217: Tap In To Your Creative Flow with Hila Plitmann

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Welcome to the Earn your happy Podcast. I'm Lori Harder, founder of The Bliss Project, 3 Time Fitness World champion, fitness expert and cover model, turned self love junkie, lifestyle entrepreneur and author.

Each week I'll bring you a guest.

Or a thought that will help you bust through your fears, connect to your soul and get focused and clear so you can elevate your life, business and relationships. We don't wait until we're ready for someone to tell us we're good enough. We take what we want and we anoint ourselves. Get ready to earn, own and unapologetically rock your happiness every single day. Are you with me? Here we go. Welcome back to the Earn your happy Podcast and I'm really thrilled to introduce you to Hila Plitman. She is an incredible international Grammy Award winning soprano singer. So she's known worldwide for her astonishing musicianship, light and beautiful voice and the ability to perform challenging new works. You guys, I met hila at a SoulCycle class and I have been riding at SoulCycle with her for a few years now. And something about Hila is that she is such a brilliant bright light and I was introduced to her music actually in a soul cycle class and I didn't know who was singing this song and I share a little bit about this story, but it physically moved me to tears and I have her songs at the end of this podcast. So you guys must listen to her music and just do what I tell you to do in the podcast while listening to her songs because it is so moving. I want you to to have the same experience that I experienced on a visceral level of what happens when somebody really has some incredible intention behind the expression that they're forcing out. So she regularly premieres works by today's leading composers while maintaining a vibrant and extraordinary diverse professional life in film music, musical theater and songwriting. She was described as a performer with tremendous vocal and physical grace and a vocal instrument that is simply unreal in its beauty. Hila has been involved in numerous world premieres and is in constant demand as a singer and new and contemporary music. Of new and contemporary music. She's worked with many of today's leading conductors and has appeared as a headliner with the New York Philharmonic, the Los Angeles Philharmonic, the London Symphony Symphony Orchestra, the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra, the Minnesota Orchestra. The list goes on and on and on and on. You guys. She has so many different quotes from the New York Times all about her voice. You absolutely must listen to Hila's process and just what her life looks like on a Day to day basis of really nurturing her creations, her creativity, and really making sure that she listens into her gut feelings about her self expression. So you guys, let's get started. Hila, I'm so excited to have you on the podcast. Thank you so much for coming on the show today.

I am so grateful to be here.

So you guys, if you don't know, I just want to share a little bit about how this magnificent, angelic human being came into my life. And as you guys know, Soul Cycle is a massive part of my life. I pretty much go every Tuesday and Thursday, sometimes more than that, that. And I started to see this incredible person who was always smiling, always dancing, and all of a sudden singing on her bike as well. So of course I. I had to know who this person was. And I got introduced to her by our past Soul Cycle instructor who also introed your music in one of her classes. And I just remember weeping to the song. And then she announced that it was someone in the class and I was like, what is who? Who, what how? And. Because you really shook my soul and moved me. And I don't think it was just about the music. I think it's the intention behind the music as well. And your voice, obviously. But that's really what I wanted to dig into today was number one, just saying thank God you showed up for your gifts and showed up in such a fierce way with such beautiful intention because we feel it. And I really believe that only happens when you hold that. And number two, I'm just excited to be able ride next to such an epic human being every Tuesday and sometimes Thursday. So thank you so much for being here.

Oh my God. First, thank you for saying all of that. That is so beautiful to hear that. That is the thread that connected our souls. And it's not for nothing that it's called Soul Cycle.

That place.

I have to add that there's a big mutuality there because I remember looking to the side and seeing. This perfect creature of a human being. And just the energy that you exude has this quality in it that is basically saying the world is open and good and I am going for it and for life. And I had the same feeling about you of being just absolutely blown away, really. And I have to say it's every time I see you blown away and kind of encouraged in a way to continue on the path of expression after seeing the way that you conduct yourself every day or every Tuesday, Thursday on that bike and. And whenever I see you, it's. It's a Real inspiration. Lori.

