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Broadway musicals. They are a magical experience of song, dance, glittery costumes, lights and energy. They have the ability to lift you up when you’re down, empower you to dream big, reach for the stars, and remind you to never give up. So that’s what this is. A list of the best songs from Broadway musicals that will help kick you out of your complacency and encourage you to pursue the best life possible. It’s time to get inspired. 1. “No More Wasted Time” – If/Then: The Musical A song reminding you to stop looking back and living in regret. You only get one life, so don’t waste any more of it not living authentically and to the fullest. 2. “Defying Gravity” – Wicked This song is about pursuing your dreams even when others don’t believe in you. Don’t let anyone try to hold you down. If they do, they were never really for you to begin with. Haters gonna hate. But you can still get great satisfaction out of proving them wrong. 3. “My Shot” – Hamilton Get on fire, get determined, and most importantly don’t give up. When others try to convince you of all the reasons why you are not good enough, qualified, or capable – you put this song on and get pumped up! 4. “Seize the Day” – The Newsies A good reminder to seize the opportunity, not be afraid and stand up to your giants in life. You are fully capable, especially when you have friends on your side. 5. “When I Climb to the Top of Mount Rock” – School of Rock Another good one to empower you to keep pursuing your dreams and prove all the naysayers and doubters wrong. 6. “Man Up” – The Book of Mormon Man up reminds us to own up to our mistakes and take charge of our lives once and for all. No more being complacent and just following the crowd. When we become the hero of our own lives, great things happen. 7. “Another Day” – Rent “There’s only us. There’s only this. Forget regret, or life is yours to miss. No other road. No other way. No day but today...” Best. Lyric. Ever. So yea, enjoy your life. You only get one. 8. “Let it Go” – Frozen This song might have gotten annoying from being played everywhere when it first came out, but the message is great. Whenever you’re having a bad day, people are pissing you off and you just want to say F@!K everybody, put this on your playlist and just Let it Go… 9. “Change It” – 9 to 5 This song from the Dolly Parton composed musical, is a reminder to not settle in life. If you’re not happy with how your life is going, get proactive, and do something to change it. You are stronger than you think you are. 10. “Tomorrow” – Annie Now, who doesn’t brighten up when they hear this song? An oldie but a classic anthem that reminds you your problems are only temporary and to not lose hope. Today might feel like the sky is falling on you, but the sun will come out tomorrow if you don’t give up. 11. “Cross the Line” – Bring it On OK, I admit, I’ve never actually seen this musical. But I know many of its songs. They will pump you up to never give up and not let your dreams die even when others might be against you and secretly hoping to watch you fall on your ass. This song reminds you to take a chance and to push yourself to reach your fullest potential. 12. “Chip on My Shoulder” – Legally Blonde This song should inspire you to take your frustrations and misfortune in life, turn them around and use them for good. Let the very things that you thought were holding you back be a catalyst to propel you into the life of your dreams. Use that fire in your heart for something amazing. You will not regret it. 13. “This is the Moment” – Jekyl & Hyde A slower one than i usually like to share. But the message in this song is great. No matter where you are on your journey, THIS is the moment to decide to let go of the past, pursue your dreams, and create the life you want. I might add to this list later, but this is a good start for now.
