As seen in Guitar Girl Magazine Issue 10 – Winter 2019
Dear Alexx,
What do you do in your personal life to promote wellness and mindfulness?
~Madness to Creation
Dear MTC,
This is a GREAT question, and it applies not only to musicians but to everyone in general. It is extraordinarily important to take care of yourself and be in tune with your mind and body. I find that whenever I’m off-balance in my personal life, my professional life also suffers. I may physically be somewhere, but I’m not as “present” as I should be.
Sometimes, I forget to take care of myself because I work insane hours, and I have a lot of jobs and responsibilities. I have to remind myself to take breaks, eat small, protein-packed meals throughout the day, and, most importantly, allow myself to have some fun once in a while.
I know all of this sounds incredibly obvious, but how often do we find ourselves burned out, frazzled, or running on fumes? I’ve definitely experienced this quite a bit in my lifetime—especially as a musician, and I’m still learning to listen to my body when it’s telling me that it needs food, some time away from everything, or some exercise.
One thing I try to do for myself is to take at least an hour or so every day to do something for me. This usually means strumming on my guitar, watching a movie, working out, or taking a walk in the park. It doesn’t have to be super structured, but it should be something you do every day to prevent yourself from going crazy or being consumed by the minutia of day-to-day life. I also exercise for an hour or so every single day in the morning to get my day started, to get the blood flowing, and to get my mind working. I read. I educate myself. I try to learn new things for personal and professional enrichment. I meet up with good friends to catch up, toss ideas around, and be inspired.
If you’re always working, not enjoying yourself, and not taking the time to celebrate the little victories, then what is it all for? Seriously. Think about it.
I promise that if you take care of you first, then the rest will come. You will have the power and the energy to accomplish just about anything when you’re feeling balanced.
~Alexx
Alexx Calise is an accomplished singer, guitarist, and songwriter. Perhaps best known for her hit song, “Cry”, which became a staple on the show “Dance Moms” and boasts millions of hits on Youtube, Calise’s raw emotion, heart-and soul-lyrics, and unmistakable vibrato have impacted thousands of young girls all over the world. Calise is currently working on new solo material and songs for licensing and recently released a new EP with another music project, Batfarm. In addition to her musical pursuits, she also works in public relations and marketing and owns her own party entertainment business. When not playing shows or writing music, she enjoys horror movies, exercising or taking a well-deserved nap.
Have a question for Alexx? She has an answer! Email info@guitargirlmag.com.