HNS JOURNAL, Entry #5

THE JOURNAL

Hello HNS Insiders!

As you may know, my dad was a high school band director for his entire career, and he is the inspiration behind my pursuit of music education and serving as a band director myself. He was not just any band director, either—he is one of the best to ever do it! Not only did his band win countless competitions, perform on world stages like the Rose Parade and the London New Year’s Parade, he was also the only music teacher to be named Teacher of the Year for the state of Illinois. 

Beyond his myriad of accomplishments as a band director, he also wrote a book that was recently published (click HERE to learn more), created an adjudication software program, and taught himself Calculus. The man is brilliant! In addition, he is the inspiration behind Happy, Not Satisfied! I was fortunate enough to sit down and chat with him about many of these topics. We also talk a little about my personality as a child and we discover we are even more similar than we realized! You don’t want to miss this. You can find the full interview below.

Achievements are byproducts of the process! Last week I ran a half marathon. It wasn’t an official race and I ran it by myself. I did it because I have gradually been increasing my mileage on long runs and 13 miles was the distance to run that day (I also clocked my highest WHOOP strain score of all time!).

However, it was really special to come home to a finish line, a sign with a favorite quote from The Guidebook, “The(re is no) End,” and a customized Happy, Not Satisfied medal from Eleanora Morrison. It was beyond thoughtful and made it feel like an official occasion!! 

I don’t consider myself a runner. I run once a week and try to increase my distance each time. I never had a goal of running a certain mileage, I just wanted to improve and feel joy from the growth.

Happy, Not Satisfied is a mindset that has helped me grow in so many ways, but I think the area in my life that I am most thankful to have grown in such a meaningful way is my relationship, and that was on full display after my long run in the dark!

Don’t forget to check out the Happy, Not Satisfied T-shirts that are now available!

Classical Music Isn’t Boring!

I am on a mission to make classical music feel more accessible and entertaining to people that do not have a background in the arts. Each week, I will share a clip of classical music that is relatable, engaging, and exciting in a series entitled, “Classical Music Isn’t Boring.” The Mnozil Brass are an incredibly entertaining chamber music group from Austria. This video really needs no explanation, enjoy!

Happy, Not Satisfied: A FREEBIE

The positive feedback I continue to receive on The Guidebook is so special and inspiring! Thank you to all of you that have supported Happy, Not Satisfied. If you have not had a chance to get your copy of The Guidebook, check out this free excerpt to get an idea of what you can expect!

Until next week,

-Dan