Rising from the Ashes: Ben Barbic's Journey of Music and Resilience

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Welcome to the Living the Dream Podcast with Curve Ball. If you believe, you can achieve.

SPEAKER_01 0:14

Welcome to the Living the Dream with Curveball Podcast, a show where I interview guests that teach, motivate, and inspire. Today I am joined by author and recording artist Ben Barbett. His memoir, Rise and Climb, details the climb from a wildfire, four years later, an earthquake, and losing his childhood home to a life of writing music and daily physical training. Ben says that creative work and discipline are the same muscle. So we're going to be talking to Ben about his memoir, his music, and everything that he's up to and gonna be up to. So, Ben, thank you for joining me. Oh, thanks for having me, Chris. I appreciate it. Why don't you start off by telling everybody a little bit about yourself?

SPEAKER_02 1:08

Sure. So uh first of all, I'm a lifelong uh musician. I think I found I found music when I was five years old, and um I had I had just lost my home in a fire, and uh we're living in a donated trailer, and uh I was looking for some outlet. And so being kind of searching for something in kind of a dark place in my life uh and young, I uh I found it in music, and I found it in recording my voice, and I found it in a little keyboard that I had, and I found that the world within the music was one that you know I could control. And so from those early moments where I found peace within the music, um, that kind of just evolved to be a lifelong thing for me, where no matter what stage I was at, no matter what problems I was going through, uh music was my anchor. You know, music was the thing that um I could escape to, um, but escape to in a in a positive way. And so that's that that that's the fundamental building block that that helped everything else in my life grow out of. And so uh I I default to that being my my uh my guide or my protection through whatever whatever situations life throws at me.

SPEAKER_01 2:33

Well, talk to the listeners about that memoir. You know, you got a couple of uh real stories in there that you talk about, so let us know what we can expect, where we read it, and what inspired you to write it.

SPEAKER_02 2:46

Yeah, man. So I was sitting in an airport going to do a music show, and I just started kind of writing a little bit about my life and and how I got to that place. And so the more that I wrote in that airport, the more that I realized that I had a story that maybe had some lessons in it that people could gain something from. And so I continued to dive deeper and deeper into the story and you know, really realize a lot of things about my own life, and in that found that there's a lot of things that uh I thought people could connect to in their own lives, you know. And so the quick background on the um the life of my early youth, where, you know, like I was saying, uh lost my home in a forest fire, lived in a trailer, we rebuilt the home, we lost it again in an earthquake. Um, and so I just started to feel like the world was out of nowhere attacking. You don't know where it's gonna come next. And so then after that, I had uh my appendance ruptured and you know, I was very sick in the hospital. They had to clean it all up inside and things. And and that just continued to kind of build the anxiety that I held within. And so, you know, life continued kind of holding these various struggles uh within me. And it kind of developed out further. And even into my 20s, I was I was just not taking control of my life. You know, I was I was letting life just do what it did to me, and I wasn't really responding with, you know, the flip of the switch to where I say, no, I'm gonna, I'm gonna, I'm gonna steer this ship and and where this is gonna go. And it wasn't until I was in my you know 20 28th birthday, actually, that I made a decision that I was gonna change everything, everything about who I was at the moment. You know, I was gonna say, all right, I think I deserve more than this. So I'm gonna take away some of these bad habits that I have, you know, the bad, the bad things that are keeping me down, and I'm gonna start adding in good ones. And so with the foundation of uh every day, you know, pursuing, very small at first, various things for progress and and at the same time taking out things that I knew were not healthy for me, um, I started to redevelop my life and what I was about. And so that was uh that was 18 years ago now. And so, you know, that's that decision 18 years ago to kind of flip up my life um was revolutionary for me. So the more that I got into that, the more that I I kind of found these different tools that that helped me in life, the more I realized that I had something that I could give to others that could potentially help them to make the decisions when when when those moments come for them and and to gain the strength within themselves to uh find peace and and and and you know use the tools uh and and the the things we're passionate about um as anchors to give stability to the tough times. Because the tough times, obviously, it's always gonna happen, but you know, when you when you flip it and you can take personal control of it by by continuing with what it is that uh I'm gonna speak for myself, what I'm trying to pursue, um it's a lot more easy to digest the difficult times. And it doesn't have to just be like in my younger days, where the world is just kind of attacking, it can be something where control can be given to it.

