We were lucky to catch up with Jacqueline Little aka JLittle recently and have shared our conversation below.
Jacqueline, 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?
Mental fortitude is everything. Mine comes from my DNA, the way I was raised, my life experiences, and my personal belief system. My parents instilled the concept of mind over matter and I took it to heart. I know my brain is more powerful than my body, and that limitations are created in the mind, so when I find myself in stressful or difficult situations, I think to myself, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going”, and find the strength to push on.
I grew up playing outside, mostly doing extreme sports, and the majority of the neighborhood kids were boys- so if I wanted to hang the last thing I could be was a “sissy girl”. If I crashed I got right back up. If I was in pain I didn’t show it. My family is from the resilient city of Philadelphia, and I raced motocross at the national level, so I was raised to be tough. Hurt in sports? “Walk it off”. Somebody made a dirty move towards me? “Put your head down and outperform them the next round.” Once I saw that I was capable of more than I thought I was, I knew I was very strong and that I could dig deeper and achieve whatever I believed I could.
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
I’m a dj, artist, vibe-curator – this year I am personally focused on learning music production. I’m part of a collective called Soundproof and we produce and promote music events. Last year we launched our record label, Soundproof Records, and we’re using that to bring share art to with the world. Our organization promotes great energy, beautiful vibes, and amazing artists. We aim to spread love and celebrate life with our events– connecting artists, music lovers, and beautiful places. Times are tough and have been since we were founded during the covid years- so we are trying to bring much needed light, connection, and happiness to the world.
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?
Discipline – When I set my mind to something, I do it 100%, the motivation is self-driven, and nothing will stop me. The way to achieve goals is via discipline. Set a goal, think about what you need to do to get there, chip away at it little by little. Hold yourself accountable. Make time. Don’t make excuses. Do whatever it takes. Think of every day is as an opportunity to get closer to your goals, or farther away from them- these daily choices create your future.
Confidence – Live in a way in which you are proud of, all the time, when nobody is watching and when you are in the public sphere. If you know you are a good person and always lead with pure intentions, kindness and respect, it becomes easy to have self-respect and confidence. Know who you are and don’t waste energy on what others think. Remember that what they hate in you, they lack in themselves, and the way they interact with you and the world is a reflection of their own internal situation. Be genuine, be passionate, people will feel this and it will radiate out of you when you’re performing. Believe in yourself, trust yourself and your taste in music. Be you.
Networking – Get out on the scene and support others, show up, talk to people, get involved. Ask for what you want, shoot your shot. This is how you will make friends, make connections, build bonds, get gigs, and find the people who you want to go into business with, as well as learning who you don’t. I simply loved going to shows and supporting friends, so this happened naturally, but looking back, it was essential in earning opportunities and making a name for myself.
Before we go, any advice you can share with people who are feeling overwhelmed?
Life in our current society can be very overwhelming, and I feel overwhelmed often. When I’m pulled in a million directions, I return to center. For me this means simplifying, saying no, slowing down, ignoring my phone – all things which are easier said than done. When I need to reset I prioritize getting outdoors, being with my dogs, spending time with my family, exercising, staying in, relaxing, doing things that make me happy like eating good food, getting a massage, sitting by the ocean or at a park, taking in nice views, enjoying quality time with my best friends, working on music, and traveling.
It’s difficult because I want to be there for everyone, but if I do there is no energy or time left for myself. I tried, and I learned the hard way that it is impossible. I have to listen to my needs and sometimes that means letting others down. It’s something I still struggle with, but I’ve found that if I’m honest and tell people my battery is drained and I need to take care of myself, or that I have to prioritize work/responsibilities – that most understand and are supportive. Spreading yourself too thin is not sustainable and everything will suffer if you do.
Something that also helps is the fact that I don’t buy into the expectation of constant connectivity – I never signed up to be available 24/7, and just because we have phones, social media, email, messenger apps, advertisements, dms, etc. calling for our attention every minute of every day, does not mean we have to give it to them. I believe the way humans are living these days is unnatural, unhealthy, and too removed from the way we evolved- and I think this is partially why mental health issues are skyrocketing. Don’t be afraid to set boundaries and protect yourself. For example I keep my phone in do not disturb mode, I turn off all messaging channels I can, I try not to waste time mindlessly scrolling social media, and I respond to texts on my own schedule. I may be a bit hard to get a hold of, and I’m sure some people find that annoying, but I see the negative effects of the constant attention disruption/ social media dopamine reward cycle/ phone addiction, and I will do what I need to do to keep my mental health intact.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://soundproofus.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jlittlemusic/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JLittleMusicOfficial/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jacquelinellittle/
- SoundCloud: https://soundcloud.com/jlittle_music
- Other: linktr.ee/JLittle
Image Credits
Oscar Villatoro, Alexis Chavez Garate
