As many of you know, inspirational quotes have played a significant role in getting me to where I am today. Indeed, I most often turn to inspirational quotes and powerful lyrics when I’m feeling down, need a little motivation, or to just help be get out of a rut. Today, we’re going to combine it with music and look at song lyrics that are both inspirational and powerful from one of my favorite artists, Kenny Chesney. Furthermore, Chensey’s laid-back, worry-free Caribbean lifestyle makes his music not just a source of inspiration, but also an escape. For example, being able to escape the ongoing global pandemic for even just the length of one song has proven so beneficial for our mental health.
I hope these powerful and inspirational lyrics will help you escape to a white sandy beach, as well as inspire you to live your fullest life and change the world for the better as we emerge from the pandemic.
Be As You Are
I wanna play my guitar in the Caribbean sun
Kenny Chesney, Be As You Are
Hang out with the locals at the Quiet Moon
Where you can be a tourist, a beach bum, or a star
And be as you are
Be as you are
No matter the situation you’re in, always be yourself. Stop putting on an act to try to impress people or fit in. As a result, you’ll come across so much more authentic. Whether you’re in search of friends, followers, professional relationships, or anything else, there are plenty of people out there who will appreciate you for who you are. Stop the charades, and be as you are.
Live a Little
I need to live a little, have some fun
Kenny Chesney, Live a Little
Take some time, waste it on number one
Find a girl that brings my whole world to a stop
Live a little, love a lot
As the pandemic has dragged on endlessly, the powerful lyrics to Live a Little actually helped motivate me to start the next chapter in my life. More specifically, the last line was what really sealed it for me. After going through the shutdowns and lockdowns and directly experiencing all of the hate and divisiveness that the pandemic has wrought on us, that would be one of my primary goals for the next chapter: live a little, and love a lot.
Additionally, like the song says, don’t be afraid to take some time and waste it on number one. Investing in yourself is the best investment you’ll ever make, and it only makes you a better person in all facets of life. Go on that vacation to recharge your batteries. Take that course or learn that skill you’ve always wanted to. Start that business you’ve been dreaming of for years. If you’re not gonna do it now, when will you?
Bucket
I made a bucket list, changed the B to an F
Kenny Chesney, Bucket
Gave my give-a-damn the finger, so it got up and left
I quit worrying ’bout people’s expectations
And ordered up a six-pack of chillaxification
If you read this blog regularly, you likely recognize these powerful lyrics. Indeed, they are a core part of some of my philosophies that help me life the fullest life I can. For the best example, look no further than the Fuck-It Bucket. Get off the rat race and the hamster wheel. Start doing things you’re passionate about that light a fire under you and make you excited to get out of bed every morning. And who cares what other people think? As long as you’re happy and motivated, isn’t that really all that matters?
Happy Does
Happy is as happy does
Kenny Chesney, Happy Does
Grab a 6 string, find a rope swing
Hang a palm tree in your truck
Drink a beer just because
Steal a slow dance in a rain storm
And a kiss from who you love
Laugh and live with a half full cup
Yeah, happy is as happy does
Try to see the world with a “glass half-full” perspective. We’re exposed to an incredible amount of negative content every day. Not surprisingly, it’s so easy to see the negative in everything, especially in the pandemic era. Instead, find something that makes you happy, no matter how small or insignificant it may seem. Then, experience it routinely, but especially when you’re feeling down. So you can live your life with a half-full cup. Because happy is as happy does.
It’s a Beautiful World
It’s a big old beautiful world out there
Kenny Chesney, Beautiful World
Sometimes you just gotta let it take you where
The roller coaster ride meets the tilt a whirl
It’s a big old beautiful world
La-da-da-da-da-da-da
It’s a big old beautiful world
When Chesney first debuted this song, he explained that he got the motivation to write the song sitting on the back of his boat in the middle of the night looking up at all the starts. It really hit him just how insignificant we can all feel at times. At the same time, he realized just how big and beautiful both the world and the universe are, and that we should strive to experience as much of it as possible.
When I heard his explanation, it immediately got me thinking about travel. Ironically the album this song is on was released in May, 2020, at the height of the COVID lockdowns, so the wanderlust hit particularly hard. But that only motivated me more to commit to seeing as much of the world as I can once things fully reopen. Because when we travel and broaden our horizons, we can better understand each other. And that makes the world a better place.