Oh, wow. Thank you so much. And can we just. I honestly, this could be a 30 minute love fest. But what I'm. What I'm realizing as we're both speaking is how amazing it is what our energy can do without having to. You and I have not yet had a really in depth conversation at all. I just felt a mutual interest in just both what we're doing and also just you give magnificent hugs and kisses every time I see you. So for sure it's just that energy and how we show up speaks so much louder and that's so interesting because people who, who are listening right now, it just. You have no idea. I had no idea I was having that impact on you. You had no idea you were having that impact on me. So it really does show that we're. We're creating this ripple without realizing it. So how beautiful. So great little lesson there that we just got to Lear. So for people who don't have not yet gotten to know you, I just want to share or I want you to share a little bit about your life and how you started doing what you are doing now.

Okay. I mean I. Very similar to a lot of people who just connect to a kind of artist quality in their spirit. It seems to have been a thing that was always there for me since childhood. Singing and music were always very. They connected very immediately and there was a lot of music in the house and I studied piano since I was very little and it pretty soon became. Became apparent to my inner world that that's something that I want to experience and express generally, you know, and a lot and not in. Not necessarily in such a conscious way at first, you know, because I was young and it came very organically and I just kind of got immersed in it. I joined a choir when I was about 10 and sang a lot there. And then I. Then I got my first part in an opera when I was 14. In this. The composer is Benjamin Britton, a British composer. And the opera's name is Turn of the Screw. Based on a novel, a very psychological novel about two kids who are seeing ghosts. And the nanny thinks it's all made up, but it turns out it's not so made up. And kind of the consequences of that really, really cool story. And I just fell in love with story and stage and the combination of music and telling a story to people. And then I just continued from there. I went to Juilliard for six long years. They were wonderful. I met this wonderful man who is now my ex husband and I spent Many, many, many years with him also expressing a lot of art and beauty. And I continue to do so and I will try to keep that seed of light going for, for as long as I live.

So what was it for you when you were younger that made you know that you had to follow this dream of this creative process of singing of this outlet? And what were the consequences for you if you didn't experience it, if you didn't follow it?

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I'm once again blown away by the question. Yeah, there's a quality in this idea and the thought process of trying to answer it that I think causes one to really connect with, with who they are. You know, there was something about being in a state of timelessness that I felt when music was in my life and when story was in my life. I'm also an actress, I also write songs. And there's something about the connectiveness and connectivity with the world, with people, with audience, with the beauty of the world, with the sadness of the world, with all the elements of this strange life that really, it deeply moved me. And art does that. That's. That's part of what art is. And that's where I think it caught me. It got me hooked, you know, that.

Feeling, oh, I can so resonate with that. And I really believe that we are all creative people, no matter what we're doing or what career we end up in. And I think that's why a lot of people are in a lot of pain, is because of exactly what you said. There is. If we're not somehow connecting with the world, we feel so alone and separate. And I think that art or self expression or, you know, creativity in any form is the way to do that. So what would you say to somebody who maybe doesn't know what that, how that creative expression can come about? Is there something that you do to nurture a new form of expression to come about? Because I know and we'll get into it, but you're kind of going through different phases in your life of trying to new ways of creation, right? So what would you tell someone who's like, who's like, oh my God, I. I just feel verklempt. Like my energy.

You did not just use that word. You love it.

Like my energy feels stuck. I'm frustrated. Why am I not connecting with the world. Like, I don't understand what she just explained.

Yeah. Which I know sometimes the explanations are a little. Not that I'm not exactly the.

Oh, no. To me, they were very well tight.

Okay.

To me, they were perfect. So for someone who maybe is not creative or doesn't think they are, it's.

A. I'm grateful for the question also because this has been a year for me with a lot of pain in it. I went through a lot of painful experience and growing and kind of breaking down and then opening up from there and discovering a lot of depth and light and love and unconditional love underneath. I mean, I think an element of it is not taking the pain too seriously in that. Absolutely. Expressing it, connecting with it, but embracing it and inviting it and saying, okay, I guess that's part of. Or even that. The feeling of being stuck or the, you know, whatever it is that feels like we put it into some strange category of not right or not getting there or not. To take the word not and say, well, that's what it is. Now, how can I dive into this in a way? And what does it have to teach me? And for me, that's been a real gift of this year, of this particular year of going into pain, into. Self connection and self exploration. And what are those things within my own spirit that feel are not enough or not getting there or kind of lacking and starting to reinterpret them and maybe shift a little bit of the focus from this idea of something not being right to just being what it is and going with that.

