Episode 215 | Creative Freedom with MaryGold

In this inspiring episode of The Art of Letting Go, host Mike Brown sits down with the multi-hyphenate artist MaryGold. They dive deep into what it means to create freely, how routines impact creativity, and the importance of defining success on your own terms. Mary shares her journey as an artist, her struggles with routine and structure, and the lessons she’s learned about trusting herself in a world that often tries to shape her identity. If you’ve ever struggled with creative blockages or felt torn between security and passion, this episode is for you.

🔹 How do routines support creativity?
 🔹 The power of creating your own opportunities
 🔹 The balance between personal fulfillment and external expectations
 🔹 Overcoming self-doubt and creative fear
 🔹 The importance of defining success for yourself

Listen in for an honest, soulful conversation that might just inspire you to take a fearless step in your own creative journey.

📌 Follow & Support:

• Subscribe and leave a review!
• Connect with Mary Gold: @muzeume on Instagram

Chapters

• 0:00 Welcome & Introduction – Mike introduces Mary Gold and sets the tone for the conversation
• 0:00 Creative Freedom & Multi-Hyphenate Identity – Mary shares her journey as an artist
• 1:30 Creative Freedom & Multi-Hyphenate Identity – Mary shares her journey as an artist
• 2:30 The Power of Routine for Creatives – How structure can actually fuel creativity
• 5:07 The Myth of the 'Starving Artist' – Shifting from chaos to sustainable creativity
• 7:32 Handling Rejection & Setbacks – Creating your own opportunities
• 12:21 Security vs. Passion – The false sense of stability in traditional jobs
• 16:56 Mindfulness Moment: Meditation by Dat Yoga Dude – A guided meditation on self-care and alignment
• 20:01 Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone – Overcoming fear and self-doubt
• 25:24 Balancing Multiple Art Forms – Music, painting, and allowing creative shifts
• 25:24 Balancing Multiple Art Forms – Music, painting, and allowing creative shifts
• 34:16 Defining Success on Your Own Terms – Letting go of external expectations
• 39:49 Advice for Emerging Creatives – Just start, without overthinking
• 42:19 Five Questions of Freedom – Fun, thought-provoking rapid-fire segment
• 52:33 Closing Thoughts & Call to Action – Encouraging listeners to take creative risks

Transcript

[ 00:00:00 ]Hey everybody, this is Mike Brown and I want to welcome you to this week's episode of The Art of Letting Go. It's Women's History Month and I wanted to bring on a friend, a fellow creative that I'm so inspired by, Mary Gold. She is one of, just one of the freest creatives that I've ever met in my life and we have a really dope conversation in store for y'all. While I have your attention, please be sure to subscribe to the show wherever you listen. Also, leave a review, leave a comment, and I would love to hear from y'all as well. If you look down in the description, there is a link to reach out to me. Send me some questions, send me some feedback, some love. I appreciate it all and y'all enjoy the show.

[ 00:00:45 ] Yo, what's up? This is Mike Brown and this is The Art of Letting Go. Today, I have a special guest in the building. The first time we tried to do this, we were like, 'Oh my God, this is the art of letting go.' We tried to do this, we didn't even hit record, but we had an amazing conversation. That might have been like one of our first conversations. I would say that you are the definition of, like the true definition of a multi-hyphenated artist, creative from music to painting to, you just, you do it all and you do it all in such a free way. And yeah, I just felt like it was a. It's a good time to have a conversation with you. So everybody, welcome to the show.

[ 00:01:30 ] Mary Gold. Thank you for that. Yeah. I do some stuff. It's cool. I don't know if I'm good at everything I do at all, but I, I push myself to do the things that I love. And you give yourself the freedom to do it. So that's really dope. It's so important. How are you feeling today? Today, I'm feeling good. I started going to the gym early in the mornings and it's really given me like the space to like think before entering into my day. So trying to be more intentional about how I get started, especially with me wanting to accomplish so much. I have to give myself grace in order to do that or the space to think things through. And also just. Just kind of working on like my habits, like changes need to be made.

[ 00:02:30 ] So, yeah, like I'm in a good space right now. I think. Yeah, I'm in a really good space. I can't complain at all. For real. I can't complain. That's what's up. And yeah, it's funny you mentioned habits because I feel like. So actually, I'm this month. I'm reading the book Atomic Habits. Oh, nice. But I'm really focusing on like just that routine. That morning routine and even having an adopting like a night routine of just like, how can I end my day to, you know, to prep my next day? And my morning routine has been really helpful, but I'm feeling like I need something else to like enforce, you know, strengthening that. Yeah. For sure. My nights are just chaotic. Like, like, oh, such a blur. Yeah. So I need something to grow.

