sarah faith music – Sarah Faith

yea, but…..

September 18, 2020 by Sarah Faith

americana music, confidence, country music, female musician, meaningful music, music for healing, music with purpose, musician, nashville musician, new music, original music, sarah faith music, songwriter, vulnerability

just saying… i’m trying like hell to cut this phrase out of my vocabulary. the “yea but”s are gonna keep you from doing the things you’re put here to do. i don’t know a single person who has time for that.

i cannot count how many times i’ve been talking to someone and either i’ll suggest something to them that would be TOTALLY AWESOME, or they suggest something to me that would be SUPER AMAZING, and both of us kill the idea with a “yea, but….” a situation comes to mind where a friend of mine just wasn’t pumped with how things were going, and i simply presented the possibility of a change and i got a bunch of “yea, but”s in return. “yea, but i need the money. yea, but i don’t know where to start. yea, but it’s scary. yea, but what if it fails.?”

those are just a few that popped into mind immediately. they came up pretty fast actually because my “yea, but” muscle is a pretty dang strong one. the only thing is… my “let’s do it anyway” muscle is stronger.

i caught myself just this week – i was trying to make a decision and i heard my mind coming up with all of these “yea, but”s – a bunch of BS, fear-filled worries, really. i know that when they’re all rooted in fear, their credibility isn’t that great. so… i’m writing this as a notice that “yea but”s don’t rule my life, and they shouldn’t have a say in yours either!

here’s another example – i’ve been in way too many relationships where “yea, but”s steered me wrong. i should have left long before i did, but i kept thinking, “yea, but what if i’m wrong? yea, but what if he can change? yea, but i’m not perfect either. yea, but just one more chance.” and each and every last one of those statements kept me in a toxic relationship that wasn’t serving me or helping me become my best self. i’m thankful to have learned the lessons, but i’m not gonna keep learning them the hard way, and i’m not gonna keep wasting time on “yea, but”s.

if we only get a certain number of times around the sun, and we don’t have knowledge of what that magic number is, i think we owe it to ourselves not to waste it on “yea, but”s. personally, i’d rather spend time finding out if the fears are legitimate than living paralyzed, never able to learn anything at all. if you choose a direction, you can always change it or pivot it or shift it or whatever. if you choose to do nothing, and are terrified of the fork in the road, well, a stopped car doesn’t usually have much direction or make much progress.

it’s all our choice, though. we get to Choose!! this is all why #ChooseYourLegacy means so much to me – it makes me So So sad to see people stopped dead in their tracks because of all these “yea, but” statements they can’t get off their mind. i’ll boldly state that i am Choosing not to let “yea, but”s rule my life. i would love to know what obstacles you’re facing that need to have their power taken away!

♥,
SF

between the ears

August 4, 2020 by Sarah Faith

blog posts.

americana music, country music, female musician, meaningful music, mindset, music for healing, music with purpose, nashville musician, new music, original music, purpose driven, sarah faith music

i’ve been golfing since i was a kid – i believe my dad put my first club in my hand at 9. he would every so often lovingly suggest that i pursue golf more seriously because he really thought i could go somewhere with it – play in high school, get a scholarship, really do the damn thing – but i sort of laughed him off just about every single time. i was a soccer player. i didn’t believe that i could ever be good at a sport that relied so heavily on myself – i thought i needed the team and, if i’m being completely honest, i got quite a bit of aggression out… golf is not a contact sport, nor one that really involves any sort of aggression. final deduction – not for me.

but i’ve still played golf here and there my whole life, just not very seriously. as far as swings go, i’ve got a decent one. i had a great teacher growing up in my dad, and my husband aspires to golf professionally. but i just never could quite call it “my sport.” so it didn’t seem like a big deal a couple weeks ago when i literally said out loud….. “i think i’m just going to stop trying… i don’t know why i keep wasting all this effort trying to get better at this. i need to just accept that i’m a 90s golfer…” i understand that 90s is great for many, but i’ve got the most competitive spirit i’ve ever met, and i’m constantly golfing with people who are birdie machines and under par pretty often. i started feeling like a failure. i started telling myself how much i sucked in comparison. it made me mad. like, really mad. i started talking like a defeatist. i truly believed the game was a waste of time, and i wasn’t having any fun playing it.

