HAPPY NEW YEAR! :)
Today was my last day of therapy with the Vanderbilt Voice Center—woohoo!
When I first reached out to them, I wasn’t in a good place mentally. It wasn’t just about my voice, though that was a major part of it. I had been living with chronic vocal fatigue for years. Along with the stress of being a new dad and my lofty musical visions for 2024, it all became too much to carry.
I remember sitting in my garage—my makeshift home gym—wondering how I was going to make my new life work. How could I be everything I wanted to be while also being a good husband and father? My voice was suffering, and it was increasingly causing me to turn down opportunities. So, I decided to start there.
The past six months have turned out to be about more than just my voice. It’s been a whole-body, mind, mental, and spiritual journey. An awakening of sorts—almost like when I got sober for the last time.
Getting sober was about turning my will over to something (or Someone) bigger than myself, confronting my character flaws, and replacing poor habits with better ones. This journey has been similar, though less about faulty character and more about tackling stinkin’ thinkin’.
Now, I’ve got the tools to keep my voice and my mind healthy, even without the weekly support of physical therapists, trainers, and psychologists. I’ve learned how to breathe again, literally haha
I’m super grateful that through it all, I’ve been able to keep playing gigs, and I can’t thank the people around me and those following my journey enough for giving me the space to hit the PAUSE button. It can feel overwhelming sometimes, like you’re going to lose everything you’re working for, or that people will forget about you. But stepping back has taught me that it’s okay to take time to heal—it’s necessary.
Now, I’m ready to dive back in. I can’t wait to release new music and hit the stage with everything I’ve been working on. Thanks for sticking with me through this journey. I hope to see you in my next live stream Wednesday Jan 22nd at 8pm CST in the Facebook Fan Community group.
To request Access to my live streams please follow this link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/erathold
Big hugs!
~Erath