Progress is Progress
Everyone starts somewhere. And that's usually the bottom.
Hello dear.
Most times in life we never see the whole picture or even see our growth while we are in the midst of building/creating something, whether that something is our lives, relationships, self-reliance, or even our careers.
But, today I decided to take the time and reflect over my progress in life as a woman and on my music career. Last winter, I released my first single, "All I Need" to the world and my oh my did I receive GREAT feedback from my very first one! I was very nervous. In fact, I wrestled with myself the night before in whether I was going to go through with releasing it and even almost DIDN'T release it! My heart couldn't bear the suspense! And by suspense, I mean putting myself out there - there was NOOOO going back from this.
I was putting myself out.
Out to be judged.
Out to be called either "wack" or even "good."
Out to be laughed at.
I was putting myself out there. And you know what? After all of that internal battle with myself, I mustered up the courage to do it anyway - to put out a piece of work which delicately showcased my unique gifts and talents in songwriting and musicianship (keys and vocals). I started the journey of my dreams. And looking back, I have no regrets.
Now fast forward to NOW, in the spring, where summer could never be so far away, I released my 2nd single, "Take Me Home," a piano-led ballad. Just me and the piano. Just me and the piano. I repeat, just me and the piano. :)
Did I get great feedback on this one? Absolutely.
However, I've easily dimmed my light when I begin to compare myself to other artists. But, don't we all do that? Compare ourselves to others and where they're at? No, I don't have the fan base like Solange or even Emily King. But, then again, they've both been out for a very long time. And me? Officially, just about 1 year.
Do I have a single out with Calvin Harris? Nope. Ugh. But, why am I tripping? Because I see the goal, the place that I've always dreamed of, yet I find myself looking around to other people and comparing their journey to mine's. And that's totally unfair to me. It's unfair to you too when you do that. Whether you want to be re-married, own a multi-billion dollar company, or even be a top film composer, we all have that tendency to look around instead of living in the moment, staying focused at where we're at.
Truth be told, everyone starts somewhere. And that's usually the bottom. There's no getting around it. You can try, but if you skip building a foundation, your house will fall. Essentially, at the end of the day, progress is progress. Every step counts. 1 step is better than 0. 2 steps is better than 1. But each step matters. And since they matter, we should celebrate each step of the matter. And today, I did just that: I listened to both my singles, "All I Need," and "Take Me Home," singing them with a smile on my face. Why? Because I made 2 steps toward living out my dreams in being one of the greatest musicians, singer-songwriter, composers in the world.
So I encourage you to do the same. Celebrate each step. Progress is still progress.
You can listen to both of my singles below:
All I Need: https://soundcloud.com/jerricapatton/all-i-need
Take Me Home: https://soundcloud.com/jerricapatton/take-me-home
You can also purchase "Take Me Home" on iTunes, Amazon Music, Google Play or even stream it on Apple Music or Spotify!