How to Make a Vision Board

Ahhh, it’s December 31st, 2011, and I’m in the mood to repost one of the most popular posts on this blog: How to Make a Vision Board.

I’m currently in Atlanta with my family, who’ve asked me to organize a Vision Board Party tomorrow for the New Year. The family here is pretty large, so it’s gonna be fun. To create a vision board in a group setting can be powerful, as you get the benefit of group energy. If you have kids, this is also a fun project that you can do as a family, and is also a fun arts and crafts project. If you’re spiritual or religious, feel free to say a group prayer afterwards to seal the intentions that you set.

How to Make a Vision Board
by Carla Lynne Hall

Creating a Vision Board is a powerful way to set your musical intentions for the next year. As today is New Year’s Eve, it is a powerful day for setting intentions, but you can make a Vision Board any day of the year!

What is a Vision Board?

Also known as a Treasure Map, it’s basically a collage of pictures and words that represent your goals. The purpose of a Vision Board is to inspire you, and keep you on track. If you have a band, this can be be a fun project to complete together.

Step One – Set Your Intentions

What do want to accomplish in the New Year? Here are some ideas to get you started:

* Get a new job (or a raise. or a promotion, etc)
* Meet your soulmate
* Get married
* Take an awesome vacation
* Learn a new language

Step Two – Find and/or Create Pictures to Represent Your Goals

One way is to get a stack of old magazines, and cut out pictures and captions that represent your goal.

Another way is to go to Google Images and flickr and search to your heart’s content. Print out pictures and sentences that are meaningful to you.

When using Google to search for images, think about your outcome. For example, if you want to find pictures to represent your soulmate, use search terms like “kissing”, “dancing”, “holding hands”, or whatever else you imagine you and your soulmate doing.

Be sure to include color pictures of yourself!

Step Three – Make Your Collage

With a glue stick (probably the cleanest method), or other adhesive, arrange your pictures and captions on poster board, or a bulletin board. You can also use a sketchbook or scrapbook if you like.

Let your imagination be your guide!

Step Four – Keep Your Vision Board In View

The whole point of a Vision Board is to keep your eye on your vision. If you prefer to keep your Vision Board in a scrapbook, be sure to review it often. One of my friends had her Vision Board framed and hung on her living room wall, which I thought was a nice touch. The cliche is true: Out of sight, out of mind!

Another idea that I learned from musician Luna Jade is to create a Vision Board on your computer desktop. This is a great way to keep your vision within sight!

Here are some of the pics from one of my older Vision Boards. If you’re handy with Photoshop, you can also do cool things like put your photo on the cover of Rolling Stone!

My CD Supernova #1 on Billboard

Me with J.Lo’s body 😉

Thanks to the magic of flickr, I was also able to find pics of other Vision Board examples to give you more ideas:

Be as creative as you want, and have fun with your Vision Board!

RSLL 002 | Dealing with Rejection: Interview with Dr. Eric Maisel

This week’s Rock Star Life Lessons podcast is an interview with Dr. Eric Maisel on how to deal with rejection.

Rejection is a part of life in the music biz – and life in general, and Dr. Maisel breaks down how rejection can actually be good for you, and why having a healthy ego is important to a performer.

Click the menu button below to hear the podcast

Dr. Eric Maisel is the founder of creativity coaching, and has writ­ten 35 books on a wide vari­ety of sub­jects, includ­ing many on the chal­lenges of the cre­ative life. His latest book is Mas­ter­ing Cre­ative Anx­i­ety. To learn more about Dr. Eric Maisel, visit his website at http://ericmaisel.com/

RSLL 001 | Mary J Blige Interview

Mary J. Blige

The Rock Star Life Lessons Podcast debuts today, December 21, 2011 with an interview with Grammy Award-winning recording artist, Mary J. Blige on the topic of live performances.

Mary J. Blige is a recipient of nine Grammy Awards and four American Music Awards, and has recorded eight multi-platinum albums. She is the only artist with Grammy Award wins in Pop, Rap, Gospel, and R&B. Blige has received the World Music Legends Award for combining hip hop and soul in the early 1990s. She was ranked number 100 in the list of 100 greatest singers of all time by Rolling Stone magazine.

