Like most artists, I’ve always cringed at the thought of asking people for money. It’s something that I’ve personally worked hard to always avoid, even if it meant taking on side jobs and working extra hours at jobs I don’t like. There is definitely something to be said for the DIY spirit and accomplishing goals without help. But during the summer of last year it began to sink in that I have always set goals based solely on what I feel like I can afford on my own.
This limiting reality hit hard as an important fact that sunk deep into my reality: the reality that I need help in order to set bigger goals and getting help meant vulnerability. As we took a year to plan for our National Parks Recording Tour, I knew that eventually I would be doing the thing I dreaded most, asking everyone we could for financial help. Nothing would stop this project, but I knew we couldn't pull it off without vulnerably asking for support.
Anyone who knows me understands that admitting when I need help isn’t one of my best traits. So we put the entire project on credit cards and planned on asking for help to offset the cost. For seven weeks we have traveled to places I thought we would never see. We’ve amassed an incredible audio and video library that we will be using for the rest of our careers. We have gained friends and experiences that surpassed anything we ever hoped to achieve when we first started. But perhaps the biggest lesson I’ve learned from this journey has come as a surprise. I’ve learned to need people.
The traveling part of our project is over and we have a lot of work ahead, but as I write from a coffee shop in metro Atlanta, I’m reflecting on the words of Brené Brown who said it best, “Offering help is courageous and compassionate, but so is asking for help.” We need to need the people around us and that’s healthy. We can’t always be the providers of a service or help for others without receiving services and help ourselves.
Thank you for helping me learn this lesson. I need help more than ever, and I can’t believe the response we have received so far when I finally worked up the nerve to ask. We’re overwhelmed with the support that you’ve shown us through this project and feel more love and encouragement than we ever would have if we had tried to work this credit card debt off on our own. Currently, we are 56% funded with 10 days left to go. If we don't reach our full goal, we won't receive any of the generous pledges we've received so far. We truly can't do this without all of you. Would you consider pledging or sharing the project with someone who might be willing to support the cause?
Thanks again and much love,
Dan