Sometimes musicians get caught in a bubble that isn’t necessarily the real world because our lives are a little different from people in other careers. Most of us understand that in order to be in this business, we sacrifice an amount of financial security in pursuit of creating and sharing our art with the world. We understand that ours is an uncertain career path of extreme highs and lows that we learn to weather as best we can, and often we forget that the rest of the world does not experience life the same way. But because of the current economic crisis, many people are now feeling the same sense of insecurity and questionable career future that musicians have learned to deal with on a daily basis. So for those of you out there whose lives have been effected by this recession and feel really unsettled by the change in circumstances, here are a few things that I have learned over the years that help me through an uncertain phase:
1. Tomorrow is another day. You never know who you will meet or what opportunity will cross your path that was not available to you before, so focus on what you can do tomorrow, not what didn’t happen for you today.
2. Luck favors the prepared. Stay on top of your game so that if/when an opportunity presents itself, you are ready for it.
3. Make your own opportunities. Don’t wait for people to knock down your door, be proactive and create ways for you to bring your talents/skills to them. You’ll feel so much better because you will feel more in control of your destiny.
4. Be open!! There are many ways to skin a cat so consider being open to different people/opportunities/experiences then you were before. You never know what you may be missing if you keep doing things the same old way.
I hope this is helpful. Feel free to add your own thoughts and experiences by responding to this post with how you get through uncertain times.
New blog on jitZul.com
by ardenkaywin, posted 03/31/09 23:26:56
» JitZul Blog
Check out this week's video as I discuss and perform "Let it Go." I've never performed the acoustic version for anyone before, so I'm really excited to share it with all of you! xoxo, Arden
by ardenkaywin, posted 03/16/09 22:04:19
» JitZul Blog
When I was in high school I had a science teacher who was very environmentally conscious. She was really the first person in my life to drive home the point about how serious global warming is and how we contribute to it. Since then, I have tried to do as much as I can to lead a sustainable lifestyle. Last fall while volunteering for the Obama campaign, I learned a lot more about alternative energy. Being in that atmosphere of “Yes We Can” inspired me to think about what I could do to help the cause of renewable energy and sustainable living. As a nation, we are only just starting to see the bigger picture of how our dependence on foreign oil and lack of clean, alternative energy cripples us. So I was thinking about what I might be able to do to help. And then it hit me . . . . .why not do what I do best? Music! Use music to help spread the word about alternative energy and sustainable living. It’s the younger generation that stands to loose the most by being uninformed. We’re the ones who will inherit the energy mess we’re in. But how do you get our generation to pay attention? One great way is to use musicians to spread the message. Let’s use new music to promote new energy!
So I am now putting together The New Energy Tour of exciting up-and-coming recording artists playing FREE shows in college towns and on college campuses across the country garnering attention for and spreading the word about alternative energy and sustainable living. We plan to partner with a major non-profit like ACORE (American Council On Renewable Energy, www.acore.org) or WCRE (World Concil For Renewable Energy, www.wcre.de) along side national retail brands that believe in their message.
A few weeks ago, a friend told me about this really cool website called Ideablob which helps people put their entrepreneurial ideas into action by giving away $10,000 each month to the idea with the most votes. Winning $10k could help me jumpstart The New Energy Tour, so I entered my tour idea to compete for the $10k on Ideablob for the month of March. I hope you will support the cause by voting for the New Energy Tour at http://www.ideablob.com/ideas/4760-ARDEN-KAYWIN-New-Energy-Tour.
The Ideablob contest is just one thing we’re doing to raise the money for this tour. If you work for, or are connected to, any companies or brands that you think would be interested in sponsoring The New Energy Tour, please write me at info@ardenkaywin.com to request more detailed information. Sponsorship is a great opportunity for companies to promote their products/services to the 18-35yr old market while enhancing their brand image by being part of an event that promotes sustainable living. And the best part is, their sponsorship is tax deductible for them through our partnership with the non-profit! I’m very excited about this tour and I welcome any and all ideas and connections that will help us make it happen.
Vote on Ideablob!!
http://www.ideablob.com/ideas/4760-ARDEN-KAYWIN-New-Energy-Tour