Finding Freedom in the Midst of Chaos – Betty [Member Spotlight]

In her own words, she had to “remember it’s OK to take time for myself.”

What is a Final-Beginning Project?

At the end of each Quarter, Academy members share their discoveries in 3-minute ‘Final-Beginning’ Projects — videos and short written interviews that share their creative process and how they used what they learned the previous quarter to move closer to their creative goals.

Learning from Others – and Finding Her Own Voice

Throughout the “Grounded Expansion” quarter in Hip Harp Academy, