Brand New Me Frances Drost and Pam Fleming: Musician, Speaker, Author, Songwriter

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!