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Jim Gaven
Bio
My mission is to write inspirational stories that make you feel good about yourself, put a smile on your face, and think of things in a different way.
www.keyofawesomemusic.com
www.jimgaven.bandcamp.com
www.patreon.com/keyofawesomemusic
Stories (38/0)
Freezin' For a Reason
SONJ (Special Olympics New Jersey) does incredible work with many individuals and organizations in NJ who have developmental disabilities and beyond. Based out of Lawrenceville, they serve and support the greater Mercer County area as well as the rest of the Garden State through their work in the human services field. Speaking of which, isn't every human being in need of services in some way, shape, or form? I've utilized doctor's care for physical well-being as well as therapists for mental well-being. I'm sure most of us have at least used doctor's care for physical well-being at some point in our lives, so technically, we fall into the category of human services as well.
By Jim Gaven5 months ago in Motivation
The Daily Riff: 365 Meditations on the Guitar
Inspired by Ryan Holiday's book, 'The Daily Stoic', "The Daily Riff: 365 Meditations on the Guitar" is a humble, insightful, and educational exercise in dissecting quotes by famous people regarding singing and their feelings about it, applying it to real-life experience. Designed to read and reflect on one page at a time for an entire year, feel free to sit back and relax while improving your quality of life. This is the first 10 days of Chapter 1 titled, "First Position".
By Jim Gaven8 months ago in Motivation
Top 5 Musical Memories of 2023
2023 was a great year for Jim Gaven, Founder/CEO of Key of Awesome Music, as far as producing original work goes. In looking back over the last 365 days, it was decided by the team to do a Top 5 Musical Memories of 2023 as a 'Year in Review'. If you are someone who is constantly looking to achieve and move on to the next goal, it can be difficult to pause for a moment and reflect on what you've done to get to where you are right now. Give yourself permission to celebrate the wins, no matter how small or big they are. It is a great exercise to improve your mental health over the long-term.
By Jim Gaven8 months ago in Motivation
The Daily Song: 365 More Meditations on Music
Inspired by Ryan Holiday's book, 'The Daily Stoic', The Daily Song: 365 More Meditations on Music is a humble, insightful, and educational exercise in dissecting quotes by famous people regarding singing and their feelings about it, applying it to real-life experience. Designed to read and reflect on one page at a time for an entire year, feel free to sit back and relax while improving your quality of life. This is the first 10 days of the Chapter 1, which is yet to be titled.
By Jim Gaven3 years ago in Motivation
The Reason for the Season
Being that I am a singer/songwriter/musician, I am constantly seeking new and different ways to express ideas, situations/experiences, feelings, and relationships. One of the best ways I know how is to flesh them out through the act of writing lyrics and creating melodies to match said lyrics. Since it is the Christmas season, I feel compelled to share the lyrics of 2 songs I wrote about this wonderful holiday and holy-day: "Merry Christmas Baby" and "It's Christmas". Both songs were inspired by my son and are a stark reminder of what the true meaning of Christmas is: the birth of Jesus. I hope you enjoy reading through them as much as I enjoyed writing them. If you feel so inspired to listen to the actual songs, you can do so by going to the links at the end of each lyrical section below.
By Jim Gaven3 years ago in Motivation
Random Acts of Kindness
It’s amazing to think about all the times someone I didn’t know opened the door for me, let me get in line first at the grocery store, or helped me push my car out of the middle of the street when it got stuck in a snowstorm. However, nowadays, I feel like it’s too few and far between. So many people are in such a hurry to get to the next place they’re going to that they hardly take the time to notice if someone really needs help around them. Yes, it does happen, but you have to seek it out. Maybe it's because it's not recognized in the same way that evil or bad news is. It’s interesting how, over time, the act of helping people just because it is the right thing to do has morphed into doing it for notoriety’s sake in certain situations. I think we all would agree that doing something for your name in the spotlight or for that 15 minutes of fame is not doing it for the right reason(s). It's not a genuine approach to making someone’s day or life better either--thinking that you are somehow owed something for your generosity. The world doesn't owe you anything. Other than to be respectful, people don't owe you anything either. So, let's not expect anything in return. Do something kind because it is the right thing to do, no matter who is watching. Be more self-less rather than self-ish. In order to live more like the former, self-examination and reflection are key. They're the keys to becoming a better person and growing in maturity. We can't do either unless we take a step back and look at how we're living our lives day in and day out.
By Jim Gaven3 years ago in Motivation
I Can Only Imagine
There are some moments in life that are just ingrained in your memory. It could be the birth of a child, a wedding, a graduation, the first time you buy a car or a house, a specific concert, the first rollercoaster you've ever been on, or your first plane ride. Or, maybe it's a small, seemingly insignificant conversation you had with a perfect stranger that continually comes back to your mind. The list could go on and on with different kinds of situations, experiences, and events that have a long-lasting impact on you.
By Jim Gaven3 years ago in Motivation