An Inspired Chat with Ryan Murphy of Long Beach

Ryan Murphy shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Ryan, we’re thrilled to have you with us today. Before we jump into your intro and the heart of the interview, let’s start with a bit of an ice breaker: What are you being called to do now, that you may have been afraid of before?
Going all in on my creative journey in ways I’ve been limiting myself from up until now. I’ve always been a little too safe and am allowing myself to get uncomfortable to drive myself forward in the ways I think I’ve always been meant to. I’ve done a lot of things in my life and the one constant has always been music, and I am making sure I treat that constant in my life with the attention it deserves and making my creative pursuits my priority.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Ryan Murphy and I am a musical artist that writes, records, releases, and performs music I’m passionate about. I’ve been in and out of the music scene for over 25 years with the last several years being my strongest dedication to the dream and chasing meaningful connections with others through my work. With recent releases I have shared some of my most vulnerable stories and uplifted others through fundraising for local non-profits and want to continue to share not only my music with the world, but the lessons I’ve learned about the creative process along the way.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: What part of you has served its purpose and must now be released?
I spent a long time stuck in a people-pleasing mindset that was really unhealthy and I didn’t realize the negative impacts it was having on my life. I want to be clear that choosing kindness and love is always the right path to take, but when you don’t include yourself in that journey then you will end up hurting yourself more than you help others. I’ve released that idea of making sure everyone else is taken care of before myself and remembering to put my oxygen mask on first so I can have a sustainable positive impact on the world, however big or small that impact may be.

What did suffering teach you that success never could?
I’m not the first or the last person to recognize that suffering can allow great opportunity for one to appreciate what they have and build resiliency. So I won’t focus on those particular lessons that suffering has offered to me. Instead, I’d like to reflect on how suffering has taught me more about myself than I think success ever will. I’ve had some heavy challenges in my life the last several years that came with plenty of suffering, and those moments have forced me to face myself in ways that I never would have seen through pure success. Everything we do offers us lessons in life, but suffering is like that punch in the face that says “Hey! I’m trying to tell you something important so pay attention NOW!”

Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
My dog Jojo turned 12 recently and has had a pretty hard go at things health-wise the last couple of years. Despite all of the ups and downs, treatments she has received, and certainly the discomfort that has come with some of the things she has dealt with, the amount of love and light I see in that dog has stayed consistent. Sometimes she struggles to see well and bumps around the place like a pinball in slow motion. When she bumps into me wherever I may be, I see her tail start to wag and nothing else around me matters in that moment for either of us. She is a perfect example of the unconditional love that dogs possess and I admire the ability she has to remain in a space of love even when it isn’t easy.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Have you ever gotten what you wanted, and found it did not satisfy you?
I think that’s one of the greatest lessons we get to have consistently in life. I chose to chase a dream to become a zookeeper instead of continuing to pursue a music career when I was in my early twenties and worked my way up to an eventual opportunity working at my dream aquarium job. But the thing with dreams is that they aren’t usually fully formed thoughts and don’t always hit the same in your waking life/reality. So while I got what I thought I wanted with that job, I realized it wasn’t fulfilling in the ways I expected it to be and I ultimately left the career field. I don’t think that realizing you aren’t satisfied with getting what you wanted is a bad thing or inherently selfish either. Whether its the dream job that didn’t make you happy or the relationship that just isn’t working, these experiences provide you with the recognition that you haven’t reached the finish line yet and to keep pushing and searching for the right path and never settle purely because it feels safe.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.honesthorsemusic.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honesthorsemusic
• Twitter: https://x.com/honest_horse
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/HonestHorse/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/honesthorse
• Other: Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/0GCMD3a3LaszmL2guusxAD?si=kHYhJhblSS-MlqWNMVE9Lg
  Apple Music: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/artist/honest-horse/id838300978?app=itunes