SPEAKER_01 6:14

Well, in your book, you talk about finding purpose through pain. So what what helped you in the moments of these struggles believe that there was something better on the other side?

SPEAKER_02 6:26

Yeah, exactly right. Um, because I think that, you know, when we're going through things, you there's an energy that we're given, right? So if it's uh well you can name it, it's a a breakup or a mistake, or you know, facing uh incarceration or you know, losing a job or whatever the thing is, is there's some energy uh, and then I would consider it an uncomfortable energy that's that's there. So the the energy within pain um can either bring us down and and and keep us from from reacting, or it can be used uh in a positive way. And so the real thing for me is to take that, to take that and take the difficult things, you know, going on in life and and use them as like, okay, I was able to overcome that and I was able to gain some strength in that, and now I'm more durable because of that, and and I'm able to move on. So I think, you know, purpose is is is what I believe helps us get through the pain, you know, and so it's different for everybody. Um, but the core the core piece to that is is is the same, I believe. You know, the core piece to what what purpose gives us is is the the binding factor, you know, in in human in humans in general.

SPEAKER_01 7:50

Wait, you talk about how creative work and discipline are the same muscle. What do people misunderstand about the connection connection between creativity and consistency?

SPEAKER_02 8:03

The the the fulfillment that comes um from consistency of craft is is what I find is the the joy of it. You know, when you're when you're putting in a little bit, I mean this could even be five minutes a day, you know, or or ten minutes or half hour or an hour, but when you when you're putting in the work on it on a daily basis and you turn around and you now down the road six months, a year, whatever it is, and you see that progress, um, there's a fulfillment to it. You know, there's a there's a sense of like joy and and and accomplishment. And it's not about like, you know, I need to get a million, you know, streams of a song or anything like that. It's it's more about the continuation of of of craft in the different categories and and enjoying the process of it. And then, like I said, taking a quick turnaround and saying, oh, okay, I I I worked on music now for whatever, let's say six months straight, you know, and and I put in the I put it in the habits, just like working out. It's the same, it's the same thing to me. It's the same thing. You you're you're you're polishing up a muscle of various forms. So if it that's if that's in creative, if that's in if you like sport and you and you're working on, you know, your sport of choice, if whatever that thing is, putting in those reps and you turn around, it there's some there's some amazing things that can happen. And that could go for for writing or reading or even podcasting, right? It's it's the same thing of the daily habit forward with it, creates such a sense of fulfillment for me, you know, and and I imagine for others. And so that's the that's the piece I'm really trying to put out there for people is you know, the subtle, the subtle tease of the decision to, all right, I'm gonna give this a go, you know, I'm gonna give this a go and I'm gonna try and work at this every day, you know, and not really looking at it like uh I need to have a certain amount of something, but like I'm just gonna do it regardless of how many people are listening to my music or how many people reading a book, whatever it is. It's like this, this is this is about this thing that I'm willing to continue with because it brings me so much joy and so much uh purpose, you know.

SPEAKER_01 10:26

Well, how did writing songs and create art help you process things you you you couldn't uh necessarily put into words?

SPEAKER_02 10:36

Yeah, I think um that's one of the most beneficial things I think with art in general is is there's there's emotions that come up that maybe we don't, you know, I'm gonna speak for myself that I didn't at the time really realize why why I was feeling a certain way or or whatever, what have you in that. But you know, through the music, I'm able to get them out. And and and so same thing could be said for writing too. It it allows these emotions to not just sit inside, you know, it allows them to come out. And it can be um, it can be done in so many different forms. For me, it's it's writing. Um, so you know, it's with words. So it's it's either words, words on a paper for a book or words on the paper for the song, and it all it always circles back to me to um channeling that through words. Again, even if I'm I'm not at the time ready to acknowledge the full spectrum of what it is that that's going on, it it still allows me to to give that, you know, through the music, through the words, through the pages. Um and that's and that's healing, you know, that's healing in and of itself.