Blige started her musical career in 1992, releasing her multi-platinum US selling debut album, What’s the 411? on MCA Records and Uptown. What’s the 411? gave Blige her first Billboard 200 top ten album, which has continued since the release of her debut album until her latest album, My Life II…The Journey Continues (2011). Blige has sold over 50 million albums and 15 million singles worldwide.

Special thanks goes to Chris Wright for editing the podcast, and keeping me on point. Another thank you shout out goes to CharLena Pearson-Fulcher for creating the podcast intro.

To listen to the podcast, just click the play button below.

The Rock Star Life Lessons Podcast is also available on iTunes for your portable pleasure!

Announcing: The Rock Star Life Lessons Podcast!

Howdy Folks!

I’m totally psyched about the new Rock Star Life Lessons podcast that is launching tomorrow!

The Rock Star Life Lessons podcast is dedicated to helping you make a living making music, and I’m excited to share my vintage interviews with music’s movers and shakers. The first episode will feature my interview with MARY J BLIGE on the topic of live performances, and I can’t wait for you to hear it!

I must give special thanks to Chris Wright, the sound editor, who nudged me all the way to this finish line. I can honestly say that I could not have made this podcast without him, and I am so grateful. Another shout out goes to CharLena Pearson-Fulcher, the voiceover artist who introduces the show – thank you!!!

Tune in tomorrow, December 21st for the launch of the Rock Star Life Lessons podcast!

Love,
Carla

SELL YOUR MUSIC! Workshop Series in January 2012

If you are a singer, songwriter, musician, or band seeking success in music without a record deal, the new 4-part SELL YOUR MUSIC! Workshop Series is for YOU!

From choosing the right songs, to creating compelling performances, to building a list of fans, to creating a multiple streams of music income, it takes deliberate steps to become a self-sustaining musician. Each session of the SELL YOUR MUSIC! Workshop Series focuses on one aspect of your music business, based on the “4 C’s of the New Music Business: CREATE, CAPTURE, CONNECT & CASH”, the groundbreaking music entrepreneur framework developed by musician, entrepreneur, and music marketing specialist, Carla Lynne Hall.

Depending on your needs, you can sign up for individual workshops or the entire series. Each session offers strategies and case studies from musicians who have created a successful career in music without getting signed.

SELL YOUR MUSIC! Workshop Series

CREATE: Set the Stage for Music Success – Thursday, January 12th, 2012

CAPTURE: Find Your 1000 True Fans – Tuesday, January 17th, 2012

CONNECT: Music Marketing Machine – Tuesday, January 24th, 2012

CASH: Make Money From Your Music – Tuesday, January 31st, 2012

You’ll learn:

• Why some musicians are successful, and others are “starving artists”

• How to connect with your audience so that they pay attention

• How to develop multiple streams of music income

• How to get your music used in movies and TV shows

• The only 3 ways to build your music business

The goal of this workshop series is to provide participants with **at least** one strategy can used immediately to grow their music businesses.

HOLIDAY FAST ACTION GIFT BONUS: Before December 26th, register for entire workshop series for $100. After Dec 25th, the price of the entire series will be $120.

Before December 26th, the price of an individual workshop is $30. After December 25th, the price of an individual workshop returns to $40.

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED

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Testimonials:

“Carla Lynne Hall is the real expert on online music marketing these days.” – Derek Sivers, creator of CD Baby

“Carla Lynne Hall is an amazing strategist. Her blog is wonderful too!” – Ariel Hyatt, Ariel Publicity and Cyber PR, and Co-Author of Musicians’ Roadmap to Facebook and Twitter.

“Carla Lynne Hall is like your cool-ass aunt that gives you the real deal about the music business.” – Darrell McNeill, Executive Director, Black Rock Coalition

“Carla, thank you for speaking at our Networking Meeting. What made your appearance so special was that, not only did you provide information on sources of income that many songwriters may not have considered, but you did it with ‘heart’. I thank you for giving so much of yourself.” – Bob Leone, Former Projects Director, Songwriters Hall of Fame

“Working with Carla was such an amazing experience, and I feel that it has provided me with a great foundation to base my musical career! I also want to mention the tremendous help she has been. Not only is she an amazing artist but an amazing person!” – Stephen Carmichael, StephenCarmichael.com