[ 00:03:26 ] I need something to like, like you said, to kind of like finish off my night. So when I do wake up, it's even more intentional versus putting all that stress on the morning because there's so much stress that's like, ah, got to get my clothes together. Got to do this. Got to do that. It's just like, ah, you could have done that last night. Right. But I'm curious to know, like, what is. How important do you feel routine is for like? Like an artist or creative because, um, you know, when I was younger, I used to feel like having a routine would restrict me and, you know, I like to be free and like in this phase of my life, it's like that almost feels vital for me to even just get through my day.

[ 00:04:11 ] But the same, I mean, I've felt the same way, like routine, like that's, I don't know who put that in your mind. Like, like I never, like I grew up very, um, unorganized too. Like my parents. Kind of like, just let me kind of do whatever. Like, so I didn't really like have a routine. I didn’t have like the foundation that taught me that routines were important. So like, um, and throughout my, most of my creative life, I’ve never thought a routine was even necessary. I thought my unorganized life allowed me to create at a higher, uh, frequency. Um, but now as I’m getting older. And like more experienced in my creative, like, uh, endeavors, like I realize a routine is just so much more helpful, um, to sustain creativity.

[ 00:05:07 ] It’s just like the crash and burn artists. You kind of, you don’t have to do that. You don’t have to be that you can, you know, and I feel like the more healthy you are, the more right in your brain that you are, the more ideas flow and execution actually happens. Because I think. With not having a routine, it’s just like execution might happen every now and then. Like, you know what I’m saying? Like the end goal might not all, you might not always get to the end. And I feel like because you’re so in the moment, you do whatever you want. It kind of just doesn’t matter. And I think that, yeah, you, you know, you don’t have to always follow through with the things that you start and that’s fine.

[ 00:05:48 ] But I feel like it’s something that’s so special about the process of execution. Like seeing. An idea from the concept, you know, the, the initial idea concept all the way to completion. And I feel like having routines, being organized, like setting goals throughout your week that allows for that to happen. Um, and it says it's so, it's so much more fulfilling to be an artist when you are organized, when you have everything together in a sense, not everything. Cause you, you never have anything together, but it's, it just feels. It feels better. You feel better. You feel more, uh, I would say like safe or in your, in your creativity, or you feel more stable, like secure. I think, I think routines give creative security.

[ 00:06:46 ] Um, because what else do you have as a creative, you know, like things happen, things don't happen. Things go your way. Things don't go your way. But as long as you have that consistent piece. Of like working towards something, I feel like that's always going to give you results some way, some, somewhere down the line, you know what I'm saying? So I feel like that's the only like thing that holds you to your creativity. Like, you know, you have faith, right? Faith, but I feel like that routine plus faith is like a game changer. That's so real. Yeah. I'm curious. Cause you know, you mentioned things like going your way and not going your way. I'm curious. I'm curious to know, like, how do you like deal with the things that don't go your way?

[ 00:07:32 ] Hmm. When things don't go my way, I just shift. Like I'm not a big control freak. Like I don't, I don't, I don't like dwell in what I can control and what I can't. And I feel like in a sense, that's kind of like my superpower. Um, and I think it's rooted in trauma. But. But I feel like I am like the master of like, when something doesn't go my way, I'd go another way. Like I figure out another way around it or, um, I put my energy into something that, uh, allows me what the no didn't allow me. Um. Yeah. And there's. There's a lot of, like, you talk about it all the time, like rejection or like things kind of just like, you know, you put so much hard work into a thing and it doesn't mean that people are going to, uh, agree that your hard work deserves opportunity or whatever the case may be.

[ 00:08:46 ] Um, but those people have nothing to do with the opportunity. You know what I'm saying? Like, you could create your own opportunities. I, I. I truly believe in creating your own opportunities, like so when something doesn't go my way, I just create, I create my own thing, um, uh, whatever that looks like and, and what's so freeing about that is the, what you're able to like manifest out of people telling, you know, might be it might feel better than what you thought that that situation was going to give you. And I, and I feel like. I feel like a lot of times, especially as a creative, like when we look at, um, working with brands, working with organizations, or even just saying like, you know what, I'm a let my not like, let my creativity rest and go work a nine to five or something like that.

[ 00:09:43 ] I feel like. We fail to realize like how sometimes how limiting that can be because we're, we just need results, right? Like we just need something tangible. We just need to see the money flow in. We just need to know that something's going to happen. And, and under other people's like guidance or other organizations, um, brand guys or how things are set up, execution can continuously happen like, because it has to. So I feel like sometimes we see that and we marvel at it because in our own situations, like things don't execute as fast. So it's kind of like this: dope. Dope. I mean, that happens or this, like, at least I know here, I'm going to reach some goals because like it, it, there's no other way to like measure your progress or, or, you know, your value.

