Two songs in particular give me goosebumps when I consider their implications in the life of a voluntaryist: “Brave” by Sara Bareilles, and “Roar” by Katy Perry.
Get a load of these opening lyrics in “Brave” (emphasis added):
You can be amazing
You can turn a phrase into a weapon or a drug
You can be the outcast
Or be the backlash of somebody’s lack of love
Or you can start speaking up
Nothing’s gonna hurt you the way that words do
And they settle ‘neath your skin
Kept on the inside and no sunlight
Sometimes a shadow wins
But I wonder what would happen if you
Say what you wanna say
And let the words fall out
Honestly I wanna see you be brave
This is exactly why I write, podcast, and discuss these ideas freely and openly. Am I brave? Yes, in many respects I am very brave, and darn proud of myself for being so. It’s not always easy, especially at first, to open up about such controversial topics as politics and economics, parenting and childhood education.
I’m a radical extremist on all of these fronts, relatively speaking.
Here’s more, from “Roar” (emphasis added):
I used to bite my tongue and hold my breath
Scared to rock the boat and make a mess
So I sat quietly, agreed politely
I guess that I forgot I had a choice
I let you push me past the breaking point
I stood for nothing, so I fell for everything
You held me down, but I got up (hey!)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, your hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake your ground
You held me down, but I got up
Get ready ’cause I’ve had enough
I see it all, I see it now
I got the eye of the tiger, a fighter
Dancing through the fire
‘Cause I am the champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion
‘Cause I am a champion, and you’re gonna hear me roar!
Goddamnit that’s a beautiful admonishment!
Everybody should find the bravery to roar their truth to the world, in every way they can! Start a blog. Start a podcast (or join me on mine). Give your respectful and thoughtful two cents on every social media post you can.
Don’t be afraid!
And don’t stop at roaring. Include the doing, too!
Ignore anybody and everybody who tells you that you can’t do something. They’re wrong. You can, and you should.
Do you want flip off your boss and storm out because you’re unhappy and unsatisfied at work? Do it.
Do you want quit school and follow your dreams? Do it.
Do you want to keep all of the money you earn? Do it.
Do you want to start a business without first asking permission? Do it.
Do you want to smoke a joint? Do it.
Nine times out of ten, you are your biggest obstacle to accomplishing anything you want to accomplish. Use these songs to inspire you to find that spark deep inside, to find the bravery that you were born with to roar as loud as you can!