“Carla my experience with you has been AMAZING! Your positive attitude is infectious. Thanks to you, I’m thinking of starting my own blog! I’ve learned so much about online presence, and I will take that knowledge with me.” – Marissa Z., Music Industry Major

“Carla, thank you so much for your insights – you really have inspired me to get into music on a professional basis.” – Emma W., songwriter

“Carla Lynne Hall is without doubt the musician’s best friend! She operates with the three things I admire most: true professionalism, complete openness, and nurturing support. I cannot recommend her highly enough!” – Sean T. Wright, SeanTWright.com

“Carla is great to work with. Her personal, upfront, and honest opinion is worth its weight in gold.” – Zak, Isaac’s Aircraft, IsaacAircraft.com

How To Get a Personalized Song

After my last posting on personalized songs, I’ve received a few orders, but also many questions on how it all works. So here’s the process broken down into 8 Easy Steps:

1 – You complete the Personalized Song Profile.

2 – I’ll send you an invoice for the 50% deposit

3 – You pay the deposit, and send 1-2 photos for the CD cover.

4 – I’ll complete a lyric draft and send to you for approval.

5 – After your approval, I’ll record the song, and post it on a private website where you can listen to the song.

6 – You pay the balance.

7 – I’ll mail you the completed recording and lyrics.

8 – You get the glory! 😉

Each personalized song includes 2 CDs (with photo on CD jewel case), and 2 copies of printed lyrics. You’ll also receive the MP3 and lyrics via email.

Here’s a recent personalized song, and the feedback received:

You’re the One for Me by Carla Lynne Hall

“Carla, the song and lyrics are truly beautiful. I must confess that I did not expect to feel so overwhelmed with sadness whilst listening to the song, I guess hearing my feelings out loud has triggered some pent up emotions. Nevertheless, I would not have the song any other way….you have certainly done it justice.” – Donna D.

Photo Source: Tom Selleck “Hairy Birthday” Cake design by Alicia Traveria of Ayah Design

John Lennon Remembered

Today I’m featuring a vintage guest blog post by my dear friend Andrew Hand. Enjoy!

Remembering John Lennon
by Andrew Hand

Today is the anniversary of the tragic and untimely death of John Lennon. It was thirty-one years ago that Lennon was killed by Mark David Chapman outside the Dakota. I often visit Strawberry Fields in Central Park, across from the Dakota, where the Imagine circle lies and where so many come to pay tribute to John.

I’m struck by how many people visit in tourist droves. This was part of their sight-seeing rounds and as I reflect on John’s impact I thought of this…

John Lennon had a profound impact on the history of the world. He first was a member of the most popular band in the world, which got him seen and into the conscious of so many, but he then took all that attention and used it to spread a message of peace and love and a message that still impacts so many people. He stood up and put his heart and soul out to the world through his music and became a catalyst for people who felt the same way he did, who wanted to see a better world.

As John said, “Some might say I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one.” Lennon knew there were many, who felt the same way he did and he made them feel he was speaking directly to them. What better human interaction can one have than speaking with other human beings? That is what we all seek in life, quality human interactions. Feeling that there is another being on this planet that feels the same way we do. That is community, tribes, and friendship.

So as I reflect back on my morning and all those people that John has touched and continues to touch, I think to my own music/life and how I can apply the idea of “I’m not the only one” into my conversation with others. How can I be of service, of kinship to my fellow beings on this wonderful journey of life and strike a common thread in their lives?

I am so thankful to have found music (at the late age of 24) and the road it has taken me down has been nothing short of amazing. My musical heroes speak to me even now despite their passing. John Lennon is the biggest of those heroes that I have and so today I pay tribute to the man who has asked so many profound questions and offered such wonderful answers. He spoke from his heart and has touched mine.

Thanks John, your spirit lives on.

Peace to the World (A Tribute to John Lennon) by Andrew Hand

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About Andrew Hand:

Andrew Hand writes with a passion for lyrical truth, connecting to the listener drives him forward. His musical journey started at a later stage in life, at the age of 24. This late start supercharged a voracious appetite to delve deeper into lyrics and composition through studying theory and writing. Andrew’s style is best described as: John Lennon’s mind, Jim Morrison’s voice and David Bowie’s theatrics.

Andrew Hand.com

All images courtesy of Andrew Hand.