This past Friday night, I attended an absolutely transformative concert that moved me in a way I didn’t expect. It wasn’t just a beautiful night of music and artistry — it was something deeper. Something that stirred my spirit, opened a quiet yearning in me, and left me reflecting for hours and days afterward.
The concert featured the amazing Jacob Collier performing at New York City’s Central Park SummerStage. A highly acclaimed “sonic explorer,” Jacob is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, composer, and deeply innovative creator, producer, arranger, and 7-time Grammy award winner. But more than his extraordinary set of skills (which is beyond remarkable), it was his beautiful, soulful presence that left me deeply moved. His utter joy in sharing his gifts, his generous spirit and humor with the audience, his playfulness, and his obvious deep love for music and the act of creation — it all felt pure, unfiltered. And very freely and lovingly given.
In watching the audience too, I marveled at their reactions — swaying together, smiling, singing and harmonizing unabashedly when prompted by Jacob. It was both a moving collective experience and a deeply personal one.
Watching Jacob, and thinking about the entire experience later, I realized something important:
Sometimes we’re not just admiring someone’s talent — we’re remembering something in ourselves and yearning for it.
There was something in Jacob’s presence that activated a transformative shift in me. And in thinking and meditating about it, I realized it was a deep desire to live more fully expressed — with more joy, more trust in my gifts, more realness – to surrender to the flow of creation, and more courage to be exactly who I am, no apology or explanation needed.
I’ve been reflecting on what was actually happening — emotionally, spiritually, and energetically — during that concert. And I want to share it with you, in case you’ve ever had that experience too: of witnessing someone doing what they’re truly meant to do in the world in the way they’re meant to be doing it, and feeling something inside you whisper:
“That’s what I want — not their life, but their freedom and self-trust, and bravery and joy to be fully who they are.”
Here’s what I’ve come to understand:
1. Our Longings Aren’t Random — They’re Revelations
So often, when we feel a deep yearning, we interpret it as a lack in ourselves. We think, “I wish I had what they have. I’m so far behind.” But what if we flipped that?
What if our longings are clues and invitations? A sacred nudge from the deepest part of us, saying:
“This is who you truly are — and it’s time to wake up.”
When something stirs your soul, it’s not by accident. It’s a resonance — a tuning fork inside you vibrating in harmony with the energy you’re witnessing. And that resonance isn’t about copying someone else. It’s about unlocking something dormant within you.
2. You Don’t Have to Be a Genius to Be Free
It’s easy to look at someone like Jacob Collier and think, “Well, it makes sense he’s like that — his combination of immense gifts and his deep commitment to learning and growing is beyond compare.” But there’s a deeper truth: while his abilities, focus and talents seem rare, his joy doesn’t have to be. That kind of freedom is a choice — and a brave one. It’s a way of being. A way of relating to and honoring your creativity, your spirit, and your unique voice.
What moved me most wasn’t his virtuosity — it was his presence. His full-body devotion to what he loves. His courage to share. His delight in co-creating with the audience. His ability to be fully himself (or at least, that’s how it felt to me). And his offering of his talents with great love.
That’s something we can all choose — in our own unique ways. Whether we’re speaking, writing, working, parenting, painting, leading, or simply living — we can all show up more fully, with more honesty and joy.
3. Witnessing Radiance Awakens Our Own
If you’ve ever seen someone doing what they were born to do — with no holding back — and offering it as a gift to others, you know what I’m talking about. There’s a magnetism to it. It opens something up inside us. It reminds us what’s possible when we stop trying to “get it right” or “get ahead” and start trusting who we already are.
When we feel deeply inspired by someone, it’s often not because they have something we lack — but because they reflect something we possess but have forgotten or denied that it exists within us.
So if you’re feeling a longing to live more freely, expressively, and joyfully — trust that. Follow that. Take action and go where you are moved to go.
4. A Simple Practice to Explore What’s Emerging
If something has stirred you lately — a concert, a conversation, a film, a book — try this:
Take out your journal (or start one — it’s a powerful practice) and ask:
- What about this experience moved me most?
- What am I yearning for in my life right now?
- What part of me feels awakened or called to life?
- Where am I already expressing that energy — and where am I holding it back?
- What’s one small step I can take to bring more of that energy into my life this week?
Don’t overthink it. Let your hand move freely. You might be surprised by what emerges.
Your Yearning Is Not a Flaw — It’s a Guide
I believe our deepest callings are often hidden in our longings — not in the things we’ve mastered, but in the places where we ache for more. More expression and realness. More joy and more truth.
I had a breakthrough moment back in 2001 that exemplifies this. I was sitting in my therapist’s office crying after just being laid off from my corporate VP role in the days following 9/11, and also just having moved to a new town, bigger home, and greater responsibilities. It had been a very tough period of years in many ways, and I knew in my heart I just couldn’t return to that type of corporate life and work again.
My therapist said, “Kathy, I know from where you sit, this feels like the worst crisis you’ve ever faced in your adult life. But from where I sit, it’s the first moment you can choose who you want to be in the world. Now, who do you want to be?”
I paused, and my mind went completely black, but then I blurted out, “I don’t know… I want to be you!”
We both laughed. And then he gently asked, “What does that mean to you — to be me?”
I replied, “I want to help people, not hurt people or be hurt.”
That moment — and that longing — changed everything. It set me on a path to reinvent my career and that has led me here, to the work I do today.
So if someone stirs something in you — let it stir. Get curious and open, and let it guide you. And ask:
“What is it in me that’s ready to come alive now?”
When you follow that whisper, you don’t just admire brilliance — you become a fuller expression of your own.
And in doing so, you will undoubtedly stir something awake in others.
Thank you again, Jacob, for an unforgettable experience!
For a fascinating interview with Jacob Collier and Simon Sinek, check out this very thought-provoking conversation via Simon’s “A Bit of Optimism” podcast:
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For more information about Jacob Collier, visit jacobcollier.com and Jacob on Instagram.
For hands-on help to experience a breakthrough in how you’re working, leading, creating and expressing your fullest gifts and talents, work with Kathy in her Boost Your Confidence, Success and Impact coaching program and take her video course The Most Powerful and Confident You. For more support, visit kathycaprino.com and tune into Kathy’s Finding Brave podcast.