Wow, that's so good. And I'm just sitting here nodding my head because I feel I kind of am resonating with that right now in. In different ways. And just really, I can tell you that I'm still in resistance over certain things right now, like a leveling up in my life, but is showing up as a lot of hard stuff. But I so feel you. It's like we stay in this resistance because at first we're like, no, there's got to be. There's got to be a way around this. There's. God, there's got to be something else. And then it's almost like when we can have, you know, open arms and just keep asking those questions, like you said, like, what is here for me? Like, when we switch it to these more empowering questions and just realize that there's not a way around. There's not a way around. So do you do any writing around that? What is something that you do to kind of learn to. Or start to let it in instead of resisting.

I mean, I. These days I spend. It's funny that you were saying beforehand about that people sometimes listen to this on a walk. I mean that's something that I discovered many years ago for myself in terms of the way to process and meditate. But it's taken even a kind of a more significant space in my life. I walk a lot and listen to the things and write ideas while I'm walking and just allow myself to really go into the dark and the light places that my thoughts and my feelings and my guide and the river takes me.

I'm huge on walking. I literally think the world's problems can be solved if we all just. If we just took them on a global walk.

Yeah, I.

It is. It's so meditative because you're gonna come out on the other side if you just commit to like walking until, until the pain or that feeling subsides. And it will, it will. Yes, you might walk 10 miles or.

13.

But you're gonna pop out on the other side. So for you.

And also.

Go ahead.

No, just. And the, and the quality of releasing judgment, self judgment, judgment for other. You know, even this idea of this beautiful thing you said about it might be 13 miles. And there's. There's a habit, there's this habitual pattern of maybe then kind of stepping back in your mind and going, oh God, what is wrong with me that I'm walking 13 miles in order to, you know, and, and that those elements. I'm finding more and more that with a lot of meditative practice and just self reflection, I'm releasing a sense of any of that being wrong. It's just who I am like that who I am and what I need to do. And it's also been allowing me for whatever quality of kind of criticism or analyzation that, that we all have and that I know that I have towards the outside world to also slowly be peeled away and for whatever anybody else is doing to be what they're doing and for it to be okay, you know. Yeah. What they're thinking and what they're saying and. Yeah.

Oh, isn't that the journey of a lifetime?

As long as we're not. As we're not. As long as we're not really intentionally hurting each other. Yes. Yeah.

So, you know, you're talking so much about feeling into the feelings and the contrast in the light and the dark. And I especially as somebody who is sharing heart centered work out into the world and hopes to elevate and to connect people together through their creations, through their work, no matter what they do. Whatever. Anybody on this podcast who, you know, whatever work you're doing, however you're showing up in the world, we have the ability to connect with people, to help shift people. And I love how much you're talking about feeling because without feeling all the feelings, we just cannot connect to people and we can't create. So it's like the feelings of understanding, perspective, the light and the dark, and then speaking to that person. So when you go into creation mode, what do you think of when you are wanting to put something out into the world?

Yeah, well, I mean there's a lot of different facets of what I do. So it comes kind of from almost different gut feelings. There are places in the body where I feel certain things and I mean there's. They're somewhat typical to where. Where a lot of our feelings are. You know, whether it's the stomach or the chest or my. My mind somewhere in my head. And part of it is being courageous with that, with. With how that feels in the body and kind of being. Opening up to that and. And not. And just letting it, you know, and that's. That. That's another kind of practice that I'm really. I've really been doing a lot of these days of kind of letting go of the thoughts or the stories behind the thoughts and more this curiosity and paying attention to where. Where is that feeling and that sometimes that'll create for me, it does connect very much into the creative process because then that feeling will elicit some sort of expressive quality, whether it's some words or an idea that is beyond those thoughts of, you know, of what we do when we're just messing ourselves up in these roundabout ways. It's more about. It's almost like poetry. It is poetry or something elevated like you said. And that's one thing that I really just try to connect with very regularly. Yeah. And the other one is actually, it's almost like the other. You know, it's not really the other side of the coin of it, but it's. It's in balance with it which is to just. Is the word regurgitate or. No, not really. It's just a spew is to allow again. And that has to do a lot with this non judgment release flowing. And you know, soul cycle has been. It's been a friend for me in that. Because even the way that you were saying that, you know, you see this weird person just dancing around and singing and it's been this space where I am recognizing that I'm allowed to do that stuff and that it doesn't matter what anybody thinks, you know. And with creation, I try to connect to that as well, to just say, well, I'm just gonna start writing down words or playing on the piano or you know, practicing whatever I need to practice. And the work itself is the thing that is is connecting me rather than the idea that I need to make it somehow perfect or a certain.

