The Night Before Red Rocks

Tomorrow I head to Denver and Red Rocks… and honestly, this episode isn’t really about a concert.

It’s about movement. About building a life around things that actually matter to me — health, music, creativity, travel, connection, and showing up even when life feels heavy.

This is a short reflection on routines, grief, momentum, and what it means to keep moving forward while everything is still changing.

Built from sound. Driven by art. Fueled by growth.

Roam on

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:01

What's going on everybody? And welcome back to Voices, Volume, and Vibes. Tonight's episode is a little bit different. Because I'm literally recording this while packing for my first trip out to Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado. By the time this episode drops, I'll probably either be heading toward the airport or sitting there way too early. Drinking coffee somewhere because honestly, I'm one of those people that would rather sit at the airport for four hours than feel rushed for 20 minutes. But I think that actually ties into what this episode is about. The last couple of years of my life have really been about figuring out what I actually value. Not what sounds impressive, not what other people think I should be doing, and certainly not what makes me look worldly or productive or successful. Just what actually matters to me. And that sounds simple. But I don't think it is when you spend most of your life taking care of everybody else. As a nurse, actually, as a human, caretaking is basically wired into me at this point. I mean, my mom shares a memory of me being a kid, about six, and wanting to open up a restaurant and feed everybody. That's me in a nutshell. And for a long time I think my value as a person was tied into what I could do for other people. Work harder, help more, be more available, be more useful. However, somewhere in there, I kind of lost track of what I actually wanted. And that's what part of these concerts and trips and festivals matter to me now. That's why they matter to me now. Not because I'm trying to escape life. Not because I'm trying to prove something. And honestly, not even because I'm trying to constantly travel. It's because these experiences make me feel connected to my own life again. And I had a weird realization recently about that. Earlier this year, I was thinking of going to Poland. And the more I thought about it, the more I realized, wait a second, why am I doing this? Do I actually want this? Or am I doing it because it sounds meaningful? Or because someone mentioned Europe and suddenly I felt obligated to turn it into something bigger. And the truth is, I didn't really want to go. I'm going to London later this year, and that's an absolutely. I want to go see Sherlock Holmes, anything to do with Sherlock Holmes. I want to ride the London Eye. I want to go to the Wax Museums. That trip feels exciting to me. Towards the end of the year, I plan on going to Honduras. The same thing. I plan on going diving, tropical weather, maybe taking some time to slow down. And that's something I generally want. And this trip tomorrow, Red Rocks, definitely feels like something I want. Music has become this really important part of my life over the last two years. Not just entertainment, it's become tied into growth, healing, movement, creativity, all of it. And honestly, losing Ayla made me realize even more how important it is to actually live intentionally. As much as I miss her, and I do every single day. I'm really glad I didn't go on the polling trip. I'm glad I spent those last days with her instead. Instead of forcing myself onto a plane for something that didn't even fully feel like mine. And I think that's part of growth too. Learning the difference between what nourishes you and what you feel obligated to do. So tonight I went to the gym, got a decent workout in, ate pretty balanced, and now I'm packing the van and getting ready for tomorrow. And this trip feels different. Not because it's some luxury thing, not because it's gonna magically change my life. But because it feels intentional. I'm building a life now around experiences that actually matter to me. Music, travel, health, creativity, connection, and movement. Not perfection, not status, not proving myself. Just building a life I actually want to participate in. And tomorrow, that life happens to include Red Rocks. So wherever you are in your journey right now, maybe ask yourself what actually matters to you. Not what looks good online, not what sounds impressive, not what everyone else expects, what actually makes you feel alive. Thanks for listening, everybody. This has been Voices Volume and Vibes. Built from sound, driven by art, and fueled by growth. Roman, my friends. Roman.