I'd share a track with you that immediately lifts my mood and always gets me up bouncing around. Even if I'm by myself, in the car, it's my own little dance party.

This past week has been stressful and this song helps remind me that sometimes you just have to shake it off and dance it away.

Happy dance party, everyone!

Give a little

I know I'm a day late on Music Wednesday. I blame the plague that visited over the weekend. Anyway...

This song makes me want to boogie around the apartment in my undies. It's got a great beat, and I think the message applies in all aspects of life, but especially love. If we all focused on giving, making others happy, TRULY happy, I think most relationships - personal, business, friendships - would benefit greatly.

This will be a struggle for me having had to take care of my own happiness for so long, but I already see how happy I am currently and am becoming as I grow in my new life. It makes me excited to find the person out there who will willingly and gladly be my equal and give happiness to me as I will give to him.

But for now, dance party time.

Real vs Perceived

I saw a tweet the other day that spoke to me:

Sometimes it's hard to live the life that would make you happy instead of the life that would make other people think you are happy.

I think it pretty well sums up some of the kickback we received after letting people know of our decision. A lot of people, when they found out, throw all sorts of "fix" ideas at us. Like they somehow thought we wouldn't have tried everything in our power. I am beginning to understand it's their own version of a coping mechanism in hopes to be helpful because they don't know what else to do. But it's tiring to have to re-explain and convince them that we did our due diligence and made the decision we think is right.

Most of this has calmed down, but I do think it is a continuous struggle to remember, after trying so long in a different vein, that I am worthy of living the life that makes me happy.

This is not to say we didn't start happy. We were. But something changed. I don't know what. I don't know that I'll ever know what. But I know that I put in enough effort to try and fix it to be okay with our decision. And I think that this long-span time of fixing singularly, while necessary, is what threw off our friends and family the most. Because in that time I continued to act in a way that made others think I was happy, that masked the real struggle. So when we decided to change the situation, to take the step to find and live the lives that would make us happy, it was a surprise to many.

There's a song off of Sara Bareilles's new album that sums this up pretty well.

"Let me paint a picture for you then I'll have to teach you to see it

Illustrate the remnants of the life I used to live here in Eden

Rolled a lucky pair of dice, ended up paradise

Landed on a snake's eyes, took a bite and ended up bleeding

You know if I could change anything, I think I would start with the name

The truth is all those angels started acting the same

And I know there's no going back now cause

Life in Eden

Life in Eden changed

No way to make the pain play fair

It doesn't disappear just because you say it isn't there

So when they ask why'd she go you can say cause

Life in Eden

Life in Eden changed"

A conversation with a friend kind of sums this up. She questioned me a month or two ago. Not out of trying to change my mind, necessarily. But out of concern and understanding. She wanted to make sure there wasn't something she was missing...some bit that made it all make sense to the outsider looking in. In trying to explain to her, I began to realize just how shut off I had made myself in the struggle. How hidden it was, even to my closest friends and family. And I think so much of it goes back to that quote. I had tried to continue to live the perceived life that made others think I/we was/were happy, while not really being happy.

Life in Eden had changed.

Let's not forget we're alive

After a gloomy couple days, I went back to a song a good friend sent me recently and took it in. The song is by Joshua Radin, from his new album "Wax Wings". 

The day, for the most part, is what you make it. It's time to make my days beautiful. Live life big and hard, smile lots and love strong. There's only this one life. I plan on making the most of it.

I'm gonna wash the dust off my soul

I'm gonna listen to some rock n' roll

No cares, come what may

I'm making a beautiful day 

I'm gonna drive my car into the sea

Swim out far cause I believe that the waves will wash the gray away

I'm making a beautiful day

But let me hear you say 

[Chorus:]

Oooh ooohh my my

I'm learning to fly

Hey hey what's that you're saying

Lets not forget we're alive

Music Wednesday: Calm down. Enjoy the ride.

This week's song is continuing the theme of the crazy kid on the roller coaster ride vs. enjoying the moment. It is and will always be a continual struggle with me because of my planning, organizing nature...but it's one I keep working at. Things work out. All will be well. Because I know, inherently, that it will be. I just need the constant reminder. Sometimes more forcefully than others.

And this song? I don't know why, but it speaks to me. Maybe it's the melody on the piano. The softness of the tones. Or just the reiteration that "All will be well".

The new day dawns

And I am practicing my purpose once again

...

Keep it up and don’t give up

And chase your dreams and you will find

All in time.

...

All will be well.

Even after all the promises you’ve broken to yourself,

All will be well.

You can ask me how but only time will tell.

Over the Rainbow

Today's Music Wednesday is brought to you by a (relatively) new lady to the broadly known singing world, or at least a new face to me, and I'm so glad I found her. Yet another strong vocalist with meaningful lyrical capabilities. I present to you Alyssa Bonagura.



The song is "Over the Rainbow", on her new album, and is a lullaby about dreams that get followed coming true. It seems, especially considering yesterday's "Rainbows of the future" post, particularly meaningful. The lyrics are as follows:

Over the rainbow waiting for you

Is everything you've ever dreamed of.

Beyond the rainbow, beyond the clouds

You can have it all. Anything you want.

You have the choice

You have the time

To have a voice

To make it right

So don't give in

When things get grim

You can make your own sunshine

Find the truth, forget the lies

All you have to do is believe in you

Over the rainbow waiting for you

Is everything you've ever dreamed of.

Why can't you send me over the rainbow

You can have it all, anything you want.

You have the choice

You have the time

To have a voice

To make it right

So don't give in

When things get grim

You can make your own sunshine

Find the truth, forget the lies

All you have to do is believe in you

Over the rainbow

Over the rainbow

Waiting for you...

I think it's important for me to remember that I can do anything. I have the time to figure out what I want; the ability to follow my dreams and search out the rainbows. I have the ability to make my own sunshine and my own happiness, after so many months without it. 

This bright future is mine.

And that? That's awesome.

Brave Part 2: The Inspiration

Everyone who knows me, knows I'm an uber-fan of Sara Bareilles. The voice, the style, the personality...it's all there. Her music is true to herself. And maybe that's what I like best, that self-truth. After all, that's a part of this journey called life, right?

Her most recent single (off of her new album! eekk!!!) is the above and titled "Brave". Her reasons for writing it are different than my reasons for finding it inspirational, but the underlying thought of courage and bravery resonate no matter the intended subject.

"Maybe there’s a way out of the cage where you live
Maybe one of these days you can let the light in
Show me how big your brave is
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
With what you want to say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave"

I think everyone could deal with a bit more bravery in their life. The courage to know they are worth fighting for, and so are the things that matter. But to also know when to lay down the sword because the fighting is getting you nowhere.