Let me get real with you; it wasn’t until my youngest was born that I started feeling like I was losing myself. Don’t get me wrong, I love being a mom. I just felt this need to have a passion outside of my kids. Something that was for me. I was losing myself in motherhood and could no longer recognize parts of myself that I once loved.
When I started breaking it down, I realized the one thing in my life that never faltered was my love for music. I dreamt of making music. My very first live audience was my oldest son, Tyler. I then had three more kids. That’s a lot of vocal practice. I didn’t realize that raising children was preparing me for my musical career in small and simple ways. My kids can tell you I was always singing and humming, whether paying bills, making dinner, or driving them to school. I gained inspiration from everything around me. I got lost in music on the hardest days, and I still do.
My message for you today is that it’s never too late to pursue a passion. Whatever fantastic endeavor is taking over most of your life is preparing you somehow. Try to embrace the stage you’re in while looking forward to the future with hope and excitement. Do small and simple things that will help carve your path. Focus on things that make you smile and excite you.
One of the most significant milestones in my career was learning how to play the piano. I had four kids at home, but I knew that crossing this hurdle would get me exponentially closer to my goal. Then I learned the guitar. Both of those have been challenging, but they were worth it. I now know how to play two of my favorite instruments, and nobody can take that away. I continue to take weekly piano and guitar lessons. I’m so glad I pushed myself and organized my time well enough to make it happen.
I always knew I wanted to be an entertainer. When I first moved to LA from Canada, I pursued acting and singing. I loved it. I stepped away to raise my children, and the light bulb went off. I I still wanted to be an entertainer, but acting wasn’t going to fill my cup; singing was. Singing was the magical ingredient that put my children to sleep every night. I would sing books to them at bedtime. My favorite artists offered peace to me when I wanted to scream. Music was my therapy, and I wanted to create those feelings for others someday. I can tell you that this journey has not been easy. There has been a lot of mom guilt that often stopped me from stepping away and making music. Lack of self-confidence made me doubt myself again and again…. and again. But those small and simple things eventually became a habit and prepared me to keep going, dreaming, and trying. Sometimes, when I doubted myself, I’d sit and play the piano to remind myself that the outcome doesn’t matter because I’m doing what I love and doing it for myself. Being a mom connected me to music in such a euphoric way. I would be lying if I said I don’t still have days where l doubt myself. Days where my confidence is at an all-time low. But the number one thing that helps me through these feelings is my friends, family, and a lot of prayer.
My greatest advice to young moms with a dream: don’t ever stop dreaming. Don’t ever stop reaching. Don’t let the noise deter you. Find ways to incorporate your passion into your daily life
so that when you’re ready to go full force, you’re prepared to jump in with two feet.
Xox,
Kimberly