[ 00:10:42 ] Right. And I feel sometimes we get so caught up in that energy that we forget that, um, or, or even that we lose sight of like our true purpose and what we're doing. Um, so I feel like, and, and we get in those situations and realize, dang, this is not what I wanted, but because all of that, all of those, you know, those things, those positive, it, it keeps us, it holds us because it's like, if I do another thing, like, then I won't get this or I won't have healthcare. I won't like, you know, it's just like little things that it just like makes us so, um, logical, like makes it. So like make our dreams less realistic. Um, but I feel like, I don't know.

[ 00:11:34 ] I feel like I'm rambling, but I want to say that. You make, you make sense though, because you know I'm even looking at my own life and listening to you as I reflect and it's like nobody's doing anything safe. Like having a job, pursuing your dreams, like none of this safe. It's not safe at all. Nothing, nothing safe. But I think one gives you false, more false security than the other. And I feel like sometimes because of that false security, we failed to believe in if we did that for ourselves, like how soon could we turn it around so we could get these things but under our own, like, uh, what makes us feel good? Like what makes us happy?

[ 00:12:21 ] Like, you know, and I don't know, like I'm in this situation right now where it's just like, do I love what I do? Absolutely. I just don't love who I do it for. And, um, it gets to the point where I was just like, I can do these things on my own, but there's the, like, the pros and cons that you have to weigh. Um, but I understand, like, I know how to treat people. Like, I know, like, um, or I feel like I could treat people better, or I feel like I could do more purposeful work. I feel like, you know, where it's just like, uh, what am I doing? Like, why am I doing these things? Like I could go out and do that, do those things and be okay.

[ 00:13:04 ] But then it's just like, uh, healthcare rent, like all. And it's just like, I think the real, the real, like the real thing is like, how do you silence that? So you can go and live your purpose or like, what do you do to. Ignore that, like faith, of course, faith, right? But faith doesn't cancel out the little voice in the back of your head, you know, all the time. Um, and I, I think it's, I think it really requires giving yourself some grace to like, I think we have been programmed away for so long that like, it might take us just as long to get out of that program. And so it's like, while you're figuring it out, like really giving yourself grace to like, you know, yeah.

[ 00:13:56 ] This, this is my safety right now, but the safety is also giving me comfort to do, you know, this other thing that I want to do. And I'm, I'm trying to find a balance in that. Because I could be so one-sided or the other of like, it has to be this, or it can't be that. And really trying to find my footing in it. Like, you know, I haven't, I haven't worked a traditional job in maybe like two years and I feel open to one, but one that fits what I want to do right now. And I can't just go to a job just to pay my bills because it's like, that's, that's going to affect everything else that I have going on. I a hundred percent agree with you.

[ 00:14:36 ] And I feel like, why can't we let everything be a thing like at once, you know, like it's okay. If you want to go work 20 hours a week at some, at a place that is, has organization and then take the other hours and put it into things that you want to do to orchestrate the life that you want to live. My dad, he's a geologist, so he has a very logical brain. And when I was growing up, I, I didn't really know what I wanted to do. And he was just like, 'just go be a geologist.' Like, you're financially set, like, and he was just like, through that, you're going to be able to do whatever you want. And I just couldn't get past, go be a geologist, right?

[ 00:15:18 ] Like, I couldn't get past that because it's like, I could never see myself being that thing. Like, I don't resonate with it. It's like, I don't know. It, it doesn't interest me at all. It's like, I didn't hear the part of that is going to allow you to do whatever you want. And I feel like if I understood what he was trying to say, and maybe not even a geologist, I could have done that with anything. Right. I would have understood the message of what he was trying to tell me. It was just like, pretty much, I feel like he was telling me, you're going to have to sacrifice upfront to get what you want. And there's no way around it. It's James Woods, AKA That Yoga Dude, with Feel Free to Feel Free. Did you pour yours yet? Pour it into yourself from whatever source you require to feel great, your best, amazing. Before you share, before you give all your energy. Your time, you, to others, pour up, pour up a big cup for yourself. Taking a deep inhale. And a long, slow exhale. Just taking the time to relax the body and the mind.

[ 00:16:56 ] And be aware. Are you full? Have you poured into yourself?

[ 00:17:12 ] Are you conscious of the things you need?

[ 00:17:20 ] Are you receiving as much as you're giving? Aligning yourself with everything you need.

[ 00:17:36 ] I feel present, peaceful, calm.

[ 00:17:46 ] In a place where you can give and still have for yourself. And that's all I have. Always feel free to feel free, namaste peace. But from people I've studied like every great person that we look up to has a sacrificial story of what they had to do in order to be in the places that gave them the opportunity that put them in a space where they can show up as the person they want to be a hundred percent of the time. Um, so it's just like dang, like that makes so much sense. So now as I move through life, of course, I understood the lesson later on down the line. It's just like I

[ 00:18:31 ] was like, okay cool, like I'm not super embedded in the in my work uh for this company because I understand that this is just like a start to get me where I want to go and, okay, I have to have energy when I come home to like do art, I have to have this energy to like do the things I want to do because if not, the nine to five means nothing, like I'm just doing it just to do it and um, so I think it's the understanding that you got to give something up, you got to you got to work hard, and and something potentially that you don't care about or that doesn't even align with your purpose, just potentially, just meet up with your purpose or bump into purpose, you know what I'm saying.

