Finding Strength After The Storm: Erin Duvall on Music, Single Parenting, and Building Twice the Love

In this episode we visit with Texas-born singer-songwriter and single mother of four Erin Duvall to unpack how she turned a season of survival into soulful songs, purposeful routines, and a foundation that champions single parents year-round.

In this lively conversation Erin traces her path from a childhood spent chasing any stage to a grown-up return to the studio with new clarity. She breaks down the collaborations that sharpened her sound—Dallas legends the Baker Brothers, Grammy-winning producer Keith Thomas, and Nashville writer-producer Brian White—and how those sessions shaped two creative eras: the relational healing of her album One by One and the hard-won selfhood in her new single Back to Me. Along the way, she shares how she protects her kids’ privacy while still letting them share the joy of performance when they choose.

The heart of our conversation lands at home. Erin explains why nothing is off limits at her kitchen table, how clear boundaries make kids feel safe, and why a strong village—grandparents, trusted neighbors, dependable carpools—turns chaos into momentum. She offers practical advice for single parents and busy creatives: start now, even small; guard your yes; trade FOMO for JOMO; and make time for rest nonnegotiable. We also spotlight the Twice the Love Foundation, Erin’s platform that raises awareness and resources for single parents through concerts, community events, and partnerships with on-the-ground organizations.

If you’ve wondered how to pursue a dream while raising a family as a single parent and still show up for others, this story delivers both inspiration and a blueprint. Listen for the mindset shifts, the daily systems, and a preview of the new release Back to Me that captures life after the storm. 

Transcript

Meet Erin Duval

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Today, we meet Erin Duval, a talented musician with a passion for the arts, advocacy, and parenting. She joins the show to highlight the importance of supporting single parents as they navigate the challenges and opportunities of parenthood following divorce. Erin's unique style and generosity are inspirational, garnering her attention from both local and national stages as she fosters a life of her own design that includes creativity, giving back, and guiding her children through life with intentionality and compassion. I'm Maria McMullen, and this is Genesis, the podcast. Erin Duval is a Texas-born singer-songwriter, single mother of four, and entrepreneur whose powerful soulful vocals and genre blending style have earned her comparisons to Janice Joplin and Natalie Maines. After debuting with her album Out of Focus in 2010, Erin took time to focus on her family before returning to music with renewed energy, collaborating with industry talents, and releasing her latest album, One by One, in 2024. Inspired

Music Roots And Early Drive

SPEAKER_02 1:06

by her journey as a single parent, Erin founded the Twice the Love Foundation to support other single parents and families in need. She also created Auntie E, an animated character that introduces children to music, reflecting her passion for nurturing young talent. Listen to the end of this episode for a sneak peek of Erin's new single, Back to Me, releasing March 2026. Erin, welcome to the podcast. Thank you. Thanks for having me. I'm so glad we finally are getting together to talk about you and your work and your experience as a single mom. This is going to be a really fun episode where we can talk about creativity and resiliency and all of the things that are possible for survivors and really for all of us who may be single parents, even not single parents, right? There is a great life out there for so many. And I'm thrilled that you will bring your voice to our listeners today. Let's get started first and talk about how you started in the music industry and how that has influenced your life and maybe your parenting style.

SPEAKER_01 2:31

Oh, sure. Well, you know, it's kind of like Lady Gaga says, I was born this way. Right. I was the fourth of five kids, and I was always performing. And my mom always laughs because she said she had friends that would say, get that child off of the kitchen counter. Right. She's always putting on a show. And she was like, Listen, I can't. I mean, she's just being who she is. And I was always looking for any place to be a stage. And so growing up, I sang all the time and I did acting classes. And, you know, I even was with like Kim Dawson for a while. And then they would call my mom and be like, she has an audition today. And my mom would go, Oh, that's funny. She actually has a math test today. So I'm not gonna tell her that she has an audition today. So my mom was not a very good, like, actress mom, but I did musical theater, and then I was a cheerleader, and then I was captain of the cheerleading squad, and I was on a competitive dance team. So as you can see, I was constantly looking for any place that I could to perform. It was just really within me and made me very happy and did theater, did musical theater, did all of it. And then I was gonna go to NYU. I got a callback from Tish. And then I got into the University of Texas and I really kind of wanted to be closer to home. And it's weird the way the world works because 9-11 was my freshman year. So I would have actually been in New York City within like the first two, three weeks of being there, 9-11 would have happened. Um knowing my family, I probably would have come home because of all of that. So I just think it's like the world had a bigger plan for me. So I went to Texas and I was a communications major because I love to write and worked on my writing skills. And then I went straight back into music after I lived in New York and worked for Ralph Lauren for a while. So I've I have a very interesting background, but everything is definitely connected to some form of creativity.

