INSPIRATION
↳ Willie Nelson

Willie Hugh Nelson is an American singer, songwriter, musician, actor, producer, author, poet, and activist. One of the most recognized artists in country music, Nelson has the Country Music Hall of Fame, Kennedy Center Honors, and a Library of Congress Gershwin Prize among his long list of accolades.

Left by his parents and raised by musically inclined grandparents during the Great Depression, Willie got his first guitar at age six and began singing and playing Gospel with sister Bobbie at the local church.

Through stints in the Air Force, Baylor University, and jobs from DJ to door-to-door salesman, Nelson never lost his passion for music. He wrote songs that took others to fame and after a long span of ups and downs, broke through on his own as an originator of the “outlaw country” movement with his iconic narrative album Red Headed Stranger.

Through a life marked by personal and professional challenges, Nelson’s compassion and activism has never wavered. From Farm Aid to animal welfare, to biofuel to legalization of marijuana – this statesman of music lives the ideals for change he promotes.

If you’ve made your own hell, then only you have the power to escape it.
– Willie Nelson

ACTION
↳ 3-Step Plan To Cultivate Connection & Resilience

❶ Be Present
Nodding along to a conversation while stealing glances at your phone? Spending half your vacay tapping to get perfect pics posted?
Put down the screen, turn off notifications and soak in your surroundings. Take in the people, place, sounds and sights without the filter of a phone camera lens.
You might be surprised how much you’re missing!

❷ Be Authentic
Tap into the power of SELF by defining your WHY. What do you stand for? What do you believe in? What is your life philosophy? As Nelson says “I can play me better than anyone.” Being true to yourself in all you do can elevate you to new heights and forge lasting connections with like-minded peers who share your purpose and passion.

❸ Be Positive
In the end what cultivates connection, longevity and the resilience to get through the turns along the way of the journey is having the right mindset.
As Willie Nelson says “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around. I can’t do anything about what has happened yesterday. Worry will make you sick…erase the negative.” Take a page from his book: Choose gratitude and keep moving forward.