[ 00:19:13 ] So I never think that You're somewhere without coincidence, like I think everything is coincidental. Right? Like, who knows, you might do that thing that has to happen, but you're not really doing nothing to do with anything just to meet somebody that aligns with the thing that actually you're supposed to be doing. Um, and it could happen that way, but if you don't put yourself out there, put yourself in positions to like even do the thing, nothing happens. So um, yeah, and it's a I don't know, and I feel like sometimes when I talk it's from like a space of like um an anomaly because people think like well that's just how you are, it's like no, this isn't I, I promise you.

[ 00:20:01 ] This is not how I am like this is learned behavior, like it is learned behavior, um, because if I decided to be the person that I naturally am, I would be I wouldn't talk to you, because I'm shy, I'm so shy and nobody believes this but super shy, very um, you know, to myself, and I knew in order to be the person I wanted to be, I had to like I couldn't do that, I had to get on stage, I had to like say something, I had to build that up, and there was lots of times where I got on stage and like it was terrible but I just knew if I didn't go out of my way to do those things I wouldn't be the person I wanted to be, and a lot of times people are just you know sitting on themselves.

[ 00:20:51 ] They're just not putting themselves in positions to actually accomplish the things, and I feel like it's it turns into maybe it's not meant for me or or you know, like um, maybe I'm supposed to be doing something else or whatever the case may be. It's just like how many times did you actually try? Yeah, I mean, how many times did you put yourself in a position that was gonna like change that situation or how many solutions did you come up with? Like, you know it's a lot. Yeah, um, something that came up for me as you were talking, um, I just wanted to know, like what is the difference if there is one, like do you feel like there's a difference between Mary, Gold, and Denisha, absolutely yes, I do.

[ 00:21:40 ] Two totally different people. Um, I feel like there's a time where um you know, people who know me as Denisha, and then there's people who know me as Mary. Like those people know two totally different people, and it's so crazy because I feel like the people who know me as Mary think that I'm very destructive; they think that I'm very like this-I don't have no rules to life or like I don't know what they think, but it's like, so far from like the truth. And I think um, when like I have a few people that I've met through music that have become like... I don't know what they think, but I don't know what they Like some of my closest friends and they're just like, oh you cook, oh you, you do this, oh you do that, oh uh, you like being at home, like yes I do, I don't like going outside that much, like I'm very homebody.

[ 00:22:42 ] I was raised in a certain way, like with certain type of people in a certain household that I hold those traditions and morals and values very dear to me, so that's just how I operate. It's funny that you use the word destructive because, like, when I think of Mary Gold prior to like getting to know you, I think the word that came up for me was, like, 'pompous.' As I got to know you, I was like, you are completely opposite of Mary Gold. But that's that's dope, that you know you're able to turn it on and off because people tell me that about like podcasting, like I could be like the quietest shyest person in the room and as soon as this microphone is on, it's just like I'm gonna be like I'm gonna be like I'm gonna be like I'm gonna be like I'm on you know, yeah, I think it's so interesting.

[ 00:23:28 ] Um, I think I've used Mary to live out certain parts of me that don't fit in my normal life to the point where it's just like all the things like that I was, I wasn't able to do younger; I just kind of pushed through this like persona of like a person that I think that that. Person is pretty cool, you know, like I wouldn't be that person in real life or like on a daily basis, but it's it feels it feels freeing to allow myself to, um, to be able to make these decisions on like, through a temporary basis, um, and it's so, it's so interesting because I feel like people, like the mystery of that, like people like to engulf themselves and, um, i don't know, i guess, like different types of personas or personas that they feel like they are also relatable to that they can't necessarily be on their day-to-day and i think that that's just what Mary represents it's just like very much of a freeing, um,

[ 00:24:41 ] freedom in a sense and I, I, I feel like that's just what I wanted to push freedom, like you could be whoever you wanted to be or you could do whatever you wanted to do, like you shouldn't be judged on the decisions that you make or the choices you make as long as you're being a good person, but you know what I'm saying, like it was just a way for me to like communicate, like um my thoughts that didn't necessarily fit in my normal life, my regular life, I don't know, now that makes sense, that makes sense, and um, you know something else that's coming up for me right now is just like I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know how.