TRUTH BOMB –> it’s all mental. not just golf. everything. all of it. it’s mental and you get to choose what kind of mentality you have and what actions that mentality inspires you to take. *carry on*

here’s why i know that little above part to be true. i was involved in a tournament this past weekend – a two-day, two-man tournament. the way it worked out, i was partnered up with one of our great friends and neighbors, and we were all excited to play this tournament, chirping each other, just all around amped. except for the thoughts i had in the back of my mind that whispered sweet nothings to me – things to the effect of, “you’re not even good at this game. your poor partner. hope his back doesn’t get tired from carrying the team…” you know, kind, helpful things like that…

i’ll say i fumbled through day one, trying my best, but ultimately, playing pretty average…. but on day two, i stepped on to the driving range and thought to myself, “i’m really tired of this sad sack of emotions i’ve turned into out here. i think i’d like to make today different,” and i took a swing. and it was different. so i took another swing. and it was different, too. pure. carefree. easy.

TRUTH BOMB –> it’s all mental. every. single. thing.

but it wasn’t just a few good swings on the driving range – those few swings turned into my second lowest round ever – 79. and i’ll even add that one bad hole cost me a 76 – which would have totally been badass. but the bottom line is… it was all mental.

i committed to myself from the very beginning that i was going to be locked in mentally for all 18 holes. none of this shit where i trail off and start telling myself how shitty of a player i am, how bad of a teammate i am, how one mistake leads to another, how you i can have one good hole, but probably not two, none of that. i was committedAF. i took as many deep breaths as it took for me to settle down – like 936 deep breaths, people. a SHIT TON of deep breaths…. because i’m a damn MENTAL case out there. i SWEAR. in my head the entire time…. it. was. hard. but you know what, it was worth it. and i proved to myself that for as mental as i think i am, i’m so much stronger than all of that crap that happens in the tiny space between my ears.

before every shot, no matter how difficult, i waited for my mind to clear all the shit before i acted. (side note: my life should be like that… let the shit clear before taking action.) on tricky shots, i waited for all of that crap to get out of the way that told me i would never pull it off, which led me to back-to-back birdies at one point. i stood on tee boxes and literally visualized the exact path of my drive – i probably looked nuts sometimes just staring at the fairway for like 10 seconds at a time. but i didn’t care, because 200+ yards later, i was ready for shot number two – set my up for eagle once and put me about 5 feet off the side of a green once… it’s all MENTAL!!! i stopped caring about how i looked, what other people thought, and i 100% bought in to that round – all four and a half hours of it. and for someone as off-the-walls as me, that’s a long ass time.

guys, i’m not an amazing golfer. sure, i’ve been playing a long time, and i’m better than average. i’ve got good mechanics and i can get around a course pretty well. but i one THOUSAND percent willed my way to that round – i know that without a doubt. it was my mental game that kicked so much ass that day.

and this is alllllll applicable to life. how many negative things do you tell yourself on a daily basis, sometimes without even realizing they’re there?? i’ll just fess up and say….. kind of a lot, like…. too much… way too much…. more than i’d like to ever admit – and the gross part is the some of the things i tell myself, i would NEVER utter to another human being, so Why in the Hell do i let that live in my mind…? how many times have i walked up to a golf course and been like “yup, i totally can’t wait to play this game today,” only to basically mentally give up entirely after my first mistake….. a mistake that probably isn’t that big of a deal and is probably normal for a girl who isn’t an aspiring pro golfer….. why does it take so LITTLE for me to cash it in??? no way, José. i realized some Powerful Shit the other day on the course, and it is STAYING!!!

