Photo Courtesy: Julie Eisenberg
I have been doing this music caper for twenty years.
However, I have only believed in myself for the past five years and in that time I have achieved much more than the fifteen years preceding it.
I don't remember that moment when I finally climbed up the top of the mountain and put my flag of belief into the summit but I remember the feeling of knowing that it was okay to be doing what I am doing and it was also okay to be ME.
I can't tell you how to believe in yourself, only you can do that but I can tell you that if you are lacking in belief then you are not alone.
We live in a world that is not overly tolerant to artistic endeavours. I mean just the other day I had someone ask me at a party the most boring question.
Q - "What do you do for a living?"
A - "I am a musician"
Q - "Oh, that's nice. So what is it that you really do?"
That really threw me back. I was initially insulted but I proudly answered that being a musician was my 'real job'.
We as musicians are always being told that we:
1. Can never make a living out of a hobby
2. Need something to fall back on (just incase this 'music thing' doesn't work out)
3. Should go and get a real job.
If you do have a day job, I am certainly not telling you to give it up.
All I am saying is that when you have belief in yourself and what you do any decision that you make is made for you only, not to appease well meaning friends or family.
Be proud of what you do but don't be too proud to not take advice from people that have trodden the path that you are about to take. Use this channel for instance to ask any question that you want. I will only give you encouragement because I have been there myself.
Always remember, no matter how many articles you read, how many courses you take, how many bands you play in or how many gigs you do, you can't get others to believe in you unless you start believing in yourself.
Starting tomorrow, go and look at yourself in the mirror and tell yourself that you deserve to be a musician and that you are not going to feel guilty about it.
After that its time to go forth and ROCK (or country or punk or whatever you do!
By Corey Stewart