What are some of your favorite, most inspiring and uplifting songs from Broadway musicals? Share them in the comments section. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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The first and most important step to creating the life you want is to know who you are. And I mean who you really are, deep inside. Not the version of yourself you hope to one day become, not who you used to be or how your abusive ex made you feel, and not who your mother or best friend or boss or anyone else says you are. Who YOU REALLY ARE. Deep inside. In your heart. That broken, occasionally knocked down, emotionally scarred, weak, and completely unqualified for whatever huge dream you secretly harbor in your heart of hearts version of you. That part you hate about yourself. The parts you love about yourself and wish the world could see. All of it. But that ugly part that you hope and pray no one will see, and spend your entire life trying to hide, change and improve. That is the part you have to embrace. To find who you truly are, you have to be vulnerable. You have to be honest and real. It might be painful at times, but it will always end up being worth it. Now the flipside to this, and the next important step to creating the life you want, is to accept who you’re not. This one is probably the hardest for most people. At least it was for me. I spent my whole life trying to be good at things, to fix what I was weak at, often to the point of literal kicking and screaming in anger and frustration when it wasn’t going how I planned. I wasted so much time comparing myself to other people- my friends, my family members, everyone - I hated myself a bit inside for a very long time. But I never would have admit that to anyone. It was a soft spot for me. After all, I grew up in a family I felt like I could never please. Who, especially in my teens and younger years, constantly criticized, insulted, and made me feel worthless and unlovable. It didn’t matter how good I was, or what I did, they would always find that ONE mistake or flaw and focus solely on that. I ultimately developed a people pleasing, fear of rejection, and perfectionism problem, in addition to massive anxiety issues. Which I will cover later. I learned to never be content with myself or anything I did or didn’t do. I would just dwell and beat myself up over every little thing I did wrong or didn’t do “right”. It was TORTURE. Mental and emotional torture. I admit I still struggle with this a lot. But I’ve finally learned to accept who I’m not. In fact, I’m at a point now where I embrace it. It’s very liberating. For instance, in the summer of 2018 I finally left my low paying, high stress job at a printing company and started working as the Social Media Marketing Manager for a non profit in New York. I applied for the position initially thinking it was a general office administrative position where I would also manage their social media accounts. But then came to find out that there was a political element to it. Raising money, political lobbying.. all things I hate. But you know what, I didn’t lie and say I could do it just to get the job (something I would have done in the past because I couldn’t admit failure) That would have been a nightmare. No. I owned up to my weaknesses and confidently shared my strengths and what I had to offer as a unique individual. I admitted I was terrible at cold calling and hated the idea of telefundraising, and that I didn’t know squat about politics (although I’m always down to learn) but what I was experienced and passionate about was media and marketing. I’m a content creator, with an overactive creative mind, and a passion for promoting organizations with missions I care about. I told her about my own budding socially conscious multimedia publishing company Femmespire Media, and how all the tactics I use on that could be applied to their company and then some. I was very enthusiastic and confident in this side to say the least. But most importantly, I didn’t shy away from exposing my weaknesses. And it worked out. Now I work a flexible marketing job, creating and promoting meaningful content, for a boss who values my strengths, doesn’t chastise me for my weaknesses, and pays me better than any other job I've ever had. All while I work on finishing this book and build my own media empire. Will it always be easy? No. Will I be working at this other company forever? Hell no, I plan to someday make a living with my business. But one thing is for certain, I am steps closer to creating the life I want. One that I am satisfied with RIGHT NOW. One that I can be PROUD to call my own. Because now I know who I am and accept who I’m not. And you can too. It just might take some soul searching, an open mind, and a willingness to let go of the lies you might have been programmed to believe about yourself throughout your life. And I want to help you. But you CAN get there. I have faith in you. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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Regret. It’s one of the biggest killers of people’s joy and contentment. That, and longing for a different life than one already is living. But there’s no magic genie that will grant you wishes and time machines haven’t been invented yet. So we can’t go back in time to do our lives over again. No matter how desperately we might long to sometimes.
So what can we do? CREATE the life you want. It’s all up to you. You’re not happy with your life? Change it. You don’t like some quality in yourself? Try to be better. It won't happen over night, but if we're patient we can slowly but surely have a life we are content with if we are willing to do the internal and external work. Baby steps is all it takes. In the book I’m working on "Create the Life You Want" I’ll be covering what I consider to be the most important steps to finally creating the life you want and living YOUR TRUTH. The 15 steps I’ll be discussing are:
This is just a taste of what I'll be writing about in more detail. Follow us here and on our social media pages to read more excerpts from the book as I develop it and for more encouraging media to be shared on this blog. I hope you enjoy. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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“I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but anxiety is also a great fuel.. it’s the anti-complacency pill.” This quote came from Ryan Reynolds, the star of the initially unsuspected, but ultimately mega successful DEADPOOL movies. The sexy man married to the gorgeous Blake Lively. And my (ahem, not so secret anymore) celebrity crush.
