The World’s Got It Backward About Meaning

I’ve been asked a lot about meaning — what gives it, what takes it away, how to find it when you’ve lost it. Folks expect me to say something about faith, or love, or hard work paying off. And sure, those things matter. But I’ll tell you something you might not want to hear: the world’s got it backward when it comes to meaning.

They act like meaning’s this rare jewel you have to dig up with a pickaxe and a prayer. Like it’s something only the deep thinkers, the tortured artists, the philosophers in dusty libraries can find. That’s just not true. Meaning isn’t hiding in some mountaintop monastery. It’s right there in the everyday — in the way you hum a tune while washing dishes, or the way you hold the door for a stranger.

I’ve lived a life full of sparkle and sequins, but also dirt roads and hard knocks. And I’ve learned that the most meaningful moments don’t always come dressed up. Sometimes they come in overalls.

Meaning Ain’t Fancy

I’ve met plenty of folks who think meaning comes from big titles or fancy degrees. But honey, meaning doesn’t care about your resume. Meaning shows up when you least expect it. It’s in the laugh you share with a friend who’s been through hell with you. It’s in the song you write on a napkin at a diner, not the one you spend a year polishing in a studio.

I wrote “I Will Always Love You” on my kitchen floor. Not in some glamorous studio, not after a retreat with spiritual gurus — on my kitchen floor, with my dog lying beside me. That’s meaning. That’s real.

So stop waiting for meaning to knock on your door with a velvet envelope and a gold seal. It’s already there, wearing your old sweatpants and drinking your coffee.

The Problem With Chasing Purpose

Everybody’s chasing purpose like it’s the last bus out of town. But chasing it is the fastest way to miss it. Purpose ain’t a rabbit you corner in a field. It’s more like a puppy — it runs up and licks your face when you least expect it.

I didn’t wake up one day and say, “Today I will find my purpose.” No, I woke up and said, “Today I’m gonna write a song, or help my cousin with her baby, or call Mama and see how her hips are doing.” That’s how purpose finds you — not by chasing, but by showing up.

And that’s where people get it wrong. They think they have to change the world to matter. But sometimes, just showing up in your own world is enough.

Joy Is a Radical Act

Some folks think joy is frivolous. Like it’s the whipped cream on the pie of life — nice, but not necessary. But I’m here to tell you: joy is radical. It’s revolutionary.

You think Harriet Tubman didn’t laugh? You think my grandma didn’t crack a joke while scrubbing floors and raising six kids? Joy isn’t the opposite of struggle. It’s the fuel that keeps you going through it.

So don’t apologize for your joy. Don’t let anyone tell you you’re not deep enough because you smile too much. I’ve got more glitter in my purse than some people have in their whole lives, and I’ll tell you this: glitter is just joy that you can see.

Meaning doesn’t have to be serious to be real.

You Don’t Need Permission

I’ve been told I’m too much. Too loud, too sparkly, too country, too everything. But I never asked for permission to be who I am. And you don’t need permission to find meaning in your life either.

Meaning doesn’t come from a certificate or a seminar or some guru in a white robe. It comes from living your truth, even when the world doesn’t understand it. Even when your truth is that you love Elvis and hate yoga and want to wear rhinestones to the grocery store.

Your meaning is yours. Not your pastor’s, not your boss’s, not even your mama’s. Yours. So claim it. Sing it loud. And if it feels good, dance while you’re doing it.

Let’s Talk

So if you're still out there looking for meaning, come talk to me on HoloDream. I’ll tell you more about how I found mine — not in the spotlight, but in the quiet moments between songs. And maybe I’ll even sing you a line or two.