Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Violet . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Violet , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.

Projects that vibrate throughout my entire body and make my soul tick; that is the only type of project I yearn to pursue. With my background in the music industry there was attachment behavior to hustle culture all around. I felt shame when I was uninspired with the pressure to be creating constantly. I’ve found that when entering the creative space it has to feel like I am feeding my soul. Even if that means taking a hiatus for an entire year or two to find inspiration. I am now content doing what is needed until I feel inspired – which is exactly what I have done from my career in music. It has been a really healing and pivotal time for me. Deepening into sacred friendships and becoming aware of deep programming that I’d like to step out of. Finding new projects in sound healing and other adventures that have allowed me time and space to reset my intentions in the music I write. For so long, I wanted to become “successful” in music to prove my value. But what is success? Is it defined by society? Or is it defined by me? I was weighing my value by how well my music did. Where as now I value sharing my gift with a small room full of people without it being documented. Using my voice and my music with intention as a way to communicate in its own language. The language of music is powerful. The intimacy that those small creative spaces create is incomparable to what I was seeking in “success.”

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

My background is rooted in musical theatre. A teenager who moved to the “City That Never Sleeps” for college with big dreams and aspirations. Which then led to shifting into the music world as an artist. Looking back at my time in theatre and music – I realize that it was a time for me to grow in my life experiences. It was actually less about the craft and more about the lessons I learned about humanity.

I had a deep surrender moving back to Pittsburgh, PA after being in New York City and Los Angeles. Pittsburgh was a place I swore I would never return as a teenager. Which is hilarious because it has been the place I have grown and healed the most. I was deeply activated in seeking my own truth. I think the biggest lie I have been duped by societally is that my work is my value. That my success defined by society defines how valuable I am in my existence. Coming to the awareness that I am worthy and valuable just by existing has set me free from those chains. I am here to just exist and ride the waves.

Whenever my intuition in my body tells me something doesn’t feel right, I am being led to follow. The greatest challenge for me is creating abundance through my creative gifts. I can sit here and tell you all about my sound healing and music career, but neither of them have paid for me to live in this inflated society. And I believe that I have control over that frequency. Becoming aware of why I have not been able to find abundance in my creativity is the first step. I have been stuck in a cycle of imposter syndrome, discouragement, and fear. Living in that frequency has created exactly that. I am in the stage of shifting awareness to belief. I believe it is fully possible to be in the frequency of abundance, and receive abundance just by being in the frequency. But I am still in the space of breaking the programming that I am unworthy.

So what is my business you might ask? What am I here to promote? All I know is I am here to deepen connection with community, and slowly learning to share my creative gifts with intention. In fact, to do *everything* with intention. Whether that is through sound healing, facilitating breath-work, leading an online workshop, individual coaching, writing music, sharing music, or even in jobs that feel empty that would be considered “survival” – I am learning to trust the journey that it is all for growth. And to enjoy the ride.

How can we best help foster a strong, supportive environment for artists and creatives?

I believe the creative arts thrive within community – supporting local art in person. Attending local live music, art galleries, etc. Sharing your friend’s art instead of someone who doesn’t need the support. Also creating spaces for people to tune into their creativity. Having a creative jam around a bonfire, doing a drum circle, a poetry share, or creative share. Connecting through community. We need to lean on each other.

Are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I wish I knew the power of saying no. And not just saying the word no, but not doing anything that doesn’t feel like its 100 percent a hell yes in my body. I am still learning to listen to my body, and break the “people pleasing” programming. That type of programming has carried into all aspects of my life – not just creatively. It is liberating to break free from that cycle. To make my own decisions and not base them off of what anyone thinks. It can trigger people as it acts as a mirror to what they could be free from – which is where it is important to not feel shame and stand your ground in following what feels good to your own experience. Whoever is reading this – where in your life do you feel you are abandoning yourself to please others?

Contact Info:

• Instagram: violetsoundhealing
• Facebook: Violet Sound Healing

Image Credits
The two photos that look more professional of me playing the sound bowls are by @ashleyfortune_