But yes, even this hugely successful, loved by millions man, openly admits to struggling with anxiety and depression. Often choosing to hide behind his literal Deadpool mask and persona in order to keep his cool. From a tumultuous family past, to a few movie flops (i.e. The Green Lantern and lest we not forget the dreadful “Just Friends” – although I admit watching this beautiful man dressed up in a fat suit complete with double chin was way more enjoyable than it probably should have been) He has finally hit his stride. Probably the best version of himself professionally, even co-writing and producing the hugely successful movie franchise. Can we say CHA-CHING! But the point is that in spite all of this, and maybe even in part because of all of this, he still battles the same issues of anxiety and depression that so many others do. And I want this to encourage those who struggle as well. You might be nowhere near having a huge blockbuster movie out or model beautiful wife, but his story should inspire you. YOU ARE NOT ALONE. You are not doomed for a life of failure or mediocrity- no matter what toxic person in your past might have told you otherwise. And you can succeed just the way you are. Warts, weaknesses and all. Be determined to use it as a catalyst to try harder to reach your goals- whatever they are. Let it fuel the fire in your heart. You might have to dig your heals in a little deeper than others who don’t struggled with the same issues that you do- but at least you’re not stuck doing it in a tight rubber suit like Deadpool or every other superhero in every comic book movie ever made. So, keep pushing through and don’t give up no matter how bad you feel at times. That can be YOUR superpower. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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“Know who you are: the bits you like and the bits you don’t. You hear loads of advice from different people, but you might be here to do something completely groundbreaking and if you were to listen to everyone then it might throw you off track…Do what makes you come alive… That’s different for everybody. If there’s an inkling inside of you that there’s a bigger world out there, and there’s something for you to do, then go out and grab it…”
OK, so I totally stole this quote from my Facebook business page, but I don't care, I love it. It's true in every way. Articles like this give me life and I hope it inspires you too. F.Y.I. if you aren't already following us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and yes- even Pinterest @femmespiremedia then you are missing out. Seriously, like and follow us @femmespiremedia. You will NOT regret it. Oh yea, and don't forget to click on the link below to read more about this awesome female DJ"s inspiring story. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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"Create the life you want to live. It’s never too late to start. If you’re still alive then you have time. Don’t waste any more time living in regret!"
Sounds like a quote from a cheesy, pop psychology, self help guru. And you'd be right! Well sort of. See, I'm working on a book called "Create the Life You Want." Here on this blog I will be sharing some excerpts and stories from my life that I believe will encourage and empower you to live your best life possible. It's a journey I hope you will enjoy sharing with me as I share various things I've learned in life and am STILL learning through mistakes, hurts, and disappointments along the way. Some of us spend so much time looking back, dwelling on all the things we did wrong, the opportunities we missed, the dreams we think we lost, and wishing life could be different. Believing the lies that it’s too late for us, that it’s too hard, and that we are just doomed to live a plan B, C, or D life. I admit it’s been a constant struggle for me for most of my life. I’ve wasted more years, ruined more relationships, and lost more time to depression, anger, and discouragement because of this than I have spent actually enjoying my life and the people in it. But no more! I’ve had an epiphany. I can spend my life regretting and being miserable, stuck in the past. Or I can let God take those mistakes and use them for good to help other people. So that’s what this book is. It is a compilation of various quotes I found that I only discovered when I was in my most lost places, desperately seeking encouragement and inspiration to get me out of my own ruts. The passages that accompany them are my stories that were inspired by these quotes. I hope they encourage you and inspire you the way they have me. You don’t have to spend your life living in regret. You can create the life you want RIGHT NOW. * Check back regularly for more info, inspiration and encouragement. Follow me on this journey. I guarantee you will enjoy the ride. The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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What do you dream to do with your life? What has been holding you back from actually doing it? I want to encourage you to do at least one thing each day that will move you closer to accomplishing your goals and dreams. Life can be hard. Sh*t happens, usually when you least expect it and knocks you down. Sometimes for a very long time and one day you end up looking at yourself and your life and thinking "it's too late", "I'm not good enough. It's too hard." or "If this --- didn't happen then maybe I could have done it. But now I can't." But I want to tell you that's not true! (and I'm sure I'll be posting a lot of stuff reiterating this message cuz I've struggled with it a LOT over the years. That's where this song came from- more on that later.) So without further ado, here's a new song to pump you up to Get Up and finally live the life you really want- or at least get one step closer to making it a reality... The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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I just discovered spoken word artist Jon Jorgensen while searching for empowering videos for women on youtube. And let me tell you I am hooked. All his videos seem to be really inspiring and uplifting. But the video below was particularly touching. Just reading the comments underneath on his page from the many high school girls posting made me tear up. One girl said she was battling anxiety, depressed and suicidal thoughts and that she would listen to this video every day to keep herself from killing herself! Another young girl, said she was bullied at school and had abusive parents, and that she would play this video every morning before school just to help her get through the day. These kinds of comments break my heart to read, but I’m grateful that there are people like Jon Jorgensen in the world trying to encourage people by sharing their struggles and passion through their gifts. I look forward to discovering and sharing more of his inspiring and life affirming videos with you in the future. You can check out his YouTube channel @JonJorgenson. But most importantly, never forget, like the video says: you are beautiful, you are worthy of love, and you are enough! The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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What would you do if you were told you weren’t allowed to play music (or something else you loved) because you were a woman?
