Brand New Me

As a songwriter, I set my life to music. I paint my songs like portraits. They become particular expressions of who I am, or who I have been along the way. These songs organize themselves around a particular theme with later becomes a CD project. I love to share these with an audience in a concert setting because it becomes much more like a conversation. And that is what makes Portraits of White more than just a show!

Do your wages determine your value? What if you invest in a dream but don't get paid very much? Would you still do it? Should you do it? This week's podcast comes from the answer to a Portraits of White fan question: "Do you make enough from Portraits of White to pay yourself?"  

"There's nothing so powerful as an idea who's time has come." — Jim Rohn   Sometimes ideas can feel like little mosquitos who are pesky and want a place to land and suck your blood. At least, that's how I feel some days. I can't possibly carry out all of the ideas that pop into my mind or give them a place to live. BUT….in the end, ideas can be our friends. We just have to learn how to nurture, prioritize and categorize them.    When you see Portraits of White, you'll be witnessing the power of an idea.    A snowy day led to the idea for the title song, Portraits of White.   One single manger scene in a Christmas shop in 1999 sparked the idea for the song Take Another Look.    That song took me down a path of "skipping Christmas" that year so I could pay attention to the holiday sadness I often felt in December.    Skipping Christmas opened up space for me to start expressing my feelings through songwriting.    Those seeds of songs started me thinking about doing a Christmas album.   The album provided more ideas - how about a show where we "hear" and "see" the music?   It came to pass in 2014 and it will again this year! Do you have your tickets to see this show yet?    Here are 5 steps that Jim Rohn suggests for turning nothing into something:   1) Start with ideas and imagination - they aren't tangible, but they are almost real.   2) Believe that what you imagine is possible for you.    Two types of testimonials can provide inspiration for us: "If I can do it, you can do it." (Someone else's story) "If I did it once, I can do it again." (Our own story)   3) Go to work and make it real - make it tangible.   4) It takes the disciplined activity to make it reality.   5) Appreciate the discipline it takes to follow through and see it happen.

What inspires you? How can you turn that into creativity? Frances answers the question from a Portraits of White fan; "What inspires you to create?"  Do you have to "feel" inspired to write a song or create something?  

When do you feel the most free? What is your safe place? Is there hope when it comes to freedom of the soul? This week's Portraits of White fan question made me start thinking about life in general. I've been reflecting on the journey toward a "Brand New Me" and how it brought me to a new place of freedom. The question was: "What is your favorite part of Portraits of White? What really gets your heart pumping?"  I definitely love to play the piano and that's my favorite part...but beyond that, I love feeling free. It's taken a lifetime, but I feel like I've moved from feeling free on the piano bench to feeling free in other areas of my life. I can tell you that no matter what you're facing today, you can walk in freedom. Don't give up!  

"Do you ever consider making Portraits of White more religious?" Now that's a very thought-provoking question. My answer in this week's podcast episode might surprise you!

Do you feel a bit overwhelmed in your life? Even if you're "living the dream?" We all experience times when we are overwhelmed and we wish that we weren't the ones in charge, whether it's raising a family or owning a business. In this episode I'll give you 3 tips for managing "living the dream." 1) Don't fall in love with the plan, fall in love with the dream. — Dan Miller 2) Remember the WHY! Why did you start on this journey in the first place? You might want to spend time refreshing your heart and mind by remembering the why. 3) Find someone to help you.

What are you afraid of? What keeps you from moving forward? Fear can be paralyzing. Whether it's inside things (in your soul) or outside circumstances (like a pandemic) that we face, it's important that we face our fears.  In this episode, I'll give you some ideas for dealing with fear.

"The enemy of love is self-consciousness." — Tom Jackson, Live Music Producer. For most of my career, I viewed myself as a musician—in the music business. In the past few years, I've changed my mind. Or at least made room for a broader perspective. As a songwriter, I don't just write and perform music. I help give voice to what others might be feeling but find themselves unable (or afraid) to express it. There is an exchange that happens between artist and fan. It's a beautiful thing. I no longer see myself as just a musician in the music business. I believe I'm in the people business. My live music producer planted this seed years ago when he challenged my thinking about why musicians get nervous when performing. "The enemy of love is self-consciousness," he said. What he was saying was resonating with me.  When a Portraits of White fan asked "What is the most rewarding part of doing Portraits of White," it didn't take me long to come up with an answer. Sure, I love practicing and I love the first note of the concert when you, the audience, are seated and we are ready for the train to leave the station. We're off to see the wizard and we've locked arms. You are my friends on the yellow brick road for the next couple of hours. That's definitely a special part of doing the show. I also love the last note of the evening, because at this point, I know my dream has become reality and nothing has stopped it. I will make my way out to the lobby to greet as many of you as I can. I'll soak in your smiles, tears, laughter and comments. I've prepared an evening of inspirational music and you've blessed me by coming. We've exchanged Christmas gifts and I feel happy. 