SPEAKER_02 4:25

Yeah, it is very diverse. And I think that's great because your life experience sounds so robust. And isn't that something that we can always hand down to our children? And it helps to influence how we parent them and how we understand them, especially when your kids may end up wanting to be in the entertainment industry as you have, right?

SPEAKER_01 4:47

So how two that like to perform?

SPEAKER_02 4:50

Okay, two out of two out of four is not bad. So let's talk a little bit about how all of that influenced your life, you know, going forward and your parenting style.

Parenting With Honesty And Boundaries

SPEAKER_01 5:03

Sure, yeah. I mean, big personality, obviously. I, you know, I'm kind of am also very open book, honest. And I think that plays a huge part into my parenting style. We have nothing in this house that's off limits that we can't talk about. We go right to the heart of problems. You know, I've got one kid that's going through puberty right now. He would literally kill me for saying that on the buttons we've had really open conversations about all of those things because we don't have a male figure in the house, a father figure in the house. And so I played both mom and dad. And so I just really believe in strong, like straight to it, hard conversations and working through things, and there's nothing that's too big that we can't work through together. And so my kids feel really comfortable coming to me about everything because I do have that very open personality. And I don't, I there's not much that I am scared of. I think I look at things as okay, this is this is a challenge, but how do we how do we fix those challenges? Or do you are you just wanting me to listen today? And so a lot of times when I sit down with my kids and they're like, hey, I need to talk to you about something, I'm like, are you wanting listening, mom? Or are you wanting because I'm a I'm a fixer, right? Like I'm like, if you've got a problem, I will help you fix it. So I have to kind of approach them and say, which mom do you want today? Because I can go full blown into how do I take care of this for you and and what do you need? And they're like, mom, I just wanted you to listen. So I've learned over the years to approach a lot of conversations with that, and that's been helpful. But yeah, we in our house is super lively, there's lots of music all the time. There's four kids in four and a half years, so it's definitely not a if you're looking for a quiet space, we are not your place. But it's fun and it's loving. And my kids are really, really close, and I'm really close with all of them. And so, yeah, my my music background has played a big part into that.

SPEAKER_02 7:03

That's so beautiful. And I love your approach of asking them like what do they want out of this conversation? Who do they need you to be in that moment? And it's so important to do that, especially as they start to go through puberty and become teenagers and beyond, because truly they're trying to evolve and figure out who they are and become independent. So it helps if we as parents stop parenting so hard, maybe at that point, and try to have a different type of relationship. So I really applaud the idea of doing that and for you bringing that into your family. I

Collaborations And Creative Renewal

SPEAKER_02 7:39

want to talk a little bit more about music again. I keep coming back to it, but who are some of your musical collaborators and how has that supported your success and motivation to keep singing and performing?

SPEAKER_01 7:54

Oh, I've been really fortunate to have some wonderful people that I worked with along the years. I worked with a group here called the Baker Brothers. They're from Dallas. It's Terry and Simeon Baker. Terry has been Kurt Franklin's drummer for about 25 years. And I did some work with them. They used to work at Potter's House. I did a music video for Bishop T.D. Jakes and kind of came across them. And at that time, I had just gone through my divorce. I was probably, I want to say three years into it at that point, maybe two and a half. And I just had so much. I write all the time, and it's a very cathartic process for me. And so when we got in touch to do something else, they were like, Well, do you have any music that you're interested in putting down? And I was like, absolutely. And we were like, well, let's just go to the studio and try something out. And I ended up writing eight songs of them, and it was a really beautiful process, and we are still close friends to this day, and we still do a ton of work to this day. They, I did the toy drive for Genesis in December, and they helped put the music together for all of that. So they are like family, very close friends of mine, but also have been really blessed to collaborate with them. And then most recently, I've collaborated with Keith Thomas, who he discovered like Mandy Moore, Katy Perry, and he won the Grammy for Colors of the Wind for Pocahontas. Yeah, it's so you know, it's like with Vanessa Williams. And so that's been fun to work with him on a couple things. And I've got some stuff coming out here in the spring and into the fall that's been with him. And then another really wonderful guy from Nashville, his name's Brian White. He's an incredible writer and producer, and he's worked with some of the bigs um in the country music scene. And so my next song, actually, that I wrote with him is coming out on March 13th.