Rich and Miserable
We’re too young until we’re too old
Kenny Chesney, Rich and Miserable
We’re all lost on the yellow brick road
We climb the ladder, but the ladder just grows
We’re born, we work, we die, it’s spiritual
Enough is never enough
American Dream never wakes up
Too much is never too much
We won’t be happy ’til we’re rich and miserable
It’s easy to get sucked into chasing money as we advance in our careers. There’s nothing wrong with that. In fact, it’s to be expected. However, like all things, it becomes a problem when it becomes obsessive and greedy. Once you start down that path, nothing is ever good enough. You keep craving more. Money can’t buy happiness. You’ll just wind up rich and miserable.
Instead, get off the rat race and stop comparing yourself to other people. We all chart our own unique path through life. Be happy with what you have. Don’t buy things just to keep up with the Joneses. Because you know what? The Joneses are broke and heavily in debt. You’ll be in much better shape financially if you stick to appreciating what you have and reaching your life’s landmarks on the path and schedule you’ve chosen.
Life is Good
Life is good, the grass is green
Kenny Chesney, Life is Good
The good Lord smilin’ on you and me
Gonna knock on wood
Sweet sunshine everywhere I look
You love me like no one could
Life is good
Cherish and appreciate all the good things that happen to you every day, and kick all your negative thoughts to the curb. Next, let those feelings and appreciations grow. As a result, your happiness will become contagious and your outlook will swing to the positive. Take on that “glass half-full” attitude, and let the sweet sunshine shine everywhere you look. Embrace the grass being green, and life being good.
Don’t Blink
Don’t blink
Kenny Chesney, Don’t Blink
Just like that
You’re six years old and you take a nap
And you wake up and you’re twenty-five
And your high school sweetheart becomes your wife
Don’t blink
You might just miss
Your babies growing up like mine did
Turning into moms and dads
Next thing you know
Your better half of fifty years is there in bed
And you’re praying God takes you instead
Trust me friend
A hundred years goes faster than you think
So don’t blink
As I get older, the lyrics of this song seems to get more and more powerful. You look back and realize just how fast everything is going by. Being stuck at home during the pandemic made me realize just how much I want to go experience in the world, as well as how little of that I’ve actually accomplished.
As a result, you should focus on making the most of today. Cherish those experiences, and start checking items off your bucket list. Look forward to tomorrow, but worry about tomorrow when it comes. Most importantly, listen to the wisdom of your elders. Because the years certainly go by faster than you think. You don’t want to blink and miss them.
On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful
On the coast of somewhere beautiful
Kenny Chesney, On the Coast of Somewhere Beautiful
Trade winds blown through her hair
Sunlight dancin’ on the water
And I wish I was there
Don’t know how I’m goin’ to find her
All I know so far
She’s on the coast of somewhere beautiful
Runnin’ with my heart
While this song is about missing a romantic interest, I always think about these lyrics when I’m out on a photo or video shoot and come across a spot that’s just breathtakingly beautiful. The second you see the scene, you instantly know that this is where you’ll get “The Shot.” Everything in the frame is composed absolutely perfectly.
Sunsets are how I best relate to the song. In fact, a few months ago, I was finally able to capture the full meaning and emotion of this song in just a single photograph.
My favorite part of sunset actually occurs after the sun sets. As the light fades into deep blues, purples, and reds in the western sky, it eventually becomes too dark to continue shooting. It’s not until you put down the camera and just soak in the environment that you feel that true connection with nature. Because these spectacular scenic scenes and landscapes are certainly on the coast of somewhere beautiful, running with my heart.
This is Our Moment
If you are in need of motivation to seize the moment and lay it all out to realize your dreams, this is the song for you.
This is our moment,
Kenny Chesney
This is our time.
And we ain’t holdin’ back,
We’re laying it all on the line.
This is our destiny,
It’s our night to shine,
This is our moment,
This is our time.
This song also heavily influenced the next chapter of my life. I’m one of those people who prefers to see setbacks as opportunities. And there was no bigger opportunity than the COVID-19 pandemic. I mean, how often does life let you take a complete mulligan and reset your life the way you want to live it?
Being able to hit the reset button on life has lit a fire under me like I’ve never experienced before. I can’t wait to get out of bed in the morning and go create, do, and experience amazing things. The future has never had more potential or been brighter. Whenever I feel that fire start to diminish, I just put this song on. Because it always reminds me that this is our destiny, and it’s our night to shine. This is both our moment and our time.
Conclusion
Kenny Chesney’s music has, and continues to greatly influence my life. Whether I need motivation, inspiration, an escape, or just a pick-me-up, he’s always had a song for me. As I look forward to this next chapter, I can’t wait to see how Chesney’s songs will continue to inspire not just my life path, but also my photography, videos, maps, and much more. How have Kenny Chesney’s songs influenced your life? Leave your stories in the comments below.
Top Photo: Turquoise Waters and White Sand Beaches at Lake Tahoe
Incline Village, Nevada – February, 2020