This episode is a celebration of the voices that inspire us. I’m talking about people and moments that inspired us. Honoring the conversations and people that made me think, laugh, and grow. It’s a gratitude-packed episode you won’t want to miss.
Conversations with Kate is like a conversation with your friend, hairstylist or therapist, where we will talk about music, life stories and everything in between with interviews and guests sprinkled in. As an LCC student, it's an honor and I love bringing a fresh perspective to the podcast menu on LCC Connect. I am your host, Kate.Let's get into this episode.
All right. Welcome into this episode. So grateful to talk to you today about voices that inspire.
We're going to go first with the actual definition of inspiration. It's the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.
And who in your life or what in your life defines that for you? What does inspiration really mean? What is it and how is it defined in everyday terms?
Not just the big breakthroughs, but quiet nudges that shift our perspective. Inspiration can come through and arrive through conversations, unexpected moments, and simple observations.
Something as simple as, you know, watching your child or your grandchild play outside or watching them learn and kind of clutch in on something that they have been working on or trying or. Or yourself, for that matter. And sometimes that is just those nudges, that little moment of, ooh, hey. That kind of just, you know, lit me up inside.
I go through a lot of that with my spiritual practice stuff with kind of just paying attention to your intuition. And again, those nudges, I also live and die by that.
When it comes to music, I sometimes will just get like a spark of an idea for a mix or a piece of music, and I'll go from there. Sometimes that looks like I just was on Spotify and having my daylist give me.
There's a couple of different ones that I've actually saved of vocal or funky, liquid drum and bass. And I'm like, ooh, hey, I haven't heard that tune before. And saving it. And that's a little bit of. Or a tiny snippet of everyday inspiration.
And not just in terms of like, oh, there's this person out there that inspires me, or there's this goal that inspires me type of thing, which I think is really important that we find those small moments of inspiration every day. And sometimes it can be just, you know, you are working towards a goal of. Let's just say, for example, you know, running.
That's one of the things I've been working on in recent months, is being able to actually run for longer periods of time. Because as much as I like to be, you know, I was trying to say healthy and active at the same time, there you don't mind again, just.
Let's just mix up words together. But for instance, I am working on being able to run for a longer period of time.
And this recent thing was I was able to run for just a little bit longer than I was able to run before. And just having that moment of like, oh my God, I'm still going and I don't feel gassed.
And you know, here I am like actually doing it and that not only is that just a everyday moment of inspiration, but it's that fuel, that nudge to kind of keep going and to try a little bit harder and to not give up on that thing. My goal is to ultimately one day run a 5K. We're not quite there yet, but I'm working on it.
I'm following those little nudges and all those little baby steps of getting there again. That was just a little example of everyday inspiration.
If there's something that you have that's an everyday inspiration, whether it be, you know, figuring out that sourdough recipe or working out or writing, or whatever, if there's some kind of everyday inspiration, please share it with me. I love to hear what you have to say. Then we can move on to the people that have shaped us. Who has influenced you? Who are your mentors?
Was it your family members? Was it a friend of yours? Was it an artist? Whether it be music or art, actual like painting or drawing, or even just brief encounters with people?
Because inspiration can come from anyone or all of those. Some people that have inspired me personally just over the years. When I was younger and I played basketball, Michael Jordan was big for me.
My mom knew that. You know, I watched as much as I could of his games when I was younger and playing ball.
And as a teenager, it was more in the realm of musical artists that inspired me. So being a 80s baby, I absolutely was inspired by Madonna. And this started as young as being a toddler, I can.
Those are some of my earliest memories, was listening to Lucky Star on our big floor TV and then memorizing like all the moves from the music video and then forcing, you know, come and be like mom, dad, Tim. Forcing my older brother, my mom and my dad to sit on the couch and watch me perform her songs.
I remember loving to wear this pair of jean suspenders and I loved it so much because the, the buckles made noise.
That's, you know, again, that's just a couple of different people that in different ways that have inspired me as far as like actual music now that inspire me. Man, there is a Lot. I recently have met some students with me here in the music program that really, really inspire me.
Micah, you are one of them because you play the violin flawlessly. If you're listening and hear this, Micah, thank you.
As well as playing the piano, all of my teachers here, Professor G, Nada, my voice lessons professor, Professor Jones, and Dr. Zakirov, my keyboard harmony professor, they've all really truthfully in this new avenue of music exploration and music education that have truly inspired me all in their own ways.
Professor Jones really, really taught me that grounded electronic mixing, mastering forefront, which I knew a little bit of bass knowledge on working in Dawes for music production, but I didn't know and didn't have that knowledge. So he really inspired with the way that he taught that class on how to appropriately master tracks.
Professor G, Man, I owe him a ton as far as music theory is concerned. He really broke it down and inspired me to come back to class excited and hungry for more knowledge on the subject matter.
So other ways that he inspired me, he's a really great artist. He plays the saxophone and he's put out music on Spotify. He also does jazz band and those are ways that he's inspired me outside of the classroom.
Nada, she has been the heart of my vocal inspiration. She herself is a very prolific opera singer. She sang everywhere. If you would like to get to know her, please go look her up again.
Her name is Nada Radakovic and Dr. Z, he is a phenomenal piano player and that professor, he was able to get me.
Now, mind you, I went to a performing arts school in high school and my piano class, I barely got through that class by the skin of my teeth with A C. And Dr. Sakiroff was able to break it down and be patient enough and explain the piano enough to where I now can play with both hands.
And that's why I couldn't get ace that class in high school, because I could not, for whatever reason, could not get it together to play with both hands together. So again, thank you so much to the music department staff here for your inspiration as well. There are other music wise people that have inspired me.
My dad, he is a singer songwriter, so it's kind of in the DNA. He's super duper talented, both with instrumentation and with writing songs.