SPEAKER_02 9:43

Oh, how exciting.

SPEAKER_01 9:44

Really excited about that. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 9:46

What is the title of that song?

SPEAKER_01 9:48

That one, the new song is called Back to Me. And it's so when I wrote my last album, it was called One by One. And the reason I wrote One by One was because I felt like it was a really relational album. Because everything in my life at that time was really dependent on all the relationships that I had, whether it was ones that were being severed or ones that were really important and lifting me up, or friendship relationships, or my parents, or my kids. And so the whole entire album is about all these different relationships I have. But when I went through my divorce, somebody said to me, you know, God flipped all your breakers off as a coping mechanism. And I thought, gosh, that's such a unique way to look at it. Because I felt like after a while, like I didn't feel certain things. And I was like, okay, that tracks. And one by one, each breaker turned

One By One To Back To Me

SPEAKER_01 10:40

back on as each relationship healed me or I healed myself. And so every song in that particular album was about that process. Well, now, because it's been two years since I released that album, I feel like I've come a really long way just in my life and with work, and my kids are so much older now. And I feel like I'm standing kind of on a different platform. And so this particular album coming out is really about what does your life look like once you've actually survived the storm? And who are you? And so this song is about getting back to who I am as a person.

SPEAKER_02 11:17

That's really beautiful. I cannot wait to hear the new song on March 13th. I'll be listening for that. I'm curious, what do your kids think about you performing and being a professional singer?

SPEAKER_01 11:31

Um, they love it. You know, I think now that I've got teenage boys, I think it's funny because, you know, they'll be with buddies and all of a sudden somebody will like turn my song on, kind of like to peg at them a little bit. Right, right. Sometimes that's annoying to them at this point, but you know, they're pretty used to it and they're like, yeah, my mom's cool. This is what she does. She's always done this, and they're really supportive and they love it, and they love when I actually perform and they've been up on stage with me before. And so it's, you know, it's kind of part of their process. I mean, we film a lot at home. I don't ever put, I'm a really conscious, like, I don't ever put them in anything. I want it to be their choice. So, like, if you look at my Instagram, like if they're on it, it's their backs or you know, and because they do, they have a very personal choice of whether they want to be visual within my brand. And so I'm like, this is this is your choice, it's not my choice. And so I've made I've been very like cognizant of that over the years. But no, they're so super supportive, they love it, they love the foundation work, they enjoy being a part of that as well. So they're used to it.

SPEAKER_02 12:41

That's awesome. And we are going to talk about your foundation

Kids, Privacy, And Performance

SPEAKER_02 12:44

in just a little bit. You're also an entrepreneur with many projects happening all at once. What are some of the other endeavors that you have done? And how do you balance these along with parenting for children?

SPEAKER_01 12:58

Um, well, first I'll say I'm really good at compartmentalizing. I think having been divorced with four kids, and four kids being in four and a half years, you have to learn. Okay, like this is my mom hat, and this is my 3 to 8 p.m. hat, and then this is my, you know, okay, the kids are now at school, so I have this chunk of time, and so I'm really good at keeping those things in their buckets, which I think has really helped me. I do handle stress well, but I mean I grew up with five kids, and so our house was always pretty loud too, and there were a lot of kids and a lot of friends, and my parents were busy, and my dad worked a lot, and you know, so we had nannies, and so I mean, I I kind of feel I was a little primed for this. Sure, but yeah, main thing it's day by day, right? So I kind of look at my day and I'll go, what do I have today? What's going on with the kids? What can I accomplish? And I really try and like make sure I go to the most important things, whether it's something for the kids today or it's something for work. But no, I've got a I've got an animated project. It's a character that's very beloved to me and a character I created a long time ago and it's ever evolving. And I can't talk too much about it because I'm now in a different world with it, and we're working on finding a bigger platform for her, and there's, you know,

Juggling Projects And Time

SPEAKER_01 14:25

other partners attached now. But no, it's really exciting. It's a world that teaches children about music, so it's obviously very near and dear to my heart. Sure. I'm really excited for what's to come.