Take as many deep breaths as it takes to calm down – who cares what you look like. it’s not about them, dammit. COMMIT mentally to what you’re doing! it’s the most powerful thing you can do! i learned, and literally proved to myself for the better part of 5 hours…. that my mind is SOOOOOOOOOO powerful!!!! not like i didn’t know that before, but i literally spent FIVE HOURS working this truth and it was like SCIENCE!!!!

so…. all that being said…. i truly hope that this fires you up and gives you a glimpse of your power. and i truly, truly hope it’s just as therapeutic of a revelation for you as it has been for me.

be well friends. love you all

♥
SF

SARAH FAITH’S DEBUT SINGLE USES HARD LESSONS FOR GOOD THINGS

May 29, 2020 by Sarah Faith

news, Uncategorized

americana artist, americana music, before you, debut single, female musician, independent artist, nashville musician, nashville songwriter, new music, original music, sarah faith, sarah faith music, singer, singer songwriter, songwriter

Listen Now!!

Sarah Faith, a Michigan-raised, Nashville-based (Dickson, Tenn.) singer-songwriter, is dropping her debut single, Before You, to the music world. Having relocated to Middle Tennessee mid-2019, Sarah brought with her a past filled with family addiction and abuse as well as battles with anxiety and depression. With optimistic intentions of creating a bright future, Before You provides a powerful, upbeat head start, giving listeners a taste of the vulnerability and authenticity to come.

Growing up with a single mother who struggled with addiction, Sarah Faith was exposed to mental and physical abuse at a very young age. As a result, she developed mental health issues of her own, but always found a way to fight and make the best of her circumstances. “My music is infused with my story and where I come from. My goal is to prove that it doesn’t matter how crazy your family is or how dark your past is – you can overcome it and use all of those things for good outcomes.” Sarah describes her musical style as a genre-bending mix that draws inspiration from a diverse musical background including classic rock, alternative, and Americana. Vocally, she is inspired by the likes of Jennifer Nettles, Stevie Nicks, Sheryl Crow, and Grace Potter.

Before You released on all major music purchasing and streaming platforms on May 29, 2020.

About the Song

Why did you write this song? Where did it come from?

This song is very personal to me. It’s written about the dark outlook we sometimes get on relationships before meeting our “person.” It’s actually a very true story, even though I’m not sure we intended for it to be from the very start of writing it. Personally, I had all but given up on the concept of a successful relationship, much less marriage, and this song talks about that a little bit. I had a grim outlook on the world, and I honestly thought I’d be better off alone than continuing the fruitless search for a worthwhile partner in crime.

Originally, when we sat down to write this tune, we were thinking of a fun Friday happy jam, and I think we still came away with that, but it ended up being really infused with my story. Maybe that’s why I love it so much – it’s fun and catchy, but still really personal for me and uses my story as part of the overall message.

What does this song mean to you? What do you want listeners to take away from this song?

This song makes me smile every time I play it. It’s really the beginning of my “happy” with my husband – he really did randomly walk up to me in a bar with those pretty blue eyes and change my plans. I know it sounds crazy, but it was definitely the epitome of “when you’re not looking” and “when you least expect it.”

I guess I’d like to just give people hope that those two cliches actually are true – or they can be. I was in no way looking for a relationship, but out of the blue, my person came along just when I felt all hope was lost.

How would you describe the sound of the song to someone who hasn’t heard it before?

As an artist, I truly believe in blurring the lines between genres as much as I can get away with. I grew up on a sort of weird mix of classic rock, 90s alternative, country, and pop music, plus I was involved in choral music so there’s a good bit of classical influence mixed in as well. Sonically for this single, my vision was lots of guitar and lots of drums. I’m super inspired by The Lumineers and Grace Potter, among a bunch of others, so I really wanted to pull some roots, Americana, and vintage sounds out of this tune. I think overall, that’s where I feel I fit in as an artist – mixing a bunch of things together that feel good and hopefully sound good too!

eight days left.

only eight days stand between me and release day. i’m VERY excited – i can’t wait for everyone to hear what i’ve been working on, thinking about, tweaking multiple times, listening to probably about a thousand times, dreaming about, and completely pouring myself into. this song means the world to me, and i think the largest reason is because it’s the beginning of many many more.

it’s the start of my purpose. it’s the first time i’m addressing the world and letting the universe know i’m here for real and ready to be used, ready to serve, to give my heart, soul, stories – really ready to give all of myself to leave this place a little better than when i came. to help people put into words things they can’t themselves understand. to really spread the message that just because you come from a mess doesn’t mean that you are a mess. you can have a dysfunctional past without the necessity of a dysfunctional future. i truly believe these things, and i’ll keep repeating them over and over again, reaching as many people as i possibly can.

