Matt Walberg & The Living Situation

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Flowers in the pot. Weeds in the head.

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Advice

I am beyond grateful for all of the mental, educational, emotional and logical resources in my life, most of those being attached to specific human beings or groups thereof.

Last night I spoke with my Uncle Jim about financial advice. This is what I would call a compound conversation since it is a topic my wife and I have been researching for the past few weeks (dealing with for years now). We also have been meeting with a financial advisor for the past few weeks to help line up our savings, insurance and retirement goals.

It’s reassuring and a luxury to not only have trusted (and paid) advisors in our lives but also those who don’t expect any kind of compensation in return. It is also reassuring to have times when both sets of suggestions or advice line up.

Whether it is money, health, creative, leadership, or really any kind of advice, having (a few) guides along the way, both professional and personal, you usually end up making better decisions while gaining intellect, perspective and respect along the way.

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Out of paper.

My wife and I had a meeting with our Insurance Agent this morning. We ended up talking about a lot more financial goals than we had anticipated. Not quite what I was ready for after being up until 4am mixing (see reason here).

One of the questions that popped up was “when do you plan on retiring?”

“I don’t” was my reply. My plan is to always be entertaining somewhere.

I’ve only recently been able to think in terms of five, ten, twenty years from now because it all seems very much on the horizon, and it’s wasting no time getting here. There is a lot that goes into orchestrating the way you want your life to play out and it gets more intense when others may be depending on your well-being and contributions.

Even though I don’t plan to ever truly retire, maybe the day will come when I finally want to slow down. I still believe that I would be finding ways to remain busy as I aged, leaving a trail of art and projects behind me.

I was told my Grandfather said that life is like a toilet paper roll. The closer you get to the end, the faster the paper goes.

The best part about the toilet paper roll is that even though it runs out faster towards the end, it remains useful.

I’m looking forward to working ‘till the last piece of 2-ply.

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Some days you place hundreds of stones. 

Some days you only place one. 

Some, stones are taken away. 

We are given the choice each day to decide whether or not we will get to work, take a rest, or complete the task. We choose who to love and who to hate. It is our own decision who we aim to please.   

Today, I will work, create, rest and love. This is the choice I'm going to make.

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Just Announced! Matt Walberg & The Living Situation @ 'Co-Hippie' Writer's Round (Acoustic) @ Two Old Hippies in Nashville, TN - April 5th

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Just Announced! Matt Walberg & The Living Situation @ "Songs For Calvary" Songwriter Night in Nashville, TN - April 13th

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Just Announced! Matt Walberg & The Living Situation @ The Big Payback Plaza Party in Nashville, TN - May 3rd

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Every Day Results

Creating everyday is what the goal of the aspiring master needs to be if he or she wants to achieve greatness. Whether it’s blogging, music, visual art, engineering, or building sandcastles, producing will hone your skills.

Before Dolly Mae was born, I usually would lump my ‘practice’ or ‘production’ into huge chunks of time. It wasn’t until after she came that I started to realize how unproductive I had been for such a long time. Sometimes, those large amounts of time would get pushed aside, or reallocated to make way for other ‘important’ things.

When I make it a point everyday to pick up the guitar, put the pencil to paper, record some music, practice yoga, write a blog, de-clutter the house, even if only for 15 minutes, the result is more work completed, greater results, and a new-found dedication I had only briefly danced with earlier in life.

My life is far more manageable and creative when I segment it into 15-30 minute intervals rather than huge lumps of time. 

Truthfully, I don’t remember that last time I had ‘hours’ to spend on anything.

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What wakes you up?

Is it an alarm? A little child? A loud noise? A calling? A cup of coffee?

Today, I got woken up by Michael Phelps. He didn’t come over to my house and drag me out of bed with his ginormous wingspan. He did it with the medals around his neck.

Some of the values/mindsets that Phelps talks about encompassing during his Olympic reign were that off focus on his goals, not making excuses to why he couldn’t work out (never missed a day, 365 a year), being able to respond in uncomfortable situations, and only competing with himself, not the other swimmers.

As a musician, I tend to draw more inspiration from Olympic athletes than I do musicians. I may be influenced when it comes to sound or technique, but most of my “guitar heroes” aren’t known for getting up at odd hours and putting in all the work that I feel I need to excel, especially in a city (Nashville) predicated on greatness. I’m sure that many have the work ethic, but it isn’t the typical romanticized story we hear of in the music world.

I remember my Dad, who was a music producer, being up at 3AM to work on music and going to sleep early in the night. He did it because he knew the world was quieter at those times and he could focus. There just weren’t as many distractions. As I grow older, I’m finding myself adopt some of these habits that my Dad borrowed from other great creators. I know that I am fresher in the morning hours than I am late at night.

