I believe that each of us is born with the desire—and ability—to express ourselves in a unique way, and to share that self-expression with others. The more we give voice to that self-expression—in whatever way most resonates for us—the better we feel; and the better we feel, the more engaged we are with everyone and everything around us. How could we help but be more loving and forgiving as a result? If you can relate to this in your experience, congratulations! Thanks for all that you do, and please keep doing it! If you have yet to experience this for yourself, please take heart; your unique gift is alive and well in you and it WILL manifest—it’s why you’re here, and it’s what you’ve come to share! Here’s a big clue: What makes you feel the most alive? DO IT, and see what unfolds!

For me, the positive value that self-expression most communicates to the world is oneness. We ALL want to share our gifts—our hearts—and the more we do, the more we encourage others to do the same. Because we ARE the same: We all feel joy, we all feel sadness, we all feel anger, we all feel fear—and we all love. The self-expression that engages us most is that which reminds us of our oneness. Who hasn’t heard a song or watched a movie that has brought them to tears, made them laugh or energized them? Better yet, who hasn’t been in the middle of a family gathering or crowd and participated in a group song, dance, or creation of something? Aren’t we ALL transformed by those moments of shared experience and connection? Don’t they change how we see the world and how we live in it?

Music is the way that I most fully express myself, and it has been for most of my life. Looking back, the gift of all of the years of working at my craft—composing, recording, practicing, performing—is in seeing how I have matured, both as an artist and as a man. As an artist, my path is less and less about “me” and more and more about “we”; as a man, my path is about choosing to live with an open heart and being 100 percent accountable for my actions. In every moment, music is my compass, and it allows me to both fly freely AND to stand firmly on solid ground; and everywhere I go, I am blessed to be able to share my gifts and to encourage others to share their gifts as well. As I’m fond of saying when I’m performing, “I love my job!” Blessings to you on YOUR journey!