Have you ever had one of those days where most things go wrong? Where you have a lot to do but keep feeling like there are lots of obstacles in your way?

I had one recently and in this episode we talk all about the power of surrendering and how it can help you live a better life! On days like these, we always have two choices on how to react. Either we make the most of the situation or we make it way worse. 

In reality, we have so much control with our minds. It’s all about the reaction rather than what’s actually happening. There is so much power in surrendering and letting go, in changing the story, in focusing on how to change our reaction. 

“Sometimes it’s not the times you decide to fight, but the times you decide to surrender, that make all the difference.” 

Let's dive in!

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

Today’s guest is someone I have known since I was a sophomore in college. We initially bonded over the fact that we were both transfer students at The University of Miami, taking about 22 credits per semester, I know, I’m not sure how we managed to do that. Not only is she a talented musician and entrepreneur but is also a dear friend of mine. When I moved to LA, she was the first person to lend me a helping hand and I will forever be grateful to her for showing me the ropes around LA. Here’s a bit about my dear friend, Talker:

Named for the way people have mispronounced her family’s name since, well, forever, talker is an outspoken grunge-pop project fronted by Los Angeles songwriter Celeste Tauchar. After years playing with electro-pop band FRENSHIP (Columbia Records) and playing to crowds like Red Rocks Amphitheatre and Lollapalooza, it's time for the young powerhouse to take center stage. talker's latest EP "Wax" is out now, and has garnered attention from NPR Music, The A.V. Club, Buzzbands LA, and more.

We talk about all kinds of things in today’s episode: how you have to have a sob fest in order to really know you moved to LA, Music PROS, touring with the band, Frenship and singing Capsize with them. Talker talks about life on the road, having to juggle her artist projects and touring with the band. She dives into how her plans have changed due to life and COVID, how she recorded and wrote music during a pandemic, and how she has learned that relinquishing control and saying yes, have helped her become the artist she wants to be.

• Follow Talker on Instagram || Website || Email

Today’s guest is a very good friend of mine, Andrea Ferro. She’s a bilingual Singer/Actress. She began performing at the age of 14 where she made her debut at the Area Stage Conservatory in Miami. During her 4 years with the company, she did 9 musicals, including: Little Women (Jo March); Les Miserables (Eponine); Sweeney Todd (Tobias); Into The Woods (The Witch); and her professional debut in The Dreams Of Anne Frank (Anne Frank). At the age of 17, she moved to New York City to continue training at The Atlantic Acting School. After graduating she was offered the role of Trini in the Pulitzer Prize winning playwright Nilo Cruz’s play Baño De Luna which marked her first foray into Spanish speaking productions. Andrea currently can be seen in the musical Cuba Under The Stars in Miami!

If you’re looking to be inspired by someone that has chosen to be unapologetically herself, works with her community and is always evolving her mindset, this is the episode for you! We talk about all kinds of things such as: mental health, how auditions are an opportunity to perform, moving from Miami to NYC to LA all before the age of 25! Talk about an inspiration for other millennials! This girl is a force and I’m so proud to call her my friend.

• Follow Andrea on Instagram

Happy New Years Eve Amigos! It’s my favorite week of the year! A time full of reflection and planning for a new beginning. I think we can all relate when I say I’m so excited for a new year, a new chapter, a new start.

In this episode I share with you my #1 New Years Eve Tradition! It's a quick practice you can do before the year ends to start 2021 with a positive outlook as well as a great reminder of all the good that has happened throughout the year.

A big thank you for all the support this year, this podcast is still standing because of all of you! I’ll see you guys in 2021! 

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

Today’s episode is going to be very short and sweet. With Christmas being tomorrow and the new year slowly approaching, I thought it would be a great time to talk about rest.

I think it’s safe to say that this year has been A LOT with a capital A LOT, there have been many wins and many losses for everyone. This year has had a range of emotions: it’s made us think, grow, adapt, accept, converse, change, etc.

Maybe you haven’t given yourself the time to reflect. Maybe you haven’t had a single day off all year and are craving some sort of pause. I’m here to help YOU find a smoother way of resting. A gift from you to you if you will.  The holidays can be very stressful or something you really look forward to. Either way, I am a true believer that our lives are worthy of full attention. That are feelings are meant to be felt and honored, no matter how you classify that feeling. They matter.

I’m also a true believer in recharging and making space for rest and for healing. It helps us be aware of special moments in our lives, in order not to miss out, we have to learn to stop and give ourselves permission to slow down, reconnect, look forward and just be.

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

Today’s guest is a very good friend of mine, Marcus Grant. He’s a professional drummer, musician, and educator from West Chester, Pennsylvania + soon to be Dr. Grant! In this episode we talk about musicianship, community, musicology, and how important it is to make an impact.

If you’re looking to be inspired by someone that has chosen to educate himself and influence his friendships and community in a positive way, this is the episode for you!! From playing in his garage with a self-made drum kit of cardboard boxes, to applying for his PHD, Marcus has always believed in himself and his success.