Do you need some oil in your life? Are you feeling rusty, unable to move, like the Tin Man in the Wizard of Oz? No matter what it is you want to accomplish in life, there are a few things that will help you keep things running more smoothly. In this episode, Frances Drost offers some reflections about keeping things well-oiled. She also answers another audience question about the Portraits of White Christmas event: "How much time do you put into practicing?"

Which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Do you choose the players for Portraits of White first or the music first? So many questions! Hear the answer to this question and take in another journal entry from Frances in this episode. You'll also hear a beautiful arrangement of "When I Survey" with Frances on the piano and Doug Cook on flute. As for the chicken question...we had chickens on our farm and I don't ever remember having trouble deciding which came first...the chicken or the egg. It was obvious to me. The peeps came first.  My mother and I would drive the very curvy and hilly Pennsylvania back roads to a little poultry farm near us and pick up boxes of peeps. They'd "peep" all the way home. The sound was comforting to me. Then we'd unload the boxes of the little yellow fuzzy balls into our chicken house. My mother, along with our apricot poodle, Angie, and I would sit in the chicken house and watch them for hours.  It's one of my favorite memories from childhood. What do chickens and eggs have to do with Portraits of White, you ask?  It's what popped into my mind when I read this week's fan question. It's really one of those "chicken or egg" questions. "Do you pick the musicians and then select the songs and arrangements around those musicians? Or do you select the music arrangements and then find the musicians to fit your needs?  Thanks to Doug Cook, Eastman School of Music alumni [Performer's Certificate]—one of the star players of Portraits of White, I can select just about any arrangement I want, because we have such great musicians to draw from. Doug was the first person I approached about playing in my "orchestra" and his musical network consisted of pro musicians throughout South Central Pennsylvania. Since he knew that I wanted to put together an orchestra, he made a very special offer.  "Would you like me to be the music contractor for your Christmas show?"  At the time, I didn't know what a gift Doug was giving me when he offered to do this. I knew anyone he chose would be amazing, so I immediately said, "yes!"  

How do you start to journal? Why do we journal? How do you pick the songs for your Portraits of White show? Much like Dorothy, in the Wizard of Oz, no matter what your end destination, every journey starts at the beginning and continues one step at a time. Learn more in this week's episode.  

If you want to reach a destination, it's good to have a plan and follow it step by step. It also involves developing your listening skills so that you "hear" steps you should take on your journey. Frances shares how journaling can help to develop your listening skills—the ears of your spirit. 

Did you know that you can change how you think? It takes work and it's a process, but it can happen. Years ago it became apparent to me that part of my struggle with depression was rooted in my bad thinking patterns. In this episode, I share some of my own journey with learning to change how I think. I also share the answer to a fan's recent question about my Christmas show, Portraits of White: How do you make the Portraits of White show personal?   

Yep! We are happy to announce the Portraits of White 2021 Christmas Show is ON!  Frances shares WHEN & WHERE this delightful event will take place, as well as the process behind choosing this year's venue. The scripture and journal entry for this week come from John 14, "Let not your heart be troubled." Life can be stressful, even when you're pursuing your dream. Choosing NOT to let your heart be troubled is an important part of living life!  

"Why did you start the show?" [Portraits of White] "You said you want it to be a personal experience. Why does that matter to you?" These two questions from a fan of Portraits of White are probably the most special to me of all the questions I've been asked. Beyond the fancy dresses, wonderful musicians, spotlights and set design, there IS a very passionate longing in my heart when it comes to this beloved Christmas show. Basically... How we experience Christmas matters to me. We all have a longing to find our "home," especially during the holidays.  "No matter how dreary and gray our homes are, we people of flesh and blood would rather live there than in any other country, be it ever so beautiful. There is no place like home." — L. Frank Baum (The Wonderful Wizard of Oz) For years, I struggled with the holidays, emotionally. Thankfully, I had a physical home, but there was a sadness that seemed to plague me at Christmas.  In fact, I almost gave up on Christmas. Frankly, I secretly dreaded the holidays. Fortunately, Christmas didn't give up on me. The more I share my own story, the more I seem to encounter others who have felt this way too…or perhaps, still do. My solution to this “problem” was to create a grand Christmas concert experience where people could come together and enjoy a professional show with a home-town feel.   