A few blogs ago, I talked about being ‘flexible.’ I know I will not be waking up at 4:30am every day since some days I will be up until 4:30am. Whether I’m up early or out late, it’s up to me to get the job done.

Regardless of when you wake up or how late you grind, it’s all about the work you are willing to put in.

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The Listening Situation

Listening may very well be the most important skill of not only a musician, but of a parent, a child, a leader, a teacher, a yogi, a hair-stylist. Without this skill, a person is prone to missing something that could lead to just a basic blunder or an immense catastrophe.

We also can learn to listen with not only our sense of hearing, but with every other basic sense and perhaps a few on the spiritual side. Feeling the warm wind bringing in a storm. Seeing a predator charging at us. Trusting your gut when you know something isn’t right. Listening becomes a mindset as a opposed to a basic action.

The skill that needs to compliment listening is adjusting. Being able to take outside or internal information and implementing the proper course correction is a skill of its own, sometimes blocked by doubt, mistrust, anxiety, greed, or anger. Without making the proper adjustments with the info given, we’re left with missed opportunities, lost collaborations, poor health, or bad haircuts.

Working on listening has become a daily practice for me. When I receive a new message, warning or feeling, it’s up to me to adjust and make the most out of the situation. Over time, I want listening and adjusting to become two of my greatest assets.

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The Awakening

I was up at 5:00am this morning. Today, Spring is declared in Tennessee. 

Like the earth has its seasons, measured out into four parts, we as humans have our own circadian cycle linked to our biological clock that lasts 24 hours. And, like the seasons being affected by outside influences (humans), our cycles can be affected by outside factors as well (having kids). 

Since I don’t sleep quite as much as I should, I’ve decided to get more familiar with ways to optimize the rest I do allow myself to have. I don’t allow quantity so I might as well encourage quality. This involves educating myself with sleep cycles, circadian rhythms, and what your body is in fact doing while you rest. 

  If I allow myself to wake at intervals of 90 minutes (i.e. 3 hours, 4.5 hours, 6 hours) I won’t disrupt any deep sleep. If I grab power naps under 15 minutes, I won’t wake up groggy and disoriented. If I eat a bit of slow-digesting protein before bed, I won’t wake up with as low of blood sugar. I’ve also started implementing a 30-60 second cold shower as soon as I wake up to shock my system. I never thought I’d say it, but I love it. 

When my wife and I had our daughter, our Doctor said to me “You know Matt, sleep is like exercise. It’s good for you but you don’t need it.” 

  Since I don’t spend hours at a gym or typically get the recommended 7 hours a night, I might as well become as proficient and efficient as I can with the time I do allow myself. 

Here’s to new awakenings this Spring and everyday of our lives.

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Genuinely Insincere

A good pastor will not try to sell you on something you don’t have or aren’t a part of. The good pastor will glorify what is already in your possession.

One pastor of a large congregation speaks at a funeral. We’ll say that he has known the deceased for only a short while, having a few interactions but mostly knows the story through other family/church members. Some loose connections are made in the sermon, basically repeating what other speakers said, but it eventually turns into a 20-minute produced sales pitch with the intent of letting you know you’re missing out on eternal life, something possibly said on a ‘insert-your-Sunday-sermon here’ kind of situation. What I would call ‘auto-pilot.’ The church members in attendance already subscribe to this script and feel at home. The other friends and family of the deceased are un-amused that the celebration of their friend has turned into a ‘buy it now’ offer for their own eternal soul. 

The second pastor, who has known the dead person for just as much time as the latter, tells a quick personal story of a unique connection she made with him or her. It’s then followed by a “oh wait, I gotta tell you about when this happened to your friend, too” followed yet again by a “I got one more for ya that only I know about and you’re gonna get a kick out of it” that genuinely shows that she had invested time and personal moments with the dead. It wasn’t over the span of years, maybe just a few encounters. It’s closed by a short prayer that has a personal touch, thanking God for the time we got to spend with the now deceased. Everyone is touched and feels a part of the celebration of life.

When you take the time to truly know someone or something past the surface level, you create a story with it. A genuine narrative emerges that makes everyone else go “that story sounds like the person we knew” or “you really do mean what you say.” We don’t want a sales pitch. We want a shared connection.

Time is still our most precious commodity. It connects us. With the short supply we are given, it makes sense why hearing about someone's genuine time and energy spent with someone or something makes us believers. Sometimes, it’s even more effective than eternal damnation.

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Today, the world drinks.

It’s impossible to tell the story of Ireland without bringing up immigration, especially regarding our relationship with the Island Nation. For the past few centuries, Irish immigrants have been essential to the building of America. From coast to coast, the bloodline of Irish immigrants can be found in almost every state, seen in our architecture, heard in our music, tasted in our food. Our American story has been entirely based on the influence of our “tired, weak and huddled masses.”