SPEAKER_02 14:36

That's fantastic. I look forward to learning more about that too. You have so many irons in the fire. I I mean, uh this is going to be a lot of things for me to follow along with. But but I can't wait to see everything that you'll do. So you have so much happening, and you have the four kids, and everybody's in school, and probably in all kinds of activities themselves. Let's talk about, in addition to compartmentalizing all of these things that you need to be and you need to do, let's talk about your parenting style and how was that influenced by your transition to becoming a single parent and how has it evolved?

SPEAKER_01 15:13

Well, I I will say this. When I lived in Colorado before we were going through our divorce, and my boys were little, and my ex worked a lot. So it was a lot of me kind of running and steering the ship at that time anyway. And when I moved home, I was super fortunate because I got to move in with my parents and uh you had my twin daughters and went through the transition of truly becoming a single mom. I had to learn pretty quickly that there are certain roles where a firm approach needed to be played, and certain roles where a much more delicate caring approach needs to exist. And that that can sometimes make you feel a little crazy because you know, like a lot of parents get to be bad cop, good cop, and they're like, these are my roles, and I might be bad cop, good cop all in the same 10 minute segment, you know, and and it's and my kids had to transition to that as well, but we're all pretty used to it now, and they're really aware that when mom says something, it comes from a place of love, but and it always comes from what I that I want the best for them, but I mean business. And so I've had to really lean into I couldn't just be the loving all the time, sure, hon, do whatever you want. You know, like that didn't that wouldn't work being a single mom with four kids because it is just me. And so I had to find kind of the perfect balance that works for my kids to keep them safe and feeling loved, but also understanding where their boundaries exist. And we're really lucky. I mean, we've got great people. My parents live less than a mile down the road from us. My dad is a wonderful example of a man and a grandfather and a father, and he's just a fantastic person, and same with my mom, and so we're really, really lucky to have them. I've got two siblings of the five that live in this community that we live in as well. Some of my kids' godparents live here, so we're really enveloped in love here, but I would definitely say I do the heavy lifting.

SPEAKER_02 17:37

Yeah, I'm sure you do, and most moms do as well, especially if they're single moms. I think what you said was really important, and I hope listeners took away what I did or something more meaningful to them, of course, that you have to learn to be the parent that your child needs in the moment, which you said earlier as well. And not everything can be the way that not everything can be like you can do whatever you want. You there have to be boundaries. And I believe truly that, and it may not seem that way in the moment, but as a parent, I believe that kids respond

Becoming A Single Parent Leader

SPEAKER_02 18:15

better to structure, that they need structure structure, and guardrails become really important, especially when they become teenagers, because if they don't understand boundaries by that point, it's really hard to set limitations on teenagers at that time, you know, for the first time.

SPEAKER_01 18:33

Absolutely. Absolutely. And our therapist always said we have this wonderful person who's worked with my kids for years, and she's been super helpful for me as well. But she always told me about this one study where they had two different groups of kids, right? And it was a playground, and one playground had no boundaries whatsoever, and the other playground had four walls around it. And the one that had four walls around it, the kids ran from all ends of the playground to every corner to the center and back out. And the one that didn't have the boundaries, the kids kind of clumped to the center because they didn't know, they didn't feel safe and they didn't know where, how far could we go? What limit can we stretch to before we hit that boundary? And I that's always stuck with me. I'm like, okay, I get it. Like kids have to know where the final uh-uh, too far, right, back in, or no, that's not safe. And so I think that's always been a big part of my parenting style is just making sure they understand where their firm and clear boundaries exist. And because, like you said, as you get to the middle school years, they really are starting to push those boundaries. Not because they're trying to be bad kids, they're just trying to figure out who they are. But if they don't know what those boundaries are, then it can be pretty confusing for them.