You have an idea. You start to make plans. Suddenly...your idea seems to take over your life...like a tornado. That's how it has been for me. I'm still learning to find the balance between following through with an idea and not letting it run over me, especially when it comes to Portraits of White. While I was planning this incredible show, I was also working through some spiritual issues around my doubt of God's love for me. In this episode, I share more excerpts from my journal to give you hope and let you know you're not alone. We make plans, but God orders our steps. We take comfort in that!  

It all starts with a dream, as some say. Nashville says it all starts with a song. Either way, if it's a dream, you have to get out of bed and get dressed. If it's a song, you have to get out your pencil and paper, or at least your recorder. Then you might want to play it for other people, put it on an album, put it out on iTunes. You can't just lay around and "think" about these things. In this episode, Frances shares a few words of advice about following your dreams and continues sharing excerpts from past journal entries.  Read blog post here. View this week's YouTube video here.

Kitchen renovations continue and Frances reminds us of how beautiful we become in the midst of soul renovation. Peek behind the curtains as Frances continues to share from her journal and her life about becoming a "Brand New Me".  Also, can you be a farm girl and musician all at the same time?   

Kitchen renovation, journal entries and what it's like to travel with Frances and "Dorothy" from "Kansas" to their dream kingdom of the Emerald City, are all part of this fun episode. For Dorothy, it's the land of Oz. For Frances, it's Portraits of White. Join Frances (and Toto) as they let you peek behind the curtain and share how following your dreams can really bring about transformation from the inside out! Subscribe to Frances' YouTube channel to "see" the journey as she posts weekly updates. http://www.youtube.com/francesdrost  

What is true love? Everyone craves it. Where do you get it? In this episode, we'll continue delving into what it would be like to feel loved for who you are, unconditionally. I'll be sharing a passage that I've been meditating on recently and give you some of my thoughts on what true love is and how it's changing my life. This episode also features the song "Don't Quit" from the album "Brand New Me." You can purchase the song here.  

How would you live and act if you believed you were loved unconditionally? I know I would live differently!! "The love of money is the root of all evil." I believe that the lack of love in our lives is the root of all offenses.   In this episode we'll tackle this question about feeling loved. It's the backdrop for my song "Inside Things" and you'll get to hear why I wrote that song in the first place. It all has to do with LOVE! This week you can vote for the song "Inside Things" on Global Rising Song - a contest that's been developed for songwriters to help raise money during COVID. If you vote for my song (giving $1 = 1 vote or you can give $1,000 and I'd get 1,000 votes), this will contribute toward the music I write and keeping the lights on during this season. Contest ends Sunday, 2.21.21 @ 9:00 PM CT. http://www.globalrisingsong.com - look for Frances Drost "Inside Things" and cast your votes.

Do you have a broken friendship? Can God mend it? Listen as we discuss the challenges of friendships and the background of the song "God Can Mend."

If you could sum up your life in three words, what would you choose?  Hear the story behind the song "God is Faithful." Learn more about having a personalized song created for you or someone you love: http://www.francesdrost.com/musical-creations/ Subscribe to my YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/francesdrost

Wearing red lipstick underneath a mask is problematic...and other things I'm learning about being a musician during COVID!

You have been gifted with something special. It's unique to you. It's your "coin". Do you know what it is and are you using it?

Do you ever feel like you're NEVER enough? Me too!

Special announcement on this episode!    

Dan Difava, photographer and founder of StigmaPeople.com was so discouraged with life that he attempted to end it, five times. But he was unsuccessful each time. After suffering a terrible car accident which left him with 2 broken legs and other serious injuries, he decided to give photography a try. Inspired by a program on Netflix (while he was laid up) his life began to take an interesting turn as he combined his story with his new-found love for film.  Your heart will be touched as you listen to this honest and hopeful story. It's a beautiful example of stirring up your creativity—which is exactly what we've been talking about in the most recent series. Be sure to visit Dan's website @ http://www.stigmapeople.com. You'll also hear a beautiful new song that you probably have never heard before. "Love Works Wonders" was written by professional songwriter Robert Sterling. If this podcast touches you somehow, please share it with a friend and let us know too! We love to hear from you @ brandnewmepodcast@gmail.com

Pam is struggling with food issues (food is one of her many artistic talents!) and Frances wonders how to get free from feeling like you always have to have a BIG purpose behind WHY you create. Join us for some fun times! We continue our conversation with Eric Copeland, President of Creative Soul Records and author of the new ebook, How To Live A Creative Life - https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Creative-Life-Ministry-ebook/dp/B07QWB99J4.