[ 00:25:24 ] Do you give yourself the space, like I said, you're able to turn that on and be Mary Gold and be the musician, but then you're able to like go do art and you know we talked a little earlier about like pivoting and you know to be in a place where people are like looking for music for you wanting music for you and to say nah I'm actually feeling something else and I'm gonna focus somewhere else. How do you give yourself the freedom to do that? Um, I think it's been a struggle for me because I I do have a sense of like wanting to please people, um, but I think um I've come to the understanding that this journey through art music has always been About me, um, and it's one of the only times that I make things about me, um, because I feel like I'm a very uh selfless person just on my day-to-day.

[ 00:26:25 ] So when I do music, when I'm doing art like this, it's for me. This is like my way of putting myself first, um, and um, I have to honor what that looks like or you're not gonna get the the things that you admire about me the most, um. So I have to be very like uh conscious about what that looks like and and the voices that I hear, um, within myself, the little voice, and me really listening to myself so I can be the person that I need to be for not only myself but for those who are also inspired by my work. It's like um, everything kind of flows together so the art inspires the music, the music is inspired by the life I live, um whether I'm being Mary Gold or whether I'm being Denisha or um just a day-to-day music I'm inspired by the music I'm inspired by the music I'm inspired by the

[ 00:27:24 ] interactions with like the people I love the people I come in contact with um it's just an authentic journal of just like who I am um and to me from my you know experiences that's what resonates most with the people who listen to my music so if that's the case then I have to honor myself because if I don't it's not going to resonate, it's not going to feel the same, you're Not going to get the same feeling when um I release the thing um it's going to just kind of be you know it's just kind of going to mesh what everything else is happening so I got to make sure that I'm good because the art isn't going to be good if I'm not good yeah that's true so like that's just my whole thing like just it's really just it's really about

[ 00:28:24 ] me so yeah um and I I understand like the conversation of people who say you know like the music's for the the people the music you know but it's just like I don't see myself in a place where I'm consistently giving to my to to others and in return you know like I'm just kind of like on. The back end, uh, so art music is where, yes, it's it's probably one of the few places I put myself first and I would say even throughout like my career, people will find it really hard to work with me in the music space and now in the art space too. Why do you think that is? Because I put myself first and it's because here I have boundaries. Here I'm not gonna let you tell me who I am.

[ 00:29:19 ] Here I'm not gonna let you tell me what to do, because it's it's mine and as long as it's mine, you have no say. Now if you want to help, you're gonna listen to me like you're gonna hear what I gotta say like you're gonna hear what makes me feel comfortable and if you Don’t like that, then we shouldn't like; we shouldn’t do anything together. It’s it’s you don’t understand me the way I need you to, so yeah, um, there’s no way you can help me and and people are very offended by that. Like I’ve had conversations where it’s just like, you want creative direction, don’

[ 00:29:55 ]t want to work with you, then like and it’s because like I give in every other way; you want to come to dinner, I will serve you food, like I will like you won’t have to do anything, I will wash every dish, like you can come and stay, like hey, like whatever, what do you need, like hand and foot right but here is like mine it’s like yeah it’s it’s where. i get very um possessive over the things that like i do and i um musically artistically and it's because it's me like when i go out on the stage it's me putting my emotions and my mental like my mental on the line so i can't allow anyone to have control over that yeah like because you're not the one out there like you're not the one being vulnerable

[ 00:30:54 ] you know like you don't have to um deal with the consequences of telling your truths and things like that so i get very like sorry not this one sorry i don't know and a lot of people i wrote people wrong but you know it's a thing and and um i'm not sorry about it either and i feel like people Who understand they get it, and people who don't, it's just like you know we could still be friends but we can't work here so, and I, I receive that as you like really just trusting yourself and your ideas um I feel like I'm the same way like when I have an idea and I'm clear on it like it's hard for me to receive somebody else's idea that isn't as clear as me like I've and at the same time I've had people that have, I've had people that have like I've had people that have like I've had

[ 00:31:54 ] given me things and and it may bring something up in me and I ask myself like am I pushing against this for control am I pushing against it am I resisting. This because I might need to go there and sometimes I do need to go there, but a lot of times it's like people give ideas without even having their own clarity on it so it's like if if you're not clear it's not gonna sell me on wanting to receive that idea absolutely I feel the same too like I'm always gonna weigh or I'm always gonna think about what you said but if I come to you with an idea it's because my idea is crystal clear like and that's just the type of person I am like my ideas are clear, the thing the thing about people that keeps me especially in this space music especially in music that keeps me from taking their ideas is.

[ 00:32:44 ] Because I truly don't know if you know who I am, and I think that that's one thing that um consistently comes up because like there's like the idea of me, and then there's actually me. I feel like when people push their own ideas on you or their own perceptions, it's really important whether or not they see you like because if you don't see me, then you just want me to be someone that you want me to be. And I think that that for me, that's always been an issue um with people wanting to shape my identity because they think that they know better for me than I do and um I've come to the understanding and um the security of understanding. Like, I know what's best for me and I trust myself; I trust myself the most.

