Author : Tracee Perrin

As anyone who has ever moved to a new city, or started a new job, family, school, etc. knows, change can really shift your souls’ center. Even when you know it’s coming, it may never quite turn out how you envisioned. In my not super recent but still kind of recent move to Nashville from Los Angeles to say my souls’ center was shifted would be a gross understatement. This transition shook me in ways I did not anticipate. It shook me musically, personally, financially, emotionally and even physically. When people asked me how it was going in Nashville I wanted to so much to deliver all roses and sunshine but it just wasn’t and I started to dread the inquiry. I really started to lose sight of the reasons my family and I moved here. All that was compounded by the pressure to get out there and play my music to new audiences and work on building a new network of friends, fellow artists, songwriters and musicians. Talk about just keeping your head above high water…I was exhausted.

Then, one day I was having a coffee meeting with a fellow artist I’d met an open mic. She had recently relocated back from NYC and had experienced many of the same things that I was going through. It surprised me because she seemed to fit in so well here and had light about her every time I’d seen her. I was curious as to how she managed to find that light again. Her advice to me was to find something that fulfills me and brings me joy, other than music, and do it. Sounds so simple, right? But for me, I realized I had no idea what that was anymore. I hadn’t really done any non-music related thing for myself in a VERY long time. I guess I buried those things underneath new motherhood, being a wife, running a household, preparing to move, etc. Who the f!*k has the time or energy at the end of the day, ya know? I’m not sure at what point I thought I would find my way back to those things but I just got used to putting everyone else’s needs above my own.

A few months after that coffee conversation I started taking an hour out of the day, 1-2 days per week to work out. Not that I love to workout, but at least it was an hour to focus completely on myself without interruption. It got me out of the house, connecting with nature and the world around me. Next, I remembered that I LOVE ice cream. So, I started making my own! Now, this made the workouts counter productive, but I made it and ate it anyways. Yeah, I was feelin’ real good! Other things I’ve discovered that make me are happy toddler-free time at Target (silly, but true), reading non-music business related books (yup, read the first one of those in 2 years!), cocktails-Margaritas in particular but I’m learning to love Whiskey ones too! I recently also started a household gratitude chart. It hangs on the freezer so I can see it every time I reach for some ice….cream (hehe!).

This spring/summer I look forward to French classes, planting a garden and joining a softball team, which may prove a VERY bad idea, but hell- yeah only live once, truth?

So, while I’m still not 100% sure about how/if I fit into this Nashville life, I’ve enjoyed getting to know myself again. I’ve learned to be more forgiving of myself and I continue to practice being more present and accepting of exactly where I am.