We recently connected with Natalie Clark and have shared our conversation below.
Natalie, we are so happy that our community is going to have a chance to learn more about you, your story and hopefully even take in some of the lessons you’ve learned along the way. Let’s start with self-care – what do you do for self-care and has it had any impact on your effectiveness?
It was during and in the after-math of the pandemic that I started implementing some self-care habits that really helped me at the time. I found it so helpful to carve out a bit of time every morning for these practices that I just kept going! Now I feel the difference if I don’t make time for this! The first thing I like to start the day with is some quiet prayer time followed by breakfast and watching something inspiring – usually a podcast interview on Youtube! Then I exercise – typically a big walk around the neighbourhood (and I live in Silverlake, so lots of hills and stairs to push me!) Then a lovely shower followed by a meditation! I’ve been doing one of the Oprah/Deepak Choprah meditations nearly every single day since during the pandemic and I just love it!
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’m a Scottish singer/songwriter now based in Los Angeles and I just signed a record deal! I’m so excited to be going into 2024 working on my debut album! I’ve worked for years writing and sharing music and I feel this record deal is a culmination of all that time and work – I’m just so delighted to be writing, recording and sharing all this new music in 2024!
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
Probably resilience is the main one because there have been so many ups and downs on this journey!! You have to keep getting up if you’ve been knocked down or disappointed! You have to just keep going! Also, honesty – just being truly yourself and embracing who you are and being willing to share that, I think is important when you are trying to find your way! Finally – GRIT! I suppose this is similar to resilience! It’s just that never-ending ability to tap into the strength you have. Even when you don’t feel strong or motivated or encouraged, you still have something inside you keeping you moving forward! I truly think it’s in all of us even if we don’t realise it, so it’s about tapping into that and reminding yourself that you CAN DO IT!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Steven Pressfield – The War of Art. This book had such an impact on me! I read it when I was deciding to leave my job as a teacher to pursue music full-time. I had always had such a passion for music but didn’t have the courage to really go for it! When I read this book, it really struck me – I needed to take the leap! The book’s about the idea that we all have unique gifts, talents and passions but most people don’t truly pursue them – we face ‘Resistance’ – like a force that is trying to distract us from our true purpose. So Steven’s Pressfield’s philosophy is that we can beat this Resistance if we keep ‘showing up’ for our gifts regardless of what we face!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.natalieclarkmusic.com
- Instagram: @natalieclarkmusic
- Facebook: @natalieclarkmusic
- Twitter: @natclarkmusic
- Youtube: @natalieclarkmusic
Image Credits
Alice Teeple, Kelli Hayden