Why do you think people create things like paintings, songs or novels? Should it be just for fun?  Music producer, Eric Copeland, continues to share his thoughts with Pam and Frances about why we create. He also addresses what to do if you're stuck or just not having fun with your art anymore. To purchase Eric Copeland’s book “How to Live a Creative Life: Creative Ministry” click on the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Creative-Life-Ministry-ebook/dp/B07QWB99J4

How do we as creative people serve the world with our talents? Where can we show our artistic gifts and express our creative ideas?    We create so people can be moved and affected by what we have to give.    Eric Copeland joins Frances and Pam as they explore various avenues of getting your creative ideas and gifts out to the world, as well as letting others know that what you are creating is important.     To purchase Eric Copeland’s book “How to Live a Creative Life: Creative Ministry” click on the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Creative-Life-Ministry-ebook/dp/B07QWB99J4

Can you remember pretending to be or do something as a child? This could be a clue to the creative life inside of you.     There is something creative in all of us. To access it, you may need to reach in, find what your gift is and begin to stir up that creative life that is inside of you.   Eric Copeland joins Frances and Pam, as they share insight from his book “How to Live a Creative Life” on how to cultivate the creativity inside you.    To purchase Eric Copeland’s book “How to Live a Creative Life: Creative Ministry” click on the link: https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Creative-Life-Ministry-ebook/dp/B07QWB99J4    

In this episode, Frances and Pam talk with composer, arranger, and producer, Eric Copeland, about how to live a creative life.  Eric shares how important it is to pay attention to that inner muse so that the creative things inside you are not lost.  Frances, Pam, and Eric share who has inspired them in their lives.  Get a glimpse into the music production world as you listen to a clip of Frances' song “Brand New Me” in its raw draft and then the final produced product.  This week features Eric's song "Rest of My Life" from Positive Spin Songs. https://positivespinsongs.com/ For the next season of Brand New Me, we will be discussing the book, “How to Live a Creative Life: Creative Ministry” by Eric Copeland https://www.amazon.com/How-Live-Creative-Life-Ministry-ebook/dp/B07QWB99J4

What are the pillars of building a healthy relationship?    Frances and Pam share seven crucial pillars for building any healthy relationship, from Danny Silk’s book, “Keep Your Love On”.

When you experience hurt or disappointment in your relationships, do you tend to allow fear to cause you to pull back, or do you make a choice to forgive, love, and move forward?    In this episode, Frances and Pam touch on how a marriage, as well as other relationships, can become disconnected through fear. They also share their own experiences of the battle between fear and love in marriage and other relationships.    Also in this episode, you'll hear a fun song written and produced by Eric Copeland, President of Creative Soul Records and Positive Spin Songs and the producer of Frances' music. The song, "Falling in Love With You" fits perfectly with the theme of this week's episode.

Are you powerless or powerful when it comes to your relationships with others?   Powerful people take responsibility, powerless people find someone to blame.  Powerless people are rooted in things such as fear and doubt. Powerful people are rooted in choosing to love.  How do you go from being a powerless person to a person who is powerful? Pam and Frances share insight into how to become a powerful person. 

Do you know the impact that cultivating laughter, song, and dance can have in your life? Maybe it’s time to let go of being cool, and always in control, and give yourself permission to celebrate!    Laughter, song, and dance create an emotional and spiritual connection; reminding us that we are not alone.    In this episode, Frances and Pam share their experiences of how times of laughter, song, and dance have impacted each of their lives. 

What makes you come alive?    We all have gifts and talents. When we don’t use our talents to cultivate meaningful work, we pay a price. When we cultivate those gifts and share them with the world, we create a sense of meaning and purpose in our lives.    This week Frances and Pam share on the chapter, “Cultivating Meaningful Work” from Brené Brown’s book The Gifts of Imperfection. 

