• Most right, right now

    June 17, 2019 - By 

    I wrote the original version of this post via voice-to-text on my drive home from a special evening seeing a new friend perform south of Nashville. (See more here on accommodating creativity.) On this drive, a warmth is over me that I haven’t felt in awhile. Like a hand on my shoulder. The warmth offered by a couple of life cues that tell you you’re going in the right direction, even though you may have no idea what lies ahead. There’s been a noticeable LACK of this feeling in my first few weeks of quiet time at home. (This post…

  • What I learned from my year of travel

    April 12, 2019 - By 

    “Where are you based?”“When do you head home?” I still fumble through the answers to these questions after shows. Throughout the year I tried not to use the word “homeless.” More like “home-free.” Usually I mentioned something about two full-time bands and it not making sense to pay rent anywhere, but I’m still not sure most people fully understood what it meant.No closet. No address. No bed. No desk. No nightstand. No junk drawer… Just minimal clothes stashed in different places in the country, and a daily attempt to make a new place feel like a home. I’ll be forever…

  • How to Travel with an Injury

    March 18, 2019 - By 

    Or in my case, several injuries. Poke around this site and you’ll see plenty of posts outlining my quest and strategies for maintaining mental wellness, but this is often despite physical pain as well. (More here) It’s not easy, but respect for my injuries and taking intentional time to care for them can make travel far more comfortable.Here are my daily practices that make it easier to travel with an injury: 1. Do your exercises. It can be hard to prioritize while traveling, but setting aside mandatory time daily to stretch and do physical therapy exercises helps both mentally and…

  • My Top Travel Buys of 2018

    December 21, 2018 - By 

    Just in time for the travelers on your holiday shopping list!I find myself having lots of similar conversations about products people are curious about, so I’ve created this list to have somewhere to send them! I pride myself in a “minimal stuff, maximum efficiency” lifestyle, and these products help make it possible and enjoyable. (I’m not sponsored by any of these brands. Just love them!) Goat Cell Phone Case My favorite find this year.  I’m pretty sure it’s magic! Peel the cover off and stick to any shiny surface, but the actual case isn’t sticky to the touch.  I’m told…

  • IRELAND | Caring for Creativity

    November 19, 2018 - By 

    I’m sitting in an Irish hotel room after a full Irish breakfast, rain and wind blowing outside, and warm lamplight fills the room. I don’t have anywhere to be until 6pm, and I got my gym workout and computer work done before breakfast. This is the first time on this Irish tour I’ve been able to find all necessary ingredients to sit and be creative. No schedule pressure, work pressure, or appeal of nice weather outside… all is finally quiet, internally and externally. I consider myself an inherently creative person and feel lucky to have a life and career that…

  • 10 Tips for Packing Light & Thinking like a Minimalist

    October 19, 2018 - By 

    Less stuff = less stress. Period. Packing fewer things means fewer decisions to make, less to carry around, and less to clutter a hotel room. Packing light doesn’t mean I spend the trip wishing I’d packed something; the total opposite! It has as much to do with my mental approach to travel as it does my actual preparedness; a combination of developing thoughtful strategies to adapt in the moment and also finding key, versatile items. (See post on staying mentally flexible while traveling here) Learning to pack minimally has been one of the most beneficial aspects of this travel year. Here’s…

  • YELLOWSTONE | Say Yes to Self-Care

    September 23, 2018 - By 

    I sat in the back of a comfy SUV with two of my beloved road moms in the front. We were on our way to spend the afternoon at Yellowstone National Park, and as we drove I felt my “peace zone” spread over me. Without a home base, I find myself feeling relaxed and experiencing the comforts of home in many different places, usually in the care of others, and usually as the result of prioritizing care for myself. I had left the after-party early the night before to ensure a good night’s sleep, ate a good breakfast, and did…

  • MONTANA | Experience Overload

    August 30, 2018 - By 

    I had to acknowledge that my brain and heart can’t capture the quantity and magnitude of these experiences in such a short amount of time without mindfulness, documentation, and carving intentional time to reflect and breath.

  • MONTANA | Savor the Journey

    August 17, 2018 - By 

    The girl on the plane described Montana as “the most beautiful place in the country” and I smiled politely but was not convinced. We arrived at Big Sky at night, and upon opening the curtains the next morning… I got it. Rolling hills, rock formations, mountains, meadows, forests, lakes… and all huge. The sheer number of beautiful landmarks everywhere is staggering. It’s truly our country at its finest, and I’m so happy to say I’ve experienced it firsthand. I was eager to get out and do some hiking, and it wasn’t until we were being dropped off at the trailhead…

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    Hustle vs. Drift: When to take your hands off the wheel?

    July 29, 2018 - By 

    I heard a podcast once that spoke about fighting the “drift.” It advocated not being swept up in life, but instead to seize it. I have the exact opposite problem: I seize it so hard that I don’t always let life unfold organically.   Who do you trust when you take your hands off the wheel? And how often do you trust it/her/them? This is a work in progress for me. I’ve seen time and time again my patience be rewarded with a scenario that was far better than I could have envisioned, but I also fear the complacency of too…