Today, St. Patrick’s Day, is celebrated across the globe with parade’s, parties, church services, and the adornment of green at office-places. We are all Irish for a day.

I find it interesting how our country evolved from spitting and kicking early Irish immigrants to now everyone being “Irish” for a day. If anything, it should make you feel Catholic since St. Pats was the original “cheat day” during Lent.

Wouldn’t it be amazing if every major culture or heritage had a day that we all could be “honorary insert-your-homeland here?” 

There would probably be some more understanding, better food shared, goodwill sent, and definitely a whole lot more drinking.

Unfortunately, I don’t see others fasting Ramadan. Probably because there is no drinking. No other reason, I’m sure.

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Be as strong as the tree that bends in the wind.

A big rule in our house is you must be flexible. To time, to people, to circumstances that require a little give or a lot of push. When these situations arise, as they often do, toughness can be forged into our framework, giving further support to future times when flexibility is needed.

Even the smallest sacrifices or adjustments to our self-imposed schedules over time can make us more aware that most of our plans can be changed, adjusted, or even canceled without resulting in catastrophe.

I’ve been guilty in the past of overreacting when a major change arose or something was canceled on my account or someone else. Recently, I’ve been working diligently on trying to handle these moments with more grace. After almost a year now of a regular meditation and Yoga practice, consuming information and lifehacks regarding human efficiency, and trying to have a great reason every time I tell my daughter ‘no,’ I’m beginning to see results.

Durability is important because no good life is void of hits. Blows in the form of life events that bring you to your knees and give you perspective. If they are survivable, durability along with flexibility will help you recover more efficiently. Flexibility to lessen the blow and durability to ready you for the next change in your ‘plan.’

Be as strong as the tree that bends in the wind.

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Ides

It’s the Ides of March. Andrew Jackson’s 250th Birthday. 45th is in town after boasting anti-climate, anti-health, and anti-immigration policy in Michigan. Confederate flags are being unfurled in Nashville by “Make America Great Again” party-goers. Hate is alive and well. Our heater went out this morning. 

This too shall pass.

I will find hope in knowing that I am educated. I will keep faith that my brothers and sisters of the world are uniting. I am beyond grateful for so many of the luxuries in my life (i.e. clean water, a home, transportation, a job). I will continue to help others in need and educate those with open minds. I will give my family, city, country and planet the Love it needs to thrive. I will listen to my enemy and  respect the opposition. I am a product of a kind heart, growing mind and strong spirit. Nothing will stop me from being the best version of myself possible. My hands will work, create, share, embrace, protect and feel. No amount of hate or ignorance will deter my collision course towards the legacy I plan on leaving.

And yes... the heater will be fixed.

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Keep Calm and Carry More

When you want to achieve more in life, it often comes with more responsibility, more cooperation, more dedication, more sacrifice and more determination.

Basically, more work.

To maintain sanity amidst the work load, finding ways to stay centered, focused and healthy are imperative to achieving longevity and sustainability in your career/life. If we can approach our work with a clear mind, healthy body and rooted heart, we not only will create great products but we’ll be able to do so without wearing ourselves out or stretching ourselves too thin. Great decisions will come from a healthy foundation.

Even if you take 10 minutes every morning to do one act that promotes focus and health (i.e. yoga, drink a glass of lemon water, meditate, play guitar, make your bed) the results the rest of your day will benefit.

Like Tony Robbins says, “If you don’t have 10 minutes, you don’t have a life.”

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Focus

I believe one of the most valuable mental assets has become focus and it will only become more precious. Those of us who can wade through the endless barrage of stimuli, distraction and overwhelming information with a clear head and commitment-driven agenda will get the most out of the western-built society we subscribe to. 

I don’t view the current setting as a bad place or inherently destructive, only as a larger platter to pick from, easily leading to overindulgence or becoming disenchanted with all of the amazing services and luxuries that are currently available. It’s our choice on how we fill our plates and what we digest. Some of us will only experience moments of the overwhelming side-effects while some will spend most of their lives with a full and sour stomach.

Incorporating some of the practices found in Eastern culture, such as Yoga, Qigong, meditation, and many of the principles of Buddhism and Hinduism can be of help guiding oneself through the noisy daily life we find ourselves in. Not to say the benefits of Eastern culture aren’t found in Western practices and religions, it just seems to be valued a bit more, in my opinion.

Focus is what will allow us the proper time and devotion to family, spirituality, one’s own health, work and our community. It does take practice to stop and smell the roses. Focus will not only promote the act, but give us the benefits of its sweet perfume.