A few weeks ago I was performing at one of my favorite Green Markets in South Florida. The main reason I love playing at a venue like this is because there are so many people that I can interact with in my 3-hour gig window. I have to admit though, some of the most inspiring people are the little kids that sit in the grass in front of me and stare as if I'm some world famous superstar. It is amazing to see the innocence in their eyes and realize that they are feeling so inspired by a girl singing under a tent. Over time I see these kids, and it takes me back to when I was their age.
Remember back in those good ol' elementary school days where you had to stand up in front of the class and say what you wanted to be when you grew up? Doctors, vets, astronauts, you know, all the typical dream jobs. But my dream was different. I stood up there and I said that I wanted to be a famous singer. My classmates laughed at me, they told me it wasn't possible, that it wouldn't happen to me, but I fought back with them. How dare they tell me that my dream can't come true? I would stand my ground, look them in the eye, and say, "Oh yeah? Watch me."
There was such a fire in my 8-year-old self. I knew exactly what I wanted and I wasn't afraid to defend myself for something that made me happy. As I grew up I really took on my passion for singing and started with vocal lessons, performing in school musicals, competing in competitions, and when I was 16 I started performing out at restaurants or any venue that would give me a chance. I loved it, it was what I did, it was who I was.
Throughout the next few years I was starting to realize the logistics of this dream. It is time consuming, an extremely competitive industry, and even people that you think are successful may not be financially stable. I was learning about the ins and outs of the music business and everything that goes into it and I'm not going to lie, it was intimidating. Sometimes it feels easier to give up, to just go to school and get a degree so I can have a normal job that will provide me a steady income. But the second I start thinking about giving up I think about myself when I was in second grade, defending my passion and what I was going to accomplish in my life because kids told me that I couldn't do it.
Yes, some days I feel more motivated than others, but no matter road I decide to go down there are going to be harder days. Throwing in the towel won't solve my problems but putting in the work will.
Even though sometimes I want to run, and I want to give up when life gets hard, I can't imagine going back in time and telling myself at 8 years old that my dream wasn't going to come true. That I would have to explain to myself that it wasn't going to come true because I was intimidated, and scared of failing so I just gave up. How could I tell my fierce, passionate self that? The days that feel the hardest are the ones that matter the most to me.
Today I am choosing to not give up on my dream because how can I let the little girl that I once was down? I refuse to let her down because I know I will get where I am meant to be. So whatever dream you have, no matter how big or small, don't give up on it. The young fearless kid inside of you is cheering you on.