SPEAKER_02 19:52

Absolutely. Yeah, I completely agree with that that idea and way of thinking. Let's talk a little bit about the support system that you have because you mentioned your parents, your extended family, and so on. What role did they play during your transition back to Texas from Colorado? And how has that influenced your mission to help others who may not have those types of resources?

Why Boundaries Help Kids Thrive

SPEAKER_02 20:17

Sure.

SPEAKER_01 20:18

Like I mentioned before, when I moved home, I was pregnant with twins. I moved in with my parents, and I had two little boys, and it was a saving grace for me to have a soft place to land, is what I've always said. And it's true, it was a soft place to land, and I think, you know, everybody that whole theory of you can always go home is a really beautiful, I don't know, momentum. And for me, it was like a just a beautiful spot in my life while being one of the hardest times of my life. And I feel like I'm incredibly close to my parents. I always have been, but I do think that the time that I spent with them during those really difficult years brought us even closer together. But that actually is the reason I started my foundation, was because I kept thinking to myself, this is so hard. What I'm going through is so hard. And I have such wonderful people around me that are loving on me and helping me in every single way that they possibly can, whether it was emotionally, moving my kids around, helping them get to school, whatever I needed at that time. Yeah, they were really, really wonderful. But I know that that doesn't exist. And I know that there's a lot of people out there that don't have that soft place to land. And so that's why I started Twice the Love Foundation because I just wanted to pay it forward in some way and to help in any way that I possibly could. And I love Genesis Women's Shelter. I think Jan Langbine is a rock star. You know, we've we've our family's done a lot of stuff with Genesis over the years, and she She's an incredible person. She's somebody that just always checked

Family Support And Paying It Forward

SPEAKER_01 22:04

on me when I moved home. Are you okay? What do you need? You know, so it was it's been lovely to be able to give back and be a part, a small, small part of everything that y'all do.

SPEAKER_02 22:16

But well, y it you may say it's a small part, but it means so much to us at Genesis. And you have such a big heart for not just for the organization, but for the mission and for the actual people who are experiencing domestic violence in our community. And so there are 3,000 people every year who come to Genesis, and most of them do not have the support system that you were able to have during your experience. And it's incredible that the Twice the Love Foundation can support all of them, you know, as much as possible throughout the year. Let's talk a little bit more about what the foundation is and your objectives.

SPEAKER_01 23:07

Yeah, I mean, mostly we're a funnel through. And that's kind of the one thing I always say to everybody. It's like there's so many incredible organizations out there that are brick and mortar that are doing the hard work on the ground for us. We're really like a we're champion single parents. We are a platform that talks about it. I think the the thing that always struck me is when I would travel by myself with these kids, the amount of people that didn't ever lift a finger to help me kind of blew my mind. Like I'll never forget, I was like getting on an airplane, pregnant, carrying a baby here with a car seat over my head and a toddler moving in front of me. And not one person was like, Can we help you? Can we do this? And I think it's funny that nobody talks about, we talk about everything in the world now, and I think it's great. I think it's wonderful. The one thing I don't think we talk enough about is single parents because guess what? It's everywhere.

Inside Twice The Love Foundation

SPEAKER_01 24:08

Yeah, it affects every race, every culture. And it's just it's not talked about enough. And single parents need more of a highlight on them, and it is a hard job. And so that's really what for me, twice the love is about is bringing more of an emphasis on like, hey, look, we're here too. Let's talk about this and let's normalize the conversation because it is a normal situation. And so for us, we just put on events, right? So we've done the concert series and then we're the toy drive. And the toy drive was actually my four kids' idea because I talked to some people at y'all's place, and I was like, How many toys do you need this season? And they were like, This book? Yeah, each page is a different family. And I was like, oh, you know, and my boys were like, Mom, let's do a toy drive, please. And so they were really the catalyst for the toy drive. So it's been fun to even like include my own kids in the foundation and having them help me evolve what we're doing. And the music obviously is a big aspect for us. So, like this past year at the toy drive, we had the high school choir come sing with us, and we brought in a sax player, and so it was just really community focused, had some cheerleaders there from the high school and some Mustang cheer cheerleaders, and you know, it was really, really fun. And then the choir, I mean, the concert series is usually at that pack. And this coming year we're trying to find, you know, like a maybe a Texas artist to come play and then I'll open and do a few songs as well. So it's yeah, funnel through trying to just help where we can and then give to those that are obviously much more grounded in the actual hard work because y'all are incredible.