[ 00:33:34 ] And I feel like when you don't trust yourself, you do allow people to like direct you in ways that you don't feel comfortable um, and I'm just at a place where it's just like, 'Look if this doesn't work out, and I gotta try this for like the next 10 years to get it done the way I wanted to do it. I'm completely fine with that.' And I think it's because, like, I'm not in it for the end result; I'm in it for the experience. Like, I'm in it for the the people I meet; I'm in it for the interactions that I have; I'm in it for the lessons that I learned. So, I don't care it takes me 20 years to get to the execution.

[ 00:34:16 ] Like, um, it's not really the, the, the phase of the process that mattered the most to me, yeah, so and I think was dope, something that that I'm learning and doing. It sounds like what you're doing is also like just creating, like, what this journey is for you and what success is for you as opposed to, like, you know what's been sold to us as this idea of success. And I'm curious to know, like, what advice would you give to like the creatives that are listening about just how you're going to define their own success? I feel like it's always important to go with your initial feeling of what feels good. Um, when I was younger, I always wanted to live In like a shipping container home, uh, have like a little farm like nothing too crazy, like I didn't want to live like a crazy lifestyle, um, but that was what I wanted for me.

[ 00:35:21 ] But when I would tell other people that's what I wanted, they would think I was crazy, like they were, 'You're gonna be happy in that?' And just like, yeah, I'm gonna be happy like this, this is what I want. And I feel like as time goes on with people, like you, allowing people to like get to your, you know, get to you, you start considering and like rethinking what your life looks like right, and their responsibilities start coming in, and those responsibilities start to change. With that initial understanding of what's going on, and what's going on, and what's going on, and what's going on, and like the lifestyle that you want it'll it'll

[ 00:35:57 ] start to change it, and I feel like I wish that I didn't allow people to change the way I saw life for me, like and of course, like there's things that are going to come into you know your life that's going to like alter how you feel about a thing, but let it alter how you feel because it's genuinely how you feel, not because people sound more logical than what you think. And I've never been logical, I've never been logical in my life, like and I think that listening to how like people Demonize, like um, the dreamer mentality or people demonize like you not being logical. I think hearing that and like understanding it through growing up made me shift how I think about life a little bit, and I feel like I wish I didn't do that-I wish I just should have just liked stuck to like my own mentality no matter how unrealistic it felt to other people because like I feel like

[ 00:37:07 ] things that are unrealistic matter to the person; it's not universal, it's not a universal thing, right? Like, and I, and I feel like that's just the most important thing-it's just like, know you, know what you want, it doesn't matter how unrealistic it is like i got a friend right now right and um me like me and my friends we talk about it all the time of how like la you know like moving to la is so expensive like you know that's a logical thought it is expensive right i have a friend right now who works two days a week two days a week and she lives in la and she's not she's not rich

[ 00:37:54 ] or anything but she lives a great she lives a great comfortable life in la like she doesn't overextend herself she doesn't do any of those things and what we would think we need to move to la and what she thought she needed to move to la completely different yeah you know what i'm Saying, but for her it was such a realistic thing and everybody around her is just like, 'You're not gonna make it six months you're not gonna do what she's like, like going on two years living in LA, fine, fine. But it's it's really like, what do you think? Like, what's your reality because your reality could be completely different from other people's and as long as you allow people to like kind of like chip away at like, at your thoughts with logic, it's just like the moment like things can start shifting like out of your control out of your like, like I didn't want.

[ 00:38:51 ] And later on, you realize, like, damn, I didn't want that, like, that's not really What I wanted, so I feel like it's really important to have your own like understanding of what possibility is or what possibility means, um, because it's different for everyone, yeah, um. One more question for for this segment and then we'll move into the next segment but um, what advice would you give to the person that is just I guess afraid to explore their creativity, you know? I think so many people think in order to be creative, you have to pursue it professionally, but just to just to sit and just draw, just make a song and just create. I feel like it's such it's so easy to give somebody some advice right like and say you should just do this but I understand like there are real like mental blockages

[ 00:39:49 ] that will stop a person from doing what the next person might feel like is simple um and I think even I struggle to tell my friends and like in my day like my day-to-day life like giving them encouragement to like get them up and moving and doing things um you know that could potentially put fear in their lives or put fear in their in their mind um and I feel like sometimes you just gotta do it on autopilot like um and it's it's easier said than done but I think it's just showing up and just doing the thing not even thinking about it like don't even think about It don't even think about the outcome, don't think about sharing on social, don't think about it going anywhere.