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Wow.

Okay. I love so much of this because the thing is there is what I'm learning more and more as I talk about creatives and go through creative process processes myself is that there is a process and it, it's not. You can never quite sum it up but there's a lot of the same pieces and the pieces are like you said, the feelings in your body and then this like free flowing non judgmental just right just sing, just move.

Yeah.

And I'm learning more about that with writing as in just even writing my book or, or I'm playing with spoken word and what happens is, exactly what you're saying is, I don't judge the writing, and some of it makes zero sense, but all of a sudden, a sentence comes out and you're like, that's why I wrote all of that weirdo gibberish above.

Exactly.

Like, for this one sentence that the sentence doesn't even make sense yet, but you can now make sense of it. So that's what it looks like. It's like it does not make sense. It's. It's taking the personality out of the soul process. So. And we are just like.

Lori, that's beautiful.

We are just all personalities. We're programmed to be all personality. Right now, I believe in this world where I. I think there's so many of us who are trying to deprogram and get back to the soul, which is, you know, we're finding each other. So hopefully you all hear the call.

You gave me shivers, which is absurd, really. Yeah.

Yeah. Well, we're fine. We're finding each other. And I'm so inspired when I do find these people, because I want to. I want to know what their day looks like. So for you, what does. Because I know that you have gone through different phases of your career. So tell me about kind of, you know, where you. Where you thought you wanted to go, what it looked like once you got there. Because I. I'm not sure on this, but did you recognize a dream? Did you live the dream? And then what happened on the other side of the dream? And are you recreating it?

Huh? Not. I didn't really have that much of. Of a vision in it to begin with, frankly. A lot of it is in. In a similar way to what you were saying about the creative process was more about. I just. This. This feeling of. Of. I don't know if confidence is the right word, but of. Kind of at.

At peace or like a knowing or.

Yeah, like a knowing that. That this is what I'm. I need to do. And it's not specific. It doesn't need to be that particular orchestra or this much money or that, you know, ensemble or these people that I work with. It wasn't so much that. And it still isn't so much. I know that there's a lot of, you know, literature out there about visualization and kind of making more specific ideas about what. What your. Your. Your knowing is, and that. I think that's beautiful, and I do some of that. But for me, it's not so much about that, in that there's no real expectation and. And it's not like if something doesn't happen then you know, my life is over. I, you know, I have done so many different things. I, for instance, I just came back from an LA LA Phil rehearsal just right now. I don't know if you can hear. My voice is so high because we've been. And you know, it's a very, there's a non structured structure to the daily life and it's, it's okay and I've learned to be okay with that. It's not. And you know what, like you said that I think you're absolutely. There's this beauty in what you believe that everybody is a creative. And I think there's more and more example of how we, so many people are not necessarily going to a regular office space and doing some kind of regular type of job, which is also wonderful and valid and beautiful. And if that's what you love, then go ahead and do that. There was, there were many years of insecurity about the irregularity of my day to day. And it's taken again. It's this journey of just being okay. Sometimes my days are just supremely full and I find myself at midnight going, what just happened? You know, wow. And sometimes they are, they have a different kind of space in them and they, they're more, they're more flowing from, from cooking to my son to, you know.

That'S beautiful. So what do you do now when you feel like you have a lot of extra creative energy and you're working on some. Are you working on something right now that you're creating?

Lots of stuff. Thank you for asking. You know, I. So part of the kind of process of this past year that has been really. There's been a lot of change for me has kind of revealed my reconnecting with creating music and I recorded some songs, I've arranged some songs, all these covers. I just started my YouTube channel a few months ago and I've written quite a number of new songs and I'm really just in the process of finishing recording and editing and there's going to be stuff coming out very soon. Some more recordings, some more videos. Yeah.