I first discovered “Zohra” back in 2017. Afghanistan’s first all female orchestra, formed by musicologist Ahmad Naser Sarmast in 2010 at the National Institute of Music. This was and is still a huge deal because during the Taliban rule of Afghanistan- playing instruments was literally BANNED. Even today, performing music is still frowned upon by many conservative Muslims. That’s what makes this group so exciting and inspiring. Not only are they an all female musical group formed in an extremely male supremacist society where many things are STILL restricted for women, but the orchestra is also led by a woman. And beginning at only 19 years old, the conductor Negin Khpalwak, is an inspiration in herself. The National Institute of Music in Kabul, enrolls about 300 students between the ages of 14-20, most of which are female and many of whom come from underprivileged families. The institute is dedicated to promoting women’s rights and ensuring gender equality in the sector of music, as well as offering quality arts education in an area of the world that often tells their people that they can’t even play music. Giving the students outlets for self expression, creativity, and independence they wouldn’t have elsewhere in the country during a previous time. But then in 2021, when the United States withdrew and the Taliban reasserted control, the school needed to be evacuated. The students were relocated to Portugal where they made shelter in a hospital and feared the day the Taliban would come find them and kill them. But these young musicians were determined to continue playing music and prevail in the mist of struggle, violence and starvation. "One can't be without dreams because dreams give us hope..." wrote Zohra Ahmadi, one of the top students. "If you have a dream, follow it..." By Femmespire Media Staff The Blog Tags Widget will appear here on the published site.
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Well it’s 2017, 19 years after it’s inception, and I have FINALLY read “The Vagina Monologues” by Eve Ensler. Gasp! Blame it on my ultra conservative upbringing, but I was the girl this book was made for. I struggled with guilt and shame about my body and my sexuality, no matter how minor. Even just saying the words “sex” or “vagina” made me feel embarrassed and dirty.
Now at 32, I pride myself at being a heck of a lot more free and open, but I still catch myself using word substitutions at times. Partly, I suspect, from my still lingering religious guilt and fear. Growing up with a formerly Catholic mother and Jewish father, who converted to “Born Again” Christianity during the return of the fundamentalist conservative Christian phase of the late 80’s/early 90’s will do that to you I guess. But that’s what makes this book of performed monologues so fascinating. It’s proof I’m not the only one who struggled with these insecurity, fear, shame, and embarrassment issues when it comes to my body, sexuality, and even twisted gender perception (more on that in a later post). No, I realized I was normal. Scratch that…I AM normal. Ok maybe “normal” isn’t the appropriate word. Let’s say I was typical. Typical for a female in my generation and the ones before it, apparently. It’s eye opening really, and a confirmation of exactly what I’m trying to do with my life- to encourage and empower women and teen girls through the arts and media. It took a long time to become this women I am- that I have finally learned to like- and I’m still a work in progress But I’ve come a long way from the girl who would cry every time she looked at herself naked in the mirror, or would make “clicking” sounds with her tongue cuz she was too embarrassed to say the clinical terms of penis or vagina, and would spend hours (if not days) begging God incessantly to forgive her for having sexual thoughts let along partake in any sexual acts. I admit reluctantly, it led to me being in a couple abusive relationships over the years- which now looking back I can see I fell victim to because of my lingering and deep rooted issues with myself and my past. These issues caused me to believe lies that led me to these unhealthy relationships, or at least accepting them far longer than any emotionally whole person should. Going around in these unhealthy cycles, until I finally woke up and put my foot down to stop it. Which honestly, I could only do with the help of some supportive friends, empowering messages, massive amounts of honest (sometimes painful) introspection and a lot of prayer. That’s another reason I am so excited about the Vagina Monologues and what Eve Ensler was doing and is continuing to do today. She’s using theater and the written word as a way to facilitate a healthy conversation and expression of women’s body and sexuality shaming issues as a pathway to healing and ultimately fight abuse against women in all forms. I’m a little embarrassed that it’s taken me this long to finally have experienced this work that made such a huge splash when it came out in 1998. But maybe this is just proof it’s time to bring The Vagina Monologues back around for a new generation of women and teen girls still struggling with body image issues, sex shaming and abuse? And it’s never too late for that.
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7/25/2018
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