James Lee Stanley

Just got back from a week long decompression chamber that’s the wilds of the pacific northwest.   Upon coming into the studio and booting up, the first thing I realized was that I forgot to post the “I’ll be gone for ten days and there will be no posts” post.

Too many hats and not enough head.

Please accept my apologies and now,  I am back.  

One of the things I discovered out there was that, even though I brought my guitar, I didn’t play it for a couple of days.    Then I began to pick it up and play a little bit.   As I became more rested and the pressure fell away, I began to hear melodies and chord progressions in my head.

Finally, I picked up the guitar and wrote two or three lovely guitar piece melodies that may or may not turn into songs, but I do love playing them and I love the place they came from.

I know I’ve said this before, but as important as it is to focus on what you are doing; on your goals; on your responsibilities, it is also important to step away from it all.   And it doesn’t matter how much money you make or how much you have, stepping away only requires you putting down what you are doing, turning off your phone and doing it, even if “it” is just spending the day working in the yard.   And if you don’t have a yard, I’ll bet someone you know does.   And if it isn’t the yard, it’s your closet, your car, your…something.

By putting your concentration someplace else, you free up the spontaneous and the serendipitous to flow where they will and they always come up with something.

Do yourself a favor.   Step away from your “thang”.

Another thing you can do, and I believe I have recommended this before, just do something for someone else and make certain that you are not around to accept the credit.   You do it just to do something for someone else.    Worlds turn around when you do this.  

Try it.   You’ll like it.