Maybe I'll have him on here one of these days and we'll get a chance to talk to him, you and I together. Because he's really good at what he does. Maybe I'll have him bring his guitar and play other People in the music arena that have inspired me.
There's of course, pop artists, but the others that truly have stuck with me for drum and bass and the music that I play, there's a lot. There's currently the ones that are in rotation.
Inspiration for doing electronic music and sticking to it and that kind of thing is John Summit Diplo. There's a couple of others, females that inspire me in the industry, there is so many. But Erica Strife, she is a fantastic American drum and bass dj.
Colette Warren, she is a phenomenal singer in the electronic music industry. Her boyfriend as well as. There's so many hybrid minds. K Motions, Charlotte Haining. There's just a ton.
I wish I could sit here and just kind of like go over all of them. But Brian G. From V Recordings, he has several labels. My hometown crew in the drum and bass scene there, the Torque members. Love you guys.
Kevin Harrell, all those people that play there regularly and the people that come to the events regularly, they're all doing great things these days. And again, those are just the people, music wise, that inspire me. Artists. Monet. Oh, music wise, that inspire me. Vivaldi.
I could listen to Vivaldi all day long every day. Especially his strings things. And Chopin as well. So let's touch on how these voices have helped me grow, soften, and see the world differently.
Specifically, like I had said about the teachers, they've really helped me lock in all of this information, whether it is, you know, singing, playing the piano, or knowing the base knowledge of music theory. And I absolutely am in debt to those people for that, especially the music people.
You know, sometimes it's just through somebody posting a mix or somebody playing out or somebody sharing their own favorite tune that has kind of brought me into my own inspiration and inspired me to do something else. Let's touch on moments that have moved me and you us.
They can be moments that are big or small, that sparked new energy or a new clarity that can include hearing somebody's vulnerability. Surprising piece of wisdom, a moment of shared laughter. We talked about that on the last episode. Laughter and comedy is the best.
And having a shared moment of laughter is something that can move you. A turning point in a conversation that can do that too.
Whether it's something that you're just, you know, having a conversation with somebody and then you're like, ooh, dang, that light bulb goes off. That can be a little tiny bit of inspiration. And let's talk about honoring the conversations that have left a mark.
Sometimes it's just meaningful dialogue that can change the trajectory of your day or your life that gives you that inspiration. You need to also, or we need to also. I would like to bring up the subject matter of reflecting on the power of being seen and heard.
That can also be a source of inspiration and being seen and heard. And the power of that. No matter who you are, the power of being seen and heard is immense.
So if there is a moment where you felt powerful or felt the power of being seen and heard, I would love to hear about it again. I love to hear about all of these things from you guys. And then why do certain conversations stay with us long after they've ended?
Was it a colorful story? Was it an inspirational story? Did it make you then go from that conversation and go set up a strategy for yourself?
I know I've had times where I've had a conversation with somebody and been like, ooh, okay, like, I'm gonna go and I'm gonna try that. And that can be as simple as me talking with my client yesterday about making this wonderful thing called a taco ring. And that inspired me.
I am going to go and make a taco ring which Sidebar A taco ring is crescent rolls laid around with all the fixings for tacos put in the middle, folded over and baked. So again, that is just a little example of how a conversation can stay with us long it's ended.
I also want to start something in this episode and we'll just kind of keep talking about it and kind of keep it up on the pages about Gratitude Spotlights.
Dedicate space to acknowledging the people who show up consistently in your life, like you guys listening and supporting the podcast, the guests as well. You got to make that space to acknowledge those people.
So again, I personally right now would like to thank you if you are listening for showing up and supporting consistently and collaborating those people that have been on the show. If you're listening to this new episode, thank you so much because you too have inspired me to there go do more things with the podcast.
So I appreciate all of you. And again, we are gonna continue to do the Gratitude Spotlight.
So if there is somebody in your life or a moment or a story that you want to put in the Gratitude Spotlight, please message me. We'll get it on another future episode.
Have you ever thought about inspiration having a ripple effect, kind of just like a little drop of water and then the ripples go outwards? How do people inspire you?
What happens just having that moment of chit chatting with somebody and then that effect kind of inspiring you and having a ripple effect on you, is it, you know, getting you to eat healthier? Is it getting you to try a cool new recipe like the taco ring? Is it inspiring you to create something?
Whether it's writing artistically, musically, those are all different ways that inspiration have a ripple effect, is hearing those things and it kind of just going throughout and then just by you, you know, say maybe I go home after hearing the taco ring, make that taco ring and then bring it in and then that inspires somebody else to do the same thing. And you never know how that ripple effect is going to go out and affect other.
I also want to take some time to reflect on you as the listeners and how that affects me and how the stories that you've shared with me, the times that I've had, the people here in the studio and the stories that they've shared, that has effect on me. That's a smaller little effect. Not smaller, but just another part of that ripple effect.
And I want you to take time to reflect on who or what inspires you. Why do they inspire you? Whose voice can you honor today? What inspiration can you honor today?
And just as a reminder from my heart to yours, that inspiration is a practice, one rooted in connection, curiosity and gratitude. And again, I just want to repeat, if there's anything that you want to share about someone or something that has inspired you, please do so.
You can do that with all my social platforms or if you see me in person here on campus or out in the wild in real life, please do so. I love to hear about it. And with gratitude and appreciation, I have been inspired by you. So thank you for that.
We grow through each other's voices, our stories and courage.
So continue to pay attention to those nudges and those little sparks of inspiration and I look forward to chatting with you in the future on the next episode of Conversations with Kate.
Thanks for listening to this episode of Conversations with Kate. You can find more information on LCC Connect's site as well as all social platforms, Facebook, Instagram, yes, TikTok as well. Big love.