i always said if i impacted one person, all of this would be worth it – everything from the good to the bad. for all the times i was going through stuff with my family, with my mental health, with everything that comes from being a child of an alcoholic… it was all worth it – so worth it that i’d do the same thing over and over again. when i’m asked what the one thing is that i’d do for free – my answer is undoubtedly share my story. looking back, i spent so much time trying to act like everything was fine, trying to fit in, be the hero, take care of everything, when all i really wanted was to tell people how confused i was and how much of a toll my home life was taking on me. all i wanted was someone to understand my confusion. shit, i’m still confused sometimes and my mind is still caught up in where i’ve been now and again. the difference is now i know where i’m going and i know there’s a greater purpose, so it helps with some of that confusion.

where am i going? i always love talking with people about this. i was chatting on the phone today and i could feel myself get really amped at this point of the conversation. for me, this isn’t just about making pretty music and laughing and having an easy life. my journey as a singer-songwriter is about doing things i never thought i could do. saying things i never thought i’d be able to say. seeing things in a way i never thought i’d see them. i thought i was hopeless, useless, and pointless, and as i continue to wake up to the dreams inside my soul and start looking at them as not only possibilities, but outcomes, everything shifts. everything changes. the shit show that i used to drown in becomes a platform that holds me up – my weaknesses become my strengths.

can’t wait to have you on this journey with me. it’s about to be one amazing, unbelievable, unapologetic ride.

♥
SF

peeling back the layers.

April 17, 2020 by Sarah Faith

blog posts., news

facebook live, instagram live, live show, meaningful music, peeling back the layers, sarah faith, sarah faith music

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Peeling Back the Layers
LIVE on Instagram + Facebook
Thursday nights // 8pm cdt + 9pm est

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a few weeks back, i started thinking about being intentional with sharing my music and story. in the midst of this weird Covid-19 thing, we’re all forced to stay inside and everyone is bored and everyone is stressed out and it’s just displaced chaos that we usually see in the form of rushing around like chickens with our heads cut off. i really started thinking about the way that i handle tragedy, because i know that this season is tragic for so many.

i’m certainly not bragging when i say that i’m not convinced that i see this as a time of tragedy, personally. but honestly, the reason i feel that way is because of previous crap in my life that were super tragic, to the point where this feels like a time of space and like i have time to breathe and catch up on my own thoughts.

in the middle of those thoughts, i started to think about what i can do to help people understand something that i believe has helped me deal with past traumas: when life comes at you hard and fast, sometimes you can’t control that, but you can control your reaction(s). even right now as i write this, i’m in the middle of one of my “down days.” i get them. it happens. but i know they’re not permanent. i know that a lot of the mental struggle i deal with comes from things that happened to me in the past that i can’t control. but what i can control is how i handle myself going forward.

i let myself feel the feels – i’m a human. i have feelings. but i don’t let this stop me. it’s one thing to have fears and feelings, and it’s another to let them get in your way. i refer to it as my “fight or flight” kicking in. there have been numerous times in my life when shit was hitting the fan and in those situations, you’ve got two options. you can sit in a ball and cry and let it own you, or you can roll up your sleeves and own IT. again, i’m not perfect, but i have found that i get WAY further when i roll up my sleeves, dig in, and try to make something positive out of the cards that i’m dealt.

that’s why i started Peeling Back the Layers – a LIVE show on Instagram and Facebook on Thursday nights (8pm cdt / 9pm est). i wanted to create a space for me to not only share my songs and the stories behind them, but also an open platform for anyone to share anything at all. among the things i bring to the table is a great deal of vulnerability – if it’s considered a gift, then so be it. it’s terrifying some of the time, but again, i just try not to let that stop me from sharing things with you all that might help you feel less alone and help you understand that you CAN take one more step – baby steps count as steps, ya know. <3

i invite you to tune in with me on Thursdays – i truly hope it brings you as much joy as it’s bringing me.

♥ SF