Awesome/Brilliant/Beautiful: Lyrics to Live and to Fight By

Note: You may want to wait and watch the clip after you read the blog post. Or perhaps during. Or again and again if it speaks to you the way it speaks to my heart. 




Quick Background: Before I realized I had Lyme, I spent some time in LA working for a Celebrity and Fashion PR/Marketing firm that based most of its operations in events (charities, fashion shows, etc) and parties at their beach house in Malibu. In the age where people do not necessarily believe advertising like they once did in the early 90's (remember when you thought you could purchase a pair of Air Jordan's and add inches if not feet to your vertical?), this type of marketing we participated in is brilliant. We would have celebrities come to the parties in Malibu at the beach house. We would not invite the big-ticket movie stars that tended to keep their private life as 'private' as possible--we invited the celebs that loved being featured in the weeklies (Star Magazine, People, Us Weekly...basically all the gossip magazines that are impossible to ignore while you are checking out at the grocery store).

When the celebrities arrived to the party, they were not met with Paparazzi, but with young interns like myself with professional and non-invasive photographers that we had hired in tow. Any photo op we saw, we would throw a "prop" in their hand. For example, an energy drink we represented was placed in a celebs hand before the picture (or even better, we got a picture of them drinking it), or a branded surfboard whose company was paying us for marketing their image would appear in the background of the picture. We would get "candid" pictures of these celebrities 'using' certain beauty products and release the images and information to all the weeklies. Usually these pictures were shot to feel as if a lucky paparazzo caught a candid shot (we went as far as to shoot pictures through bushes at times to give them authenticity). They would be released in the magazines and the rest is brilliant marketing history.

As an example (she was NOT an attendee at any of our events and this product was never our client, but the analogy will make enough sense without me violating the non-disclosure rights of the company or any celebrity): You may not fully believe that SmartWater is why Jennifer Anniston is so beautiful and has not aged in years while looking at an advertisement of her holding it and smiling. But seeing her, in an assumed candid shot in a celebrity magazine, laughing with her friends while drinking SmartWater in real life, you begin to assume that maybe she does ACTUALLY drink SmartWater and it does help give her that carefree, youthful glow that we all desire. Do you want that beautiful glow, now, dear trashy magazine reader? I'm sure the reader would be running to buy a SmartWater after seeing her drinking it in what is assumed her real life. Get where I'm going with this?

Shaun, singer/songwriter

Meeting My Inspiration: Sorry for the lengthy lead-in, but during this time I met one of the most influential people in my life. His name is Shaun Halloran. We were instantly best friends and kindred spirits. You know the feeling you get when you meet someone--where you just KNOW that you two are similar and will get along beautifully? When your intuition kicks in and overrules common sense, telling you that you can trust this person implicitly and within seconds you feel comfortable? That was the feeling that I got the first time I was introduced to Shaun. I think you only meet a handful of people in life who you have this instant connection with, but when you have it, it is an incredibly uplifting feeling that is nothing short of beautiful. 


It was not until recently that I was able to put words to this intuitive letting down of walls when one, in any other situation, would usually not do so as quickly. To me, the word that best describes this is "Namaste." One definition is:

"I honor the place in you where Spirit lives 

I honor the place in you which is of Love, of Truth, of Light, of Peace, 

when you are in that place in you, and I am in that place in me,  then we are One."

You can click on the linked phrase above to learn more about the lengthy and various definitions of "Namaste". But in more of a layman's terminology, Namaste, to me, means: "The light in me recognizes the light in you," meaning that our souls have an immediate, intimate connection; a oneness; a similar heart recognizing another that provides an instant, indescribable bond. When I met Shaun, the light in my soul recognized the light in his soul and I felt almost a magnetic force pulling me to him. We were inseparable during our time in California together and still remain close friends all these years later. I believe true friendship can be measured by time and distance: when Shaun and I have not seen or spoken to each other in a while, there is no awkward reacquainting period required. We pick up right where we left off, as if no time or distance had kept our souls apart. We were and had always been united. 

Shaun was and is my go-to during times of trouble. He is poetic in both thought and action--while speaking with him he does not immediately respond, but has an almost unnoticeable brief pause followed by the most eloquent phrase of support or advice--always filled with beautiful words of wisdom. Sometimes the beauty of his words leave me speechless with tears in my eyes and a warmness in my heart.

Healing Lyrics to Live and Fight By: So, now that you know how I met Shaun and a few of the reasons I love him with all of my heart and why he will truly be a life-long friend, I want to share his latest endeavour with you. He has always written poetry and loves to sing--and lately the marriage of these two passions has produced some brilliant music. Even more impressive is that he has no technical training in songwriting, writing lyrical music, or vocal training. It all comes from the depths of his soul--an innately divine gift bestowed upon him by the Creator.

No matter what your battle in life--be in Chronic Lyme or something else--music is very healing. And the sign of truly beautiful, healing music is when it seems the song is being sung directly to you and was written about you. 

Awesome/Brilliant/BEAUTIFUL

After hearing the first song of his on YouTube, Awesome/Brilliant/Beautiful, when the pain gets too intense to manage or I am having a day where I cannot find the will to fight as strongly and positively as normal, I repeat this mantra to myself: I am Awesome. I am Brilliant. I am Beautiful. 

Listening to empowering songs like the clip I posted above have a powerful impact on your spirit and your soul. I cannot help but hear those words, echoing in my head, like I just got off the phone with Shaun and received brilliant and inspiring advice as I have time and time again.

I know the song was not written about me, but it fills my head with thoughts of encouragement. I have come so far, why give up now? 

After all, I AM awesome. I have fought a fight that is greater than myself; that many would have given into already. And I am BRILLIANT. I have researched and learned everything possible about this disease and about the power of positive thinking, along with methods to deal with severe pain, depression, and everything else Lyme throws at me. And finally, I AM beautiful. I am not speaking of my appearance, but of the inside of me; the very core of my soul. I have faced a maddening disease that comes with unspeakable unfairness, and because of the hardships that I have overcome, my soul shines brightly and emits a positive and peaceful aura that glows so brightly many can sense it when they are in my presence. 

YOU are Awesome. YOU are Brilliant. YOU are Beautiful.

So please now go back up to the top of this post and listen to the song, whether it be your first listen, second or third. Listen to it as many times as needed and listen to it when your days are the hardest. Let it sink into your soul and heal you internally. Let it inspire you. Let it transform you. 

Believe the message was written directly to you, because I truly believe Shaun wrote this for every single one of us. He wrote it individually for each person who listens to it. That is what gives this song so much power. Please feel free to comment below if this song affects your heart and your soul as deeply as it does mine. God bless Shaun for sharing his divine talents with us all and God bless all who listen to his music and feel the power and warmth of the confidence it brings. 

After all, dear reader, You Are awesome. You Are Brilliant. And You Are Beautiful.