[ 00:40:45 ] It's just something, just between, if you're drawing the paper and you're drawing the paper and you're drawing the paper and you're drawing the paper, whatever you're doing journaling um, starting that podcast or whatever the case may be is just like you don't have to share with anyone. It it could just be a thing that sits in your room or it stays on your computer like nobody has to know and I feel like that's the first initial step, it's just the act of doing the thing that you really want to do um and I feel like if you Build the habit of doing that thing, you'll start to get comfortable with it. Now, it doesn't mean that you're gonna feel comfortable sharing it; that's a completely different thing.

[ 00:41:22 ] But at least you're building the muscle of doing the thing that you are most afraid of, and um, it's just a start, and it's so cliché to say because I'm pretty sure everybody has the same answer. Uh, but it's the truth-it's like you just have to start and do the thing. And I used to like, um, just fantasize about life, without me doing music, like I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know, I don't know; like, I really wanted to do music so bad, and a lot of people told me I couldn't sing but I was just like but what would my life be like if I just never do this thing like would I be okay like I don't want to you know go away from this world thinking I could have done done this thing like that you know that could change my life because I was scared of like opening my mouth or singing or whatever the case may be so

[ 00:42:19 ] what your life would be like if you just never do the thing like would you be content with what that looks like um I hope not right like I hope not so but yeah that's dope all right this next portion of the podcast is called five questions of freedom brought to you by feel free to feel free you can answer these questions any way you like um so I'm just gonna give them to you and and you answer them with whatever whatever context you take from it but the first one is the woods or the beach the beach I live on a beach now I need to go to the beach more actually but the beach for sure that's what's up painting or music music okay that's what's up if I had to answer honestly music for sure like I paint when there's blockages in music like if somebody tell me no and music I'm gonna go paint just just know that so if you see me painted it's somebody told me no that's hilarious oh man uh third question is if you could work On music with anybody who would it be and why,

[ 00:44:03 ] if I could work on music with anybody, hmm, who would it be? Does okay, so if I could work on music with anybody, who would it be? If I could work on music with anybody, it would be people who are scared to make music. I love that. And people who like just can't, like they want to do it but they just can't see themselves or anyone who's just like me. I did it, but I can't do it anymore, like that's who I would work with because I feel like we get so caught up in our heads about doing it that you know we can't do it anymore. I can't see outside of that, and I feel like I was I was talking to Currency about this or he doesn't.

[ 00:44:56 ] really talk he's like a one word like one sentence through text type of person and I asked him I was like do you uh do you experience creative I mean like writers are like block blockages and he's like no and I was just like that's the superpower because I don't either yeah And I feel like that's, I feel like I feel so much alike with him in the sense of like, we could probably go right now and make 10 songs and not think about it at all. And I feel like there's not a lot of people who could do that. Like, it's a, it's like a small percentage. Right. I don't know. I could be wrong. I don't know the percentages. But you know what?

[ 00:45:40 ] And, and I, I think that, that comes from a level of like, just not holding yourself back. Because I think I used to be one of those people who get blocked and stuff like that. And I think once, and, and I'll be honest, my partner was the one that told me like, and he wasn't necessarily talking about me, but he was just talking in general. And he was just like, you know, all that, like, I got to make music at night and I can't have this and have that. He was like, that's such bullshit. Like people just gotta make music. And I heard that and I received it because it was like, that's so true. Because I, I, I used to talk that shit. Oh, it has to be daytime for me to, oh, it doesn't.

[ 00:46:17 ] Like, just make the fucking song. I'm telling you, I'm telling you, it doesn't, it don't have to be any of those things, but we get so in our head. Like there's a time I, I used to feel like I can't make a song unless I'm high. Like that's a lie. Like that is the biggest lie that I told myself. But I think it's those little things that we tell ourselves, you know, the things that we need in order to do the thing or, um, the thing that we don't need or whatever the case may be. We, we do it to the point where it, it keeps us still and it keeps us from doing nothing. And I'm like, that's one thing is just like, I don't, I don't, I don't deal with that blockage.

[ 00:47:00 ] Like it's not, it hasn't been a thing for me. Um, so. It's just like, ah, I would love to like help people understand that it doesn't have to be a thing for you either. Yeah. Yeah. That's what I would do. Yeah. That's who I would make music with. I love that. Because I, I feel that like, and I think that's why I do the work that I do with the artist way, just to kind of show people like it, you can do literally whatever you want to do. Like it's every, every song is not going to be a great song. Every painting is not going to be a great painting. Like just do it. And you'll find, you'll find that one that speaks to you, you know, or, or, you know, whatever, whatever is supposed to be out in the world will be out in the world.

[ 00:47:43 ] How it's supposed to be. That's how I feel. That's dope. My fourth question is what advice would I give to my younger selves? Hmm. I would tell myself that the people, people that tell you that you can't honestly don't know you like, and don't listen at all. Like they don't know you. So you're capable of so much. And like, you just don't even know it. Like, like I don't even think my younger self understood like at all. Like the potential. The potential that I had. Like, I didn't know what I cared. Like, I didn't know anything. Like, you know, like you're only, you're only as good as your environment. Like, so if nobody's in your environment is doing things that pique your interest or gain your attention. Nobody's doing music.

