by Lisa Cybaniak
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How often do you let the opinions and attitudes of others affect you? It’s something we don’t often think about, but if we’re being honest, most of us would say we have been greatly affected by others.
Today we’re talking about the choices we have in life to learn and grow, or to be halted in our tracks when life deals us a different hand from the majority.
Jessica Victoria is a classical composer and singer-songwriter who was born blind. She composes Braille music, plays the harp and is a trained operatic singer who has performed for Pope John Paul II at the Vatican, among other incredible venues in the United States, South America and Europe. And she’s releasing her album in May this year (2020), proving that no disability should define you.
Meet Jessica Victoria
You see, being born blind, Jessica grew up knowing nothing else. This was her version of normal. She was the outgoing, life of the party kind of child, until an adult began treating her differently, like something was wrong with her.
Jessica’s first taste at navigating the attitudes of others about her blindness had a profound impact on her, causing her to withdraw from her life. That is, until she found music. In that moment, Jessica was awakened to her true self.
It’s not that she no longer is subjected to the opinion and attitudes of others, but that she chooses to look at them differently – to find the teachable moments.
She’s sharing with us today the lessons she has learned over the years, ultimately because of her blindness. This is an incredibly inspirational episode that I know you don’t want to miss.
So, let’s dive right in!
Being blind means being treated differently
Jessica was very young when she realised that other people thought she was different and would treat her as such. At first, this realisation was such a shock that Jessica’s whole world turned upside down. She went from being outgoing and the life of the party to having no friends and being withdrawn.
Eventually, over time, and with making new friends, Jessica was able to focus on those who treated her with kindness, and as an equal to her peers. This had a great impact on her, allowing her to see herself as being equal again.
Finding music
Like many kids, Jessica was involved in many activities growing up, until she was made to choose between them. She chose music, which would turn out to be the most significant decision of her life.
Music is the way Jessica truly found herself again. As she puts it, music awakened her to her true self. It was through music that she realised she had something unique she could offer the world.
Now, this wasn’t without its challenges. Being blind, in order to play music, Jessica had to learn Braille music. This had the potential to halt her in her tracks when she went to college as she always seemed a step behind. On top of learning the theory, there she was learning Braille music as well. But it paid off!
Performing
While in many ways this is the same as “Finding music”, performing can be quite different and a lesson unto its own.
When Jessica composes her own music, writes her lyrics and then performs them to an audience, it provides her with a connection with them. She feels like she gives the emotion of the song to her audience, allowing them the opportunity to share what she feels.
Her message in her music is very clear – you are not alone; find the strength in your journey.
Teachable moments that come with being blind
One thing Jessica is faced with nearly every day is the curiosity of strangers, and their willingness to help. How great is that?
Of course, after a long day filled with normal life as well as answering the same questions from ten different people, Jessica is like anyone else – she risks getting frustrated.
She chooses to focus on the positive in these moments and looks at this as opportunities to have teachable moments, not just through answering their questions, but in leading by example.
Jessica goes out of her way to make these moments about more than just being blind, teaching people that whatever it is they face in life, they have a choice – push through to find a way, or let it consume you and give in.
More from this episode
Jessica shares so much more about her journey in life and in music, in this episode, including how she came to play the harp, her dream performance, the release of several singles in advance of the upcoming release of her album and some of the ways in which people attempt to help her in her daily travels.
Press play on the episode above – you don’t want to miss this!
Check out Jessica Victoria’s website to learn more about her and her music. You can also follow her on Facebook and Twitter. And of course, you can find her music on Spotify, Apple Music and Amazon Music.
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Voice over credit: Shari Vandermolen. Shari is offering a free download of one of her songs to the fans of the Life Like You Mean It podcast! Just visit www.GiftFromShari.com and tell her where to send it. Shari’s debut album is available for streaming on all the major platforms including Spotify and iTunes.
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