SO LONG SOMEDAY

English: KISS playing at Sauna Open Air 2010, during their Sonic Boom Over Europe Tour. Location Tampere, Finland (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Brian Perry is a musician, song writer, motivational speaker and life long believer in saying, "yes" to now instead of "someday"and here's why...




SO LONG SOMEDAY…

When Kathy Brunner was kind enough to ask me to contribute here, she told me that her blog was about people who are living their passions sharing how they got there. I find that a challenging and interesting question because, though I feel deeply passionate about the things I've been honored to do, I feel far from arriving – at least not where I thought I’d be.

I find myself saying “Yes” a lot these days and “Thank You.” I guess I should explain. Late last summer, I got a call from one of my oldest friends in the world asking if I would be interested in helping a company called Sixthman out on their “KISS Kruise.”

Is that some sort of romantic cruise, I asked?
“No, no. The rock band KISS!” he responded.
“Oh…um, yes and thank you!”

Let’s back up a little further. Before this phone call I was in one of those “without a paddle kind of times.” The ones when you’re pretty sure you've found the bottom until it drops just a bit further. It had been a couple of years of personal troubles that became financial that became professional that became spiritual that became personal…err, well maybe that wasn't the exact order but you know the kind of time I’m talking about, right?

Wait. I’m sorry to keep doing this, but let me back up again. I've had the honor of spending most of my adult life touring the United States and serving as a singer/songwriter, motivational speaker, coach, and leadership instructor. I was in rock clubs and theaters, then helping train conference staffs at a burn camp or YMCA, and then I would help design and implement international leadership conferences sometimes all in the same week. All the while returning home in between tours to the magnificent, soulful nation of New Orleans. My life didn't suck, except for the parts that kind of did which led to a couple of huge storms in my world. One was personal and I’ll save and the other was Katrina and, well, that hardly needs any explanation.

So the storms hit with their requisite howling wind, drowning waters, and obliterating fury. Funny thing about obliteration though, it has a way of turning into your favorite gift. It has a way of making way for the best of times.

So let’s make like Michael J. Fox and get back to the future: the KISS Kruise. I said “yes” and “thank you” to this seemingly radical departure from my “regular” life and immediately and profoundly found myself welcomed into the family that calls itself Sixthman. No kidding, companies talk a big game about “family” but  Sixthman is one of the most extraordinary families of passionate folks you’re likely to find anywhere. Fast forward and 6 more cruises, a ski trip, and a fair amount of Cabo Wabo Tequila later I found myself saying “yes” and “thank you” to my friend and colleague Anthony Diaz who offered me the opportunity to formally count myself among this remarkable troop.

Now I find myself waking up in a strange city 500 miles from New Orleans, no tour bus, no Grammys on the shelf (yet) but excited to go to work with people I love at a place that regularly challenges me to keep singing and speaking and touring. A people and a place that doesn't want me to bring anything less than who I am. Go figure.


I’m not going to lie about it. I have found this whole process of (at least for now) trading a touring van for a 401K to be very confusing and a tremendous test of faith. What I’m learning over and again though is that every day, every hour really, brings some kind of opportunity to share the passion that was behind the things I was doing before. You see, it turns out that it really isn’t about what I DO at all but rather it is about who I BE in whatever I’m doing. I can be passion, I can strive to be a light and a loving presence no matter what I’m doing. No matter where I am. Does that make sense?

Now, as any self-respecting speaker would, allow me to sum up a bit more of what I’ve learned or rather what I know for sure.

1. I do not know the Plan
2. I do not know what sh@# means (trouble comes when I think I do)
3. All is well. (Always)

In a nutshell, what I've concluded, as I find myself extremely happy living a life I would never have thought I would be, that my job in living my life is to be really clear with (insert whatever you Believe in here) about what I want my life to FEEL like, what passion feels like to me. Then I must TRUST because what it LOOKS like is not my job.

Finally, I encourage you to get really, really used to saying “yes’ and “thank- you”.

My life is now, not someday. Now. Am I happy about that? "Yes." "Thank you."
SO LONG SOMEDAY

At Sixthman our slogan is LIVE LOUD. So I’ll leave you with that: LIVE LOUD.  No, seriously: LIVE.

Is it time for you to start saying “yes” to things you never dreamed of or imagined?
Is it time to start saying "so long" to your someday and start living today?


For more information check out brianperry.com, Brian Perry fan page on Facebook, and @yesbrianperry on Twitter. Or just drop me a line at yesbrianperry@gmail.com.