SPEAKER_01 11:51

Well with all the stuff that uh you you went through. When was the turning point when you stopped asking why me? And you started saying, Well, what can I do with this? Uh, how can I learn from this and help others?

SPEAKER_02 12:07

Yeah, I think uh I think when I when I thought that I deserved more, and it and it was I deserved more for for my family, you know, I deserved more for my my kids. I I just had a son at that time. But when I when I realized that I was not being kind to myself, you know, I was not, I was not, I was not allowing myself to be a version of myself that can contribute and that can thrive and that can enjoy life, you know. And so the when when I was sitting with this, and it was it was on my 28th birthday, and I had a particularly bad evening. Um, and I just got home when the the sun was rising, and I I I just I I realized that I had enough was enough. The path that I was headed down wasn't what how I wanted to live my life anymore. And and it it was like a I kind of thought to myself, either this is just gonna be how it's gonna go. I'm either gonna, this is this is gonna be what I am, or it's time now to make a change. And with that thought, I think I finally, and it, and again, it took me till I was 28 to actually come to this conclusion. I mean, so it's not, you know, it's not that young in the scope of it, but I did I finally thought, you know what, I deserve, I deserve better than this. And like I would almost call it like a form of self-torture, you know, of allowing myself to not thrive. And so with that, I was like, okay, I'm gonna, I'm gonna go at this thing and I'm gonna I'm gonna uh I don't want to compare myself to others, but in a lot of ways, I'm gonna I'm gonna catch up on this thing, you know. I'm gonna I'm gonna pick up for lost time here. I'm gonna double time, I'm gonna, I'm gonna run, I'm gonna do this a little bit quicker, uh, because I was motivated. And I think in a lot of ways that motivation never stopped. I'm no longer really chasing anything, but it's I learned that the habit of that. And so those habits were infectious to me, you know, and so those original decisions to kind of flip everything up just became the way that I love to live life.

SPEAKER_01 14:19

Well, I know that you described the climb as part of the reward. So what um do you think uh is the value of the struggle that someone chasing quick success might miss?

SPEAKER_02 15:54

Yeah, I I think uh I don't think the mountaintop is satisfying unless you climb up the mountain, you know, and and I've and I've felt that before. And so the the real joy is in looking back at the experiences, the trials and tribulations where you arrive at the mountaintop or you, you know, and and and you arrive at the place. And so I think that that can be said for a lot of different aspects. That's why I think music and a lot of these arts aren't gonna go away uh with AI and things, because on a personal level, the value in creation is making the mistakes and and and the flaws and learning it and and you know, learning how to, well, for me, mixing and and mastering the song and getting better at that. And you know, um the climb is is the sweetness of it. And if you just arrive with the snap of a finger, um what is there to to really reflect on and say, look at look at look at what I was able to create and and accomplish. It just it's you know, the quick ticket to success is like it's not it also puts you in a position where it's not sustainable then. So, you know, if if if you you don't build the foundation of it, uh and let's say you miraculously come up with some formula that's that that that that lands, but then you don't know how to duplicate that, well then now you're in a situation where um you know you didn't you didn't create the foundation to to sustain that. So I I think that would be a difficult place to be in as well, because um you don't even really know how you did you know what you're trying to accomplish with the quick ticket to success. And so um yeah, I think I think that's that's why I have faith in us going forward as a uh as humans, right? Is is that we're still gonna find such value in in the creation and in the in the flaws and the in the journey um through through various activities.

SPEAKER_01 18:03

Well talk to the listeners about your music, you know, kind of kind of tell us about uh what you got going on with that and uh uh about uh projects that you have.

