Home, Belonging & New Normals

Hello Friends,  

Last night I listened to CBC Radio’s The Current, where Matt Galloway discussed the concepts of “Home” and “Where we belong” with Kamal Al-Solaylee about his new book, Return: Why We Go Back to Where We Come From 

https://www.cbc.ca/radio/thecurrent/the-current-for-sept-14-2021-1.6174892 
 

As someone who moved back to a spot that’s minutes away from where I was born after decades of living elsewhere, I found the discussion compelling. What is home? According to Kamal, home is where we belong.  

For many of you, the notion of home has really come to a head with the pandemic and its forced grounding. To be “grounded” is another interesting concept. On one hand, it means that a flight or a tour’s been cancelled. On the other hand, it means "being sensible and down-to-earth". When you’ve spent half your life on the road, staying put in one place – especially a location that is meant to be “home” – calls for some introspection... 

Now that touring’s coming back, do I want to be back on the road? Is it an escape or a return to a place where I belong? How do I stay “grounded” (feeling “anchored”) without feeling tied down? Is home a place or a feeling?... 

“Where do you want to be buried?” Kamal asks in his book.  

I was listening to him on a drive back to the city. The half-moon was playing with the clouds in the all-embracing sky (anyone who has driven in the flatlands knows how vast the sky appears at night!)  

Where do I want to be buried?!

Hmmm... Throw my ashes in the air and the let the wind carry them where it will...

I was puzzled by the question until he explained that the answer to that question is what “home” means to us. I realized in that moment that home was NOT a place, but in fact a notion of freedom and connection... freedom to be myself, in the company of kindred spirits, in moments that connect to each other through stories shared. 

In two days, I move into my new “home” – a haven that’s being created with a lot of support and love. And yet, it’s not a place I plan to hide away in. Rather, it’s a place where I hope to gather strength, so that I can get back out into the world, down new paths. It feels timely, as I watch so many of you stepping out into a new normal... We are in this together! 

Changes Ahead, A New Normal! 

There’s no doubt that the community we’ve built around MyArtist.Life has provided a sense of home for many of us. I’ve loved getting to know you and have appreciated your support and insights these past months.  As some of you know, I’ve been asking the question of what MyArtist.Life should become  in its next iteration. After much discussion and thought, it became clearer last night, on that late-night drive: we need two complementary tracks to reflect the needs you've expressed.  

• MYARTIST.LIFE COMMUNITY. This will be a free membership, without any barriers. If you’ve been paying a monthly fee, those payments will end in the next month. In the community, there’ll be my weekly post, some short video Q&A’s (on youtube or TikTok),discounts on webinars and a monthly Hang inspired by a theme and open to whatever you want to share (a story, a song, an idea, a rant...) 💛
• MYARTIST.LIFE BUSINESS BOOSTER. This will be a flat $15/month fee or $150 annual fee (in Canadian dollars, we’re moving to a new platform 😉 ) This will give artists free access to future and past webinars, as well as weekly “office hours” where you can use me as a sounding board or ask questions following a webinar, etc. You’ll receive an invitation for this next month. Anybody who’s paid an annual membership fee will be automatically enrolled in this for the next year (I can’t tell you how much I appreciated your support!) 🔥

I’m really excited about this simple, easier way of moving forward, with both community and prosperity leading the way!  

Thanks again to those of you who helped articulate this new approach. It feels stronger knowing that the vision is fuelled by you.  

And as you hit the road, know that I am thinking of you. It’s a weird to leave the place we’ve called home for 18 months, but thinking about home as a feeling of belonging, as an experience shared with others does make it easier. In fact, now that our suitcases are packed, perhaps we’re GOING home.   

Xo Nat