That took me somewhere dark. I could not find joy in my own life, and the maddening part is that my life was good. I had a steady job. A healthy family. A beautiful wife and daughter. We could pay the bills, buy groceries, do something fun, and I did not have to brace myself before checking the bank account. And the joy was still gone. So I started looking for it in stuff. I spent a lot of nights on Pinterest scrolling through clothes and haircuts, and at one point I went so far as to book a tattoo appointment for a big tiger on my arm (I have no tattoos, and I did not show up for that one either). I was chasing an image. Something that would let me feel young, hold people's attention, and make up for lost time. Meanwhile my actual beautiful life was going by right in front of me and I was not present for it.

"That was the beginning of an inner battle I still face today, because it turns out this choice gets made every day. It was never a one-time decision. Every morning when I get up to work a desk job, I make that choice. Every time I turn down an opportunity because it conflicts with our plans as a family, I make that choice. Every time I think about going on the road and leaving my family to make memories without me, I choose to stay. I know I'm making the right decision, but the music still calls me."

These past couple of months have been a whirlwind. These past couple of weeks have been an absolute hurricane. Never would I have thought that a single moment forever change my outlook and perspective on life, which took place on April 23. On that fateful day, I became a dad.

Hello friends! If you’re a follower of this blog, then you probably have noticed my absence in posting for the entire month of February. However, if you follow me anywhere else such as: facebook, instagram or twitter, then you know why that reason is. If you still don’t know, let me share with you.

So maybe you’re an aspiring songwriter, or a seasoned one. I urge you, regardless of your experience, to always search for inspiration. Write as much as you can. Re-write songs you have put away in the top drawer and see how you can better tell your story or truth. Listen to your favorite artists and take everything you can from them. Be inspired and let your songs come to life in a brand new exciting way.

Everyday it can feel like a struggle to keep focus. And there have been many times where I have taken my eye off the prize, and thus I suffer the consequences. Loss of focus = time wasted. Time wasted = opportunity lost.

To be clear, I’m not pretending to be someone who is a savant at time management. What I am saying is that I’m trying to be better, and I think that matters. Maybe you reading this feel like you want to be better too. And that's great. Maybe along the way we can keep each other accountable to help reach our goals. Just know you’ll mess up along the way, and that it’s ok to mess up. What matters is that you wake up trying everyday. And everyday you realize your growth and find yourself one step closer in your dreams becoming a reality.

What if every move or decision you made directly affected someone else? The clothes we wear, the food we eat and which street we take would directly affect someone else's life. I bet all of us would be ten times more careful and intentional in our decision making. I do believe there is truth to the statement “everything matters to everyone”