We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Tae May a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Tae, we’re thrilled to have you sharing your thoughts and lessons with our community. So, for folks who are at a stage in their life or career where they are trying to be more resilient, can you share where you get your resilience from?
I’ve spent most of my life taking care of myself. I didn’t have the best home life and it was often hard for me to imagine having much of a life for myself at all. Once I was finally free of the abusive home I was living in, I was able to start building a life I never thought possible. Once I gained that independence, I never wanted to lose it again. I continued to work harder to become a better person in order to maintain that freedom. I believe that is where my resilience came from. I took my pain and turned it into my power.
Appreciate the insights and wisdom. Before we dig deeper and ask you about the skills that matter and more, maybe you can tell our readers about yourself?
I book and promote shows under the name Midwest Metal Punks. I decided to pursue this full time last year and it has grown immensely since then. In the past year, I’ve booked about 50 shows- ranging from punk, metal, hardcore, goth, electro, country + rock n roll. Music has always been what has driven me more than anything and it’s certainly been a wild ride. I’ve been able to help my community grow and flourish while helping bring visibility to artists of all walks of life and identities. MWMP has become my child and the music scene is my family. I have poured my heart and soul into this project and it is the greatest thing I have ever done with my life.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Communication, adaptability + openness are the first three that come to mind for me. These are all key components to building and maintaining a growing community. I am someone who is able to talk to almost anyone. I can find my way through most environments and I’m very open to new experiences. I believe that if you can master those three things, you can do most anything. Find something that drives you and let it consume you. Trust your instincts and let them guide you. The rest will come easy once you find what you are truly passionate about.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed, I try to remind myself as to why I’m doing what I’m do. Looking back at each show and remembering how those experiences brought so much joy to others is what keeps me going. I also find taking the time to do something nice for myself to be helpful- such as going for a walk, taking a bath or laying outside in the sun. Many of us get so caught up in what we’re working on, we forget to take care of ourselves. It’s important to stop and take a breath sometimes.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @midwestmetalpunks
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/midwestmetalpunks?mibextid=LQQJ4d
Image Credits
All photos by me