Does it feel like anxiety and even waves of panic sometimes seem to sweep over you? Don't be discouraged! God has given us tools to help us break out of a lifestyle of anxiety.   Pam and Frances share their own personal journeys of overcoming anxiety and how they each are finding and cultivating a place of calmness and stillness in their own lives. 

Do you feel stressed when you’re playing because you feel unproductive? Well-known author, Dr. Stuart Brown says that "play shapes the brain, opens the imagination and invigorates the soul." He also says that, "the opposite of play is not work, the opposite of play is depression." Frances and Pam share how they “play” and how it refreshes and energizes their lives. Pam believes in taking naps!! Leave the guilt behind….take something off your list and take a nap!

In this episode Frances and Pam share the creativity they inherited from their Mother’s (well, it depends on who's talking) and how we sometimes compare ourselves to our Mom’s. We all need to realize that comparison is all about conformity and competition.  It can become the “Thief of Happiness” that can clearly steal our joy and make us feel bad about ourselves. Listen in as we tell you how to get deliberate, get inspired and get going in finding your creative part. We are all creative in our own right.  We are unique and God has given us all a gift to share in this world! This week's episode features a new song written by Frances' record producer, Eric Copeland and sung by Chris Rodriguez. Chris has been a guitarist and vocalist for Peter Cetera, Kenny Loggins, Keith Urban and many others. Listen here: "This Could Be Your Day" - by Chris Rodriguez

This week on the Brand New Me podcast, Frances and Pam will discuss Brene Brown’s view on how to cultivate our intuition and hold on to our faith. The definition for Intuition is, “A direct perception of truth or fact, independent of any reasoning process.” So what about you? Do you listen to your gut instincts? Do you hear the Spirit speak clearly? And if you do, what do you do with it? We know that Faith is, the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things not seen. We as humans love closure, resolution and clarity, but faith seems like the exact opposite. Tune in to hear how to get deliberate, to get inspired and to get going in your faith!

Tune in this week as we talk about cultivating gratitude and joy. How do we do this? In Brené Brown's book “The Gifts of Imperfection” she says, “It seems that gratitude without practice may be a little like faith without works – it’s not alive.” Frances and Pam discuss how they choose joy in their lives and how they practice keeping joy alive. Being grateful is a key component to living a joyful life. They also examine how the feeling of scarcity can rob our joy. It’s all those things we don’t have or can’t do that takes away our joy. As Brené Brown says, “Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are.”

Pam is turning 65! What would she tell her 20 year old self? Her 40 year old self?   

Why are some people resilient and others not? Frances and Pam discuss the chapter in Brene Brown's book that deals with resiliency.  They explore how to become resilient, and learn how to "pick ourselves up" after hardships and trials in our lives. Cultivating hope is one approach to becoming resilient, ask yourself... Do I know where I want to go? Do I know how to get there? Can I do this? Tune in to hear other paths,  that help you become a more resilient, productive and powerful person.

Why is it sometimes hard to show as much compassion toward yourself as you do to others? How do you feel when you don't achieve your goals, can't keep your house organized or in that moment when you happen to look in the mirror? Self-compassion is the subject of this week's conversation on the podcast. Join us!        

Brené Brown defines connection as "the energy that exists between people when they feel seen, heard, and valued; when they can give and receive without judgment; and when they drive sustenance and strength from the relationship".  Join us as we delve into the deep subject of connection from Brené's book "The Gifts of Imperfection". We even talk about social media...how we feel about it. Yikes!

What exactly IS compassion? How do you support someone when they're going through something difficult while keeping some boundaries of your own? It's not easy!!  Join Pam and Frances for another honest look at their own struggles and observations when it comes to showing compassion.        

We all have a story. It takes courage to be vulnerable and share our story with others. It can be hard to be vulnerable.  In this episode, Frances and Pam talk about how having the courage to open our heart to share our story with others can open a whole new world for someone else. We would love to hear from you! Contact us at brandnewmepodcast@gmail.com.  

Do you think God wants you to be this perfect person who does everything right?  Do you feel like you just can’t measure up? We often question who God wants us to be, who others want us to be, even who we want to be. Our thoughts can take us on a journey that leads away from who God designed us to be. Frances and Pam share how important it is to renew our minds, to change our thought process from the negative to the positive by changing toxic thought patterns in our lives.  To find out more about Caroline Leaf’s 21-day brain detox plan, go to https://drleaf.com/about/ We would love to hear from you! Contact us at brandnewmepodcast@gmail.com.