Manifest Frequency Music's motto is "What you believe is what you receive". But sometimes we forget that concept works both ways, so set your positive intention any chance you get and choose your frequency. I had that motto tattooed around my forearm from a fabulous Samoan artist at SWSX years ago, before my world flipped and my own brain attacked me. I've struggled to stay mindful of it through hardships, but I'm on a journey and setbacks never mean all progress is lost. It is not a linear path. Find others who help lift you up and elevate each other. I send good energy to you and I welcome your wings right now to help me leave the ground again. I miss flying high. But we all can when we believe.
I want to say thanks to everyone who has connected with me on social media, and to also say I'm honored to have so many friends who support Manifest Frequency music. I truly appreciate it and am so very grateful. It's been such a long road getting to the place of finally releasing this album after being diagnosed years ago with something that halted everything for which I'd worked. Because of that, this opportunity at a second chance is something I do not take for granted. When the album was originally recorded, I had a lot of followers and support. However, I had only started from scratch again with social media when I received the unexpected news that the album had received global distribution. I'm making progress with everything, but because I'm doing it completely alone it's overwhelming.
That's a bit frustrating because I was always the one who knew the ins and outs of promoting and helped others understand. I think my ADHD brain is also wanting to have everything done yesterday and is getting lost in the weeds a bit each day. Regardless, I'm open to any support that can be offered in helping get the word out. Because it seems I've popped up from nowhere to many, I've had to make it clear I'm not "new" to this business in any way after receiving various "too good to be true" offers I could smell from a mile away. There's a million ideas I have and so much minutia I need to do that I have trouble turning off my brain from it. I keep trying to figure out what I'm missing and what other avenues I should find to get the music out there. I do well when I brainstorm with someone else, but I do not have that as an option right now. The opposite, really. The rocks of tension in the muscles of my shoulders and neck haven't been this bad in a while.
In the past, I remember that I would sit for hours with my pups in the house just immersed in the project, but I don't have that gift of uniterrupted focus or understanding now. I also did not fully expect (even though I really should have and probably deep down actually knew) how much opening this closed door to something I dreamed of long ago would bring forefront the grief from that old loss and the utter longing to play to audiences again....Again meaning NOW. While we were able to perform in Asheville after moving to NC from Atlanta, and I taught guitar lessons until COVID really made that impossible, it's been since COVID I last performed. And I'd locked the door to bigger things a while back because to think of possibilities did not allow for me to make it through each day in this reality that demanded I focus only on it to survive. This present reality is still demanding I do that, but I am not. So, there's some terrible friction and discord that's causing me to be in more pain. Plus, there's a learning curve and new techniques/options I'm working quickly to assimilate while I try to make any progress.
So, I'm working hard, but exausting my brain because I'm still figuring out how to work smart. But I'm not about to give up and think I can just let this go because "it's just not worth it". I'd resent myself as much as anyone else for causing or allowing that to happen. I know that because that's what I've done once before. I know my life is meant to be about more than it currently is. I just hate doing this alone, though. I am not someone has ever been content with just keeping to myself. I love people and I love meeting, talking and getting to know others. I love helping others in any little way I can. And a "sucess" doesn't mean very much to me if I can't share it with someone else. Yet, it's like I've been locked in a cage, and there are too many keys needed to open it to escape to those who are waiting for me. Going stir crazy is a real thing. I don't like the idea of just sitting behind a keyboard to connect and promote, although that's what I have right now. And honestly, in the past I have never been great at openly just "promoting" myself. I'd been even worse at asking for help in the past. But I try my best to learn from my past since mistakes are only what we make of them in the future. I jump at any chance now (which aren't that many) when I meet people in town to talk about the music but also to get to know them.
My situation is complicated. I know that most of our situations are. I feel like the time I'm allowed to spend focusing on and getting to the underlying issue of the problem is continually being derailed. But I keep righting the train and chugging along. I do know that getting back to my yoga practice is not only necessary for these knots in my muscles and pain in my back, but also for mental clarity and staying grounded. Distractions at home seem more and more frequent, though. Journaling my thoughts has always helped, but communicating my thoughts to others is even better for me in that it somehow hones my focus more. But as far as my current situation today? It's fragile with a side of conflict and hope. I feel better than yesterday but not as great as the day before.
Choose my frequency. Choose my frequency. Repeat. Repeat. So, I'll end with telling you this. I have been taking pieces of paper I've written on that are makeshift little "business cards". I'd actually print them but poor = no expensive ink cartridge refills for your printer. So, old school, handwritten with Manifest Frequecy Music, my website www.manifestfrequencymusic.com , Facebook profiles for /Dawn Cook and /manifestfrequencymusi , my YouTube Channel https://www.youtube.com/@manifestfrequencymusic and Instagram profile https://www.instagram.com/manifestfrequencymusic , along with the Album title The Deconstruction of Dr Dawn and where to find it (like Apple Music, Spotify, Amazon, YouTube Music, Deezer, iHeartRadio, etc.. ).
Now, my handwriting is... let's just say it was the only thing I got "unsatisfactory" on in kindergarten and through elementary school. Nowadays, the comment is at least "well you're handwriting looks like a doctors".. Big improvement. But I try my best with the little pieces of paper. Of course, the primary people I get to spend more than 5 minutes with are my Uber/Lyft drivers. Bless them. I feel like I've treated the ride to the store or wherever like a 10 minute pitch to a record company sometimes. I've done that in the store too. But it's what I've got. I've actually made connections doing this and not because I just want to promote, but because I miss connections. Regardless, I've made some connections. But what has not happened and what I did not expect, was my driver on Thursday immediately going to my album on YouTube Music and asking if it'd be OK with me to play some of it? What? Would it be OK? Seriously, he's asking if it'd be OK? Meanwhile, in my head I'm flinging myself out of the window to climb on top of the moving car while jumping up and down, screaming "that's my music he's streaming!!!! That's my music coming out of his car stereo speakers right now!!! That's me!!! That's me singing!!!! That's my guitar playing!!! That's me!! Manifest Frequency!! AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!! OooooooMmmmmmGgggggg!!!!!!!
Out of my mouth, though, comes "Oh, of course, I don't have a problem with that at all" in a very cultured manner. Of course, that didn't really last as he started Masquerade, and I could see he liked it and kept turning around to ask if that was me singing etc... Then I just lost any sense of self control or coolness as I completely fan-girled over him being a fan of the music. And it only got embarrassingly worse for me when he then immediately went to Instagram to follow me. I lost my crap. But it was the best experience and only experience having that happen. And I loved it because it was with a real person sitting in front of me that I got to talk to and wish I could always do it that way. I've wanted nothing more that someone to openly want to follow me or anything related to that. Anway - I'm taking the joy from it and no one's taking it away!! Of course, I then frantically tried to figure out more about getting Instagram going better.... reelz... etc... etc. Sigh My damn brain. Anyway... Them's my words for ya today.