SPEAKER_02 18:12

Yeah, so um so like I was saying, I've been making music um since I was five, and um I got a lot of different collaborations that I do with the music and um work with a lot of different uh producers, a lot of different musicians to kind of put together my music. And most of the music is um really in the the reggae category. Um I've I've been into reggae music for a long time and really connect with it. I I just I I like I like the positive messages in it, and it and it aligns with the type of delivery and and vocally what what I enjoy doing. And so um I have a lot of projects going. I I'm I'm making a lot of music with a producer originally out of Guadeloupe who's now in France, named Alboa, and uh we've been making some music that's getting some good traction. So I've been enjoying working with him, and we make kind of you know a really beautiful blend of of reggae music, a little dance hall, a little bit of hip-hop uh aspects to it too. And then I'm also working on the uh an album for my book, so it's a soundtrack to my book because my book, every chapter is a different song, and so we're putting together uh an album to come out in October that's gonna be um based off of uh the book and in the sound in the in the chapters and the titles of the chapters and things like that. And so I'm enjoying that. And then the other part that I'm really focusing on right now is um an acoustic set. I I really wanted to to take music back to the very basics for me. So just you know, I I love the concept of all right, we could just go out with the guitar and a mic. You know, let's let's go simple. We could guitar and a mic, you don't need anything then. I mean you go anywhere and play that. And so I wanted to um really go back to the fundamentals of it. I think it's important uh for me as an artist to grow with that because it, you know, when it's just an acoustic guitar and a vocal, you're I'm vulnerable. You know, it's it's like I'm used to having rhythms and and and full sounds and backup tracks and things. And so, and I love doing that and I love the sound of that. But when it when it strips down to just a guitar, uh we're gonna be doing some upright bass on it and and a little bit of percussion, but but really strip it down to just a guitar and a mic. I love how vulnerable that is because it just it takes away all of these buffers, you know, and it's like, okay, now it's just vocal and and one instrument. And so I'm working on that one and gonna be uh taking that taking that out live uh to perform that um late summer, early, early fall.

SPEAKER_01 20:53

Well, anything else that that you're working on that listeners need to be aware of?

SPEAKER_02 20:59

No, I mean I think it's I think it's just kind of the the collection of these, you know, is is I I I'd love them to check out my music and let me know what they think of it. Um and the same thing with the book. I I think one of the good forms to to experience my book is through the audiobook because I was able to narrate it. You know, I'm a sound engineer, so I I was able to do it right here in my studio. And then I was able to put music that goes back to my earliest recordings of myself at five years old. So uh I think it's a good medium. They're all I I believe in all the mediums to to you know to read the book or listen to the book, but I think the audiobook adds a certain layer that um I think um I think particularly your audience might might enjoy.

SPEAKER_01 21:47

Well, so let's keep up with everything that you're up to, throw out your contact info.

SPEAKER_02 21:53

Yeah, you could you can get get at me on Instagram, Ben Barbeck. Um, you can go to my website, riseandclimb.com. It's rise with an nclimb.com. Uh you go to Amazon or Audible, or you can order the the book from your local bookstore. Um, and then and then just reach out to me. You know, I'm I'm happy to hear from people and uh love to hear people's reaction to the book and and the music and and what have you. So, you know, please please don't don't hesitate to reach out and let me know what you think.

SPEAKER_01 22:26

We'll close us out with some final thoughts. Maybe if that was something I forgot to talk about that you would like to touch on, or any final thoughts you have for the listeners.

SPEAKER_02 22:34

Yeah, I would just say uh I would just say it all starts with one subtle decision, you know, and then if you're thinking about pursuing something that you've been thinking about, just start it slow and just and just just just start it with with even a couple minutes a day and try it for a couple weeks, you know. And if there's something you wanted to try for a while, don't don't overwhelm yourself with it or think of anything past just all right. I'm gonna put in a small amount of time every day and just see how it feels. And and and that that's kind of I would love it if uh if that could even even in one listener's ear, you know, help them to just begin.

SPEAKER_01 23:20

All right, ladies and gentlemen, riseandclimb.com. That's rise and and so rise and with now as in nancy.climb.com. Please be sure to check out everything that Ben's up to. Go get that new book, go check out the music, follow rate review, share this episode to as many people as possible. Also, to keep up with all things living the dream, please visit www.curveball337.com. Share the website and the show to everybody you know. Thank you for listening and supporting the show. And Ben, thank you for all that you do, and thank you for joining me.

SPEAKER_02 23:59

Thank you, Chris. I appreciate it, man.

SPEAKER_00 24:01

For more information on the Living the Dream with Curveball Podcast, visit www.curveball337.com. Until next time, keep living the dream.