SPEAKER_02 25:57

It's really fantastic that your entire family can come together and support Genesis, not just your parents have been and your whole family have been very generous to our organization over the years, but now you can see that next generation in your children who are interested in doing this type of philanthropy and giving back to the community. And I think that in itself is a really important lesson for any young person to learn. I mean, of course, we're grateful to be the charity or the beneficiary of this generosity. But yeah, I mean, you're you definitely have the word out there. And I really do want to make sure that in this conversation we talk as much about aspects of single parenting that could be valuable to listeners. What else would you like to tell us about that?

SPEAKER_01 26:51

Well, I mean, I think the main thing is that you've got to find your support system, whether it's like one friend, one teacher, one, you know,

Building Your Village And Coping

SPEAKER_01 27:00

maybe it's a nanny that is more like family that can help move kids around. I've been really fortunate that someone that was really influential in my life as a child, she's in a place in her life where she has extra time. And so she's in her 70s, but she's literally known me since I was in diapers. She's now a huge part of my children's life. And on the days where I've got to work a little bit later, she's here helping with cooking or making sure the girls are getting dressed for dance. And so it's been fun to see like the generational can, like the continuation of people that were there when I was kids love on my children. And so finding people like that, finding really good friends, carpools are huge. Uh, I cannot say enough about carpools free and they're helpful. Right. When I I mean, in the fall, I think we have 21 commitments a week or something crazy like that. And that doesn't even take into account the morning football drop-offs. Like, I've got great neighbors that what one of my old my oldest sons, one of his best friends, like they were like, we'll take in the mornings, you know. So it's just finding your village because it does take a village, and that's the main thing. And it doesn't have to be a huge village, it could just be a few people that you really, really connect with and can talk to. I also think that's the other thing. Find somebody you can talk to that's not judgmental, that is not going to try and say, well, but in my household, you know, because being in a single-parent household, it is different. So maybe try and find another single mom. I always laugh when like my married friends will call me and be like, Whoa my gosh, my husband's out of town this week. He's been gone for three days. It's horrible. And I'm like, uh, I think you called the wrong person, you know. Like, but I think trying to find a little bit of humor. I always say laugh so you don't cry, you know, but cry if you need to. Don't hold anything in, really talk through it. Find your people, find a good therapist, find a good friend if you can't pay for a therapist. I have both, you know. So I just think it's really important to know that it's an ever-evolving situation, and your kids are going to be on a roller coaster of life, and some days you're riding high and everything's great, and then the next, like, something happens, and you gotta just be willing to shift pretty quickly and help whoever needs help at that moment in time. And yeah, so I just try. I I it's kind of like playing whack-able. I don't know if you remember the game where they yeah, I do a little bit like playing whack-able.

SPEAKER_02 29:48

You're not you're not the first person to say that on this podcast. I hear that quite a bit actually, in the sense that there are a lot of things coming at you at once when you're a mom and when you're a single mom, especially with four kids, really young kids, I mean, still in school and all those activities and everything, it can feel like a lot to

Start Now And Protect Your Yes

SPEAKER_02 30:10

manage. So I I really value you encouraging people to have a support system. If you don't have one, let's try to develop one. Right, through neighbors and friends and so on. It's it really is okay to ask for help, and typically people will help. That's been my experience too as a parent, that people have I've reached out to people for help, and people have reached out to me for help. And it just works. It works that way. And amen for carpool, okay? I'm telling Amen for carpool. Amen. Amen for driver's licenses because I just got out of carpool about a year ago. Yeah, I've my youngest got his license last year, and this is the most liberating thing that has ever happened to me. I never knew how much my life was going to change when both of my kids were driving. So it's great when they get a driver's license. Yes. I know.

SPEAKER_01 31:06

I'm just an unpaid taxi driver right now.