So I'm so excited to share with everybody because what we're going to do at the end of this, you guys, is I am going to. I have two of her songs pinned to the end of this podcast. So what I want you guys to do, because this is what I do when I listen. If you, if you're not driving, I want you just to close your eyes and allow her her emotion to move you to a place of wanting to express your emotion. Because truly, you can be so moved by this and it can help unlock different parts of your creative energy. So I know that that is going to serve in that way for you because it did it for me. So you just hold that intention of letting yourself open up and really feel into her music. And I'm just so grateful, Hila, for you coming on the show today. And is there anything else that you want to share with anybody about expressing their gifts or maybe some unknown gifts that they're not doing yet?

Wow. First. Now I'm more aware of what you are doing, and I have to say I'm in awe. I'm in awe. Thank you for. Yeah, for making this change and this. This quality, bringing it out into the world. I understand now a little better. And I'm really just. Laurie, you're amazing. I mean, I'm not sure I have the words I'd say. Just try stuff out. Nothing, you know, try stuff out. Take risks and try and try things. And the scarier they are, the more. Just try them even more. Yep.

Oh, my God. I needed that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

And really, I mean, I was gonna say, what's the worst that. The worst that can happen is that in the end we die. But that's gonna happen anyway. So, you know, so let that part of the fear go because that's gonna happen anyway. And really just relish and let yourself be in. In this amazing, amazing experience of life. And if you have something to say, then just start going for it.

That's so beautiful. And I'm so grateful for you and I just want to acknowledge you for how much you are putting yourself out there in such a. You know, for. For you, it might seem like it's something that you've done your whole life by putting yourself out and your gifts out into the world, but it takes a lot because your soul is attached to. To those gifts and you do go to such an authentic, vulnerable place to get those out. So thank you so much for being that example. And when I say that you're. You feel it in your music. That's why you feel it is because it's complete self expression and vulnerability and especially the way that you are reinventing yourself right now, listening to your music. I love it. It's just, it's. It's fun, it's playful, it's expressive, it's soulful, it's really, really moving. So, you guys, I'm really excited for you to listen into her songs right after this. So, Hila, I always end on one last question. And first of all, second, second to the last, because I need them. I need them to be able to find and follow you. So where can they find and follow you?

Right now my website's under construction, which, which is hilaplitman.com but there's a YouTube channel under my name. There's all the Facebook and Instagram. I do a lot on Instagram and in all those usual kind of social media ways. That's it.

Awesome. We will link those all up for you guys. So those will be in the show notes. So if you just want to click in the show notes to go and watch her on YouTube, you can do that. So we'll put that on here. So, very last question. If you were. Okay, you are in an elevator with someone and it's a really quick ride. It's only like 30 seconds long. It's a total stranger and look over at you and they say, how do I make myself happy? What do you say?

I'd probably go and give them a hug.

Love connection.

And I'd start just dancing around without any elevator.

That is so you. And it would make them so happy. And it's pure self expression. You guys, thank you so much for being on this episode. And Hila, thank you so much for being here. If you you love this episode as much as I did, make sure you share it with your friends. And please enjoy her music. That's going to start right now. Bye, everyone.

And shouldn't think Stop pushing your religion on me. Oh, but this one is true God is it gonna be this time? Who will smite me down this time? Even black holes spew sometimes to varying degree. Just there is only one singular way Tritones are most definitely evil. What is all of this running away this life is just a little proper. What is all of this apologizing? All this sitting around and breathing hey, there's some nice violent proselytizing. We can only reach for nirvana.

And we call it.

Look underneath those clothes. There's an actual sweaty body down there. It likes to shake, it heats up, it even asks questions.

Oh yes, this one is true.

The moment I'm wrong and you're right we're that unseen alien despot. The moment I'm right and you're wrong there's nothing loved this madness was gone on too long and we call it.

Yay.

Baby it's just you and me being how we wish we could be Lying very close together Looking at the sun Believing in each other Cause the moment I'm wrong and you're right our spirits are bereft left the moment I'm writing you're wrong there's nothing left the moment we stop and move on.

The.

Minute we stop stay up stay here stop stay up stay. I'll gain my faith. I'll gain my alright.

Thank you guys so much for spending this time with me on the earn your happy podcast. I am so glad that you stopped by. If you could take one second to share this episode with someone you think would love it, that would be absolutely amazing and we would be forever grateful. Also, please leave us a review if you feel so moved by going to itunes and leaving us an honest thought and honest comment. Tell us what you think, tell us what you want to hear more of it would really help us out on our journey to helping thousands and thousands of people people. Until then, don't forget to earn your happy. Thanks again guys. Bye bye.