• Follow Marcus on Instagram

Do you sometimes sit things out due to fear of failure or what people will think? Do you struggle with taking action and learning the messy way? What would happen if we just took the chance on ourselves? If we actually believed we could do it? Against all odds, we would figure out a way to make it happen for ourselves!

If we realized that failure is just pointing us in a different direction. Maybe we touch someone’s heart with our craft, maybe we connect, maybe we top the charts, maybe we realize it isn’t that scary, maybe we learn to trust ourselves even more or maybe that one thing changes your life, but we’ll never know if we never try, will we?!

I came to the realization that there is a super-power inside of fear. It teaches us what we need to work on. I also realized that overthinking is a part of fear. We make a big deal out of things that are rather simple. Why? Well, we are our own worst enemies. We make excuses for ourselves.

This year, I’ve really pushed myself to do things that take me out of my comfort zone. Starting a Podcast was one of those things! I’ve learned how to look fear in the face. In this episode I’m going to be sharing with you 3 steps I’ve taken to be able to do that. I also share with you two recent examples of things I did using my 3 steps. These steps have helped me grow and become more action based instead of action-less. Let’s dive in!

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

One thing I’ve loved about the Podcast is getting to meet other like-minded entrepreneurs! Last week, I was lucky to be interviewed by my new friend, Chloe McKenzie from the “Start Right Now” Podcast! She is a new friend I made in 2020 through podcasting and we’ve been on this this learning process together! It’s been really fun and I am very grateful for her friendship! She is amazing and I can’t wait to have her on the podcast very soon! Check her out in Instagram @ChloeMcKenzie.co and check out her podcast here.

I talked to Chloe and decided to include the interview she gave me for this week’s episode! So you’ll be hearing my story and learning a bit more about me and my journey. We talk about all kind of things like imposter syndrome, fear of failure, doing things messy, how focusing on something else that brings you joy can help you get out of your head, how 20 seconds of courage Is all you need to get one step closer to achieving what you want. I even talk about my new offer! If you want to pick my brain and know how I made the leap from songwriter to podcaster, how I charted on iTunes both for my music and my podcast, how I collaborate with others, etc - I am now offering 1:1 calls :) send me a DM @drealopz and we can set one up!

Here’s the snippet from Chloe’s Podcast:

“How does a 26-year-old songwriter go from having talent known only to her family, to writing the single “Cuando Hay Amor" for Grammy Award Winning Artist Gloria Estefan, to launching a charting podcast? In this episode, you'll find out.  Drea Lopez is a 26 year old musician living in LA living her mission of connecting and inspiring other creative millennial entrepreneurs. In this episode, we talk about finding your voice as a creative (through Music and beyond), staying the course even when it's not so glamorous, and honing your talent along the journey of your pursuit.”

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

On a year that has been very rough, all I can think of is about gratitude and presence. There is no doubt that 2020 has been a whirlwind of a year. A heavy year. Lots of things happened. Loved ones were lost. Jobs were lost. Financial means were changed abruptly. Families have been apart for long periods of time. Travel has changed. Offices closed. And so many other things we had to adjust to.

In this episode I share some stories on why and how we can use gratefulness and being present to help us see the bigger picture. A short 10 minute episode to share with you, that despite all that has happened, we can all find the silver lining if we choose to look for it.

Ex: how many zoom calls and FaceTimes did you have this year?! Wouldn’t you say connection and conversation became a very important part of your year? I think that’s beautiful! So many people from around the world came together!! So many people became more aware of their surroundings, their relationships, and the importance of paying attention, really living life and not taking things for granted.

Or maybe you got to start a new project, moved to a new city, focused on your art, worked on more self love, found more alone time, took more walks, watched more movies, learned how to cook, open up to a friend or family member, and so many other greats things.

And when all those greats things happened, did you take a second to feel present and grateful? Did you take a second to enjoy that moment? I hope you have a great day today and are able to find that one thing you can be grateful for. Big or small.

Thank you to YOU - my friends, family, and this community we’re building! Happy Thanksgiving 💛

• Instagram: @thejourneyofpursuit / @drealopz

When you’re an artist, often times there’s a certain expectation that you need to sound or look a certain way. It’s true, sometimes you can get carried away with the industry. That’s not the case for my friend, JUJ - A rising pop artist from Philadelphia creating music in LA. Making music for her restless generation, she sings to kids from the projects to the burbs who feel trapped in their city and long to change their world.

At just 20 years old, this singer/songwriter has managed to stick to her gut. She’s owned what makes her unique and hasn’t steered away from being authentic in her career. Talk about an inspiration!

If you're a singer/songwriter/musician who is uncertain with where all your energy and time is going. Feeling like you have to become someone you’re not in order to be successful? Asking "why is the music industry like this?" Having doubts about whether you’re doing the right thing? In this episode we talk about how going against the norm, being real, and loving who you are, gets you to success. We touch on how living in LA is hard but community makes it worth it! There’s no need to change who you are because of what is “trending” or “popular”. There’s a place for everyone in the music industry. We also talk about the importance of picking yourself up time and time again and how we have to be our own best friend though it all.

• Follow JUJ on Instagram YouTube