[ 00:48:54 ] Nobody's doing art or whatever the case may be. Like, you just don't know. Like, you know, and I feel like my younger self was just kind of like, I don't know. Like, like, you know, to the point where it's just like, well, whatever happens, happens, you know, I'm not gonna force anything. I'm not gonna. But I feel like through that, right. A lot of people saw that within me as like, she doesn't know what she's doing. She's like, she's lost. Like, you know, like, what's going on with her? Like, in a sense. And like, to the point where I don't think people actually saw my light. Because there was nothing illuminating me. Like, so there was, there wasn't much light. You know what I'm saying?

[ 00:49:42 ] So I think just, you know, like, just when people tell you you can, just, just know you can. Like, it's, it's not even that serious. Like, don't even, don't even trip. Like, that's what I would, the advice I would give my younger self. That's dope. Is what is a reminder you want to give to a future version of yourself? Mmm. Reminder. I want to remind myself that. It's okay to have a life that doesn't align with others. It's okay to have a life that doesn't make people feel comfortable. It's really not about them. It's about you. It's about you and what you want to accomplish and what, you know, how you see your life panning out. So how do people feel? Like, it doesn't matter. Like, you ain't got to check in with no one.

[ 00:50:50 ] You know, like, you get an idea, you want to call, like, three people and say, what do you think about this? Like, that's, that's not for you. You don't have to do that. And I think that that's something that definitely. I need to tell myself now. And I'm pretty sure I need to tell myself in the future. It's just like. The opinions of those don't matter, it doesn't really matter what they think about the things that you want to accomplish, because at the end of the day, in my opinion, like seven times out of 10, they're not going to see it. They're not going to get it until you get it and you execute. So, you know, like a lot of times people get upset about people.

[ 00:51:33 ] People not seeing, you know, their vision or not believing in them or whatever the case may be. And it's just like, it's not for them, too. It's for you, too. You got to believe in yourself. You have to do the thing that, you know. Let them know that you are actually the person that you think you are. So. Yeah. It's like you don't have to check in. Like your life is your life and you should trust yourself enough to know that you're going to do the right thing. And that, yeah, you're going to make people proud and you don't have to call them and remind them of the progress you've made. That's beautiful. Shoot. Can you let the people know where they could find you? OK, so you can find me on Instagram at MuseumMU.

[ 00:52:33 ] Right now, my profile is private, but it's because I'm going to start beta testing some of my music through my private account, which I'll be sharing publicly in the future somewhere else. But I think it's like I want to cultivate community through music. And, you know, for people who have been following me. For a while, who probably follow me because of music, like I want them to be able to really experience the, you know, the journey of me making music in a way that feels personal. So, yeah. That's dope. Mm hmm. Thank you for coming on the show. I really do appreciate this. Like this felt like a great way to start the week. Yes. Yeah, I appreciate you so much. You're actually so inspiring to me. Like today. I appreciate that. I'm so, I was reading one of Tab with the Browns' book. It's about like doing 30 things differently every day or something like that. And the first thing is like do something fearless. So I was like, I'm talking to Mike today. I'm actually after this going to go to the park, sit and record the first piece of like my podcast. That's fire!

[ 00:54:08 ] So ODTU in the park. That's dope. I used to record. So I'm going to try that today. See how it goes. It might not be perfect, but I'm going to try it. I just love the fact that you even doing it. Like, yeah, give yourself give yourself at least two minutes to just see what comes up. And You might You might end up doing 20, You know. All right. I'm going to try. We'll see. I'm nervous. But yeah, I'm doing that today. So that's what's up. Well, if y'all listening, make sure when you finish this episode, you go do something fearless in your journey. Something creative. And yeah, send it to us. We want to hear it. See it. Tag us on Instagram. I love that. Yeah. Thank y'all so much.

[ 00:55:02 ] So much. Of course. Thank you. No, it's all good. It's all good. And thank y'all so much for tuning in. This is Mike Brown. And this is the art of letting go. Peace. Thank you, everybody, for tuning into this week's episode of the art of letting go. If you like what you heard, please be sure to subscribe to the podcast wherever you listen. Also, leave us a review. Please subscribe to the newsletter. Also, we love to hear from y'all. So, it's a link in the description. You can send us questions. You can send us comments, whatever you want to send me and I will respond. So, I'm thankful to everybody for tuning into the show. We also have a Patreon. If you would like to subscribe to that, we give out exclusive content, you know, just a whole lot going on. It's a whole lot going on in the art of letting go universe. And I appreciate y'all for being a part of it. Thank you for listening. See you on the next one.