SPEAKER_02 31:08

You know, it won't be long before you're instead, you're paying for their car. True. So it's a trade-off. How do you uh do it all? You have so much going on, but you're also pursuing other interests, right? So as an entrepreneur, what would you say to single parents who are trying to do all of these things, be all of these people for their family and otherwise, but yet pursue their dreams. What's your advice?

SPEAKER_01 31:38

My best advice is there's never a right time. So start now. Because if there's something that you want to do, start small. Save a little bit of time every day, or maybe it's hey, I've got two hours a week. I really want to be a painter, or I really want to be get my real estate license, or whatever it may be that you want to do, just start because you will never regret starting when you do. You will regret if you don't start. Because it might be, you might look at it and go, wow, this is really slow progress, but you look, you get a year down the road and you're like, but look how much I've done. And I think that's the main thing. I think everybody always waits around for the perfect time. There is never a perfect time. There is never a perfect time. There will always be something else that gets in the way. And then the other thing is, is I'm really, really picky about what I say yes to. I used to not be, but now I am. I love my friends, but there's a lot of things that I say no to, and I'll be like, okay, I can't do these three things, but I'm gonna do this one because I get to see more of you at the same time. And also I think, too, like there's something to be said about really being present for your kids, and then like I don't date. It's really more a personal choice. It's not that I'm like, ugh, no dating. It's I don't have time, and I probably wouldn't be a very good girlfriend right now.

How To Get Involved And Resources

SPEAKER_01 33:10

My children are first, you know, yeah church, children, family, work, all of our other things, and then friends, and then whatever that would be would be way down that line. Right. And that's not really fair to anybody anyway. But I have a lot I want to accomplish in a very limited amount of time in the day to do so. So I think you've really got to like protect your yes and sleep. Sleep. Yeah, get sleep. Yeah. Because if you don't, like you're not any good for anybody else. And I had to learn that the hard way. I really do value my sleep. So a lot of times on the weekend, I'm home. I'm home with my kids and making sure that if they've got a party they need to go to, I'm the one that's dropping them off. Yeah. And maybe I take the girls to cheer for a couple hours and I take my computer and I crack away at some work. So I just think, yeah, don't wait. Start now. Never a perfect time. Value your yes. Don't have FOMO, have Jomo, the joy of missing out. Yeah. Because I don't know. I think you can get caught up in the wrong things, but if you have certain there's certain things you want to achieve in your life, then you have to be pretty picky about what you do say yes to.

SPEAKER_02 34:22

I think that is fantastic advice. Definitely a great way forward. So just to recap, we need a village, right? We need the support system, and we need to choose what we're going to commit to in order to focus on the things that mean the most to us, which is usually family and stuff and pursuing, you know, our dreams or whatever's most important to you. For listeners who want to support or learn more about Twice the Love Foundation or even connect with you, what's the best way to get involved?

SPEAKER_01 34:54

You can visit our website, so twice the love foundation.org, or we're also on Instagram. You can also reach

Genesis Mission And Helpline

SPEAKER_01 35:02

us. You can go to my website as well, which is aaronduvalofficial.com if you want to learn more about the music. And we're on Instagram, we're on Facebook, we're on all the all the things, all the social platforms. We're super accessible. So reach out. We love help and we've got events coming up, and we'd love for people to get involved in any way. And yeah, we love connecting with people. Sounds good.

SPEAKER_02 35:26

Well, I really enjoyed connecting with you, Erin. Thank you so much for talking with me today.

SPEAKER_01 35:31

Yes, thank you so much for your time and for everything that y'all do. I really feel honored to be connected to y'all's world.

SPEAKER_00 35:42

And the software's beauty, and every fucking thing.

SPEAKER_02 36:02

Genesis Women's Shelter and Support exists to give women in abusive situations a way out. We are committed to our mission of providing safety, shelter, and support for women and children who have experienced domestic violence and to raise awareness regarding its cause, prevalence, and impact. Join us in creating a societal shift on how people think about domestic violence. You can learn more at GenesisShelter.org and when you follow us on social media, on Facebook and Instagram at Genesis Women's Shelter, and on X at Genesis Shelter. The Genesis Helpline is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, by call or text at 214 946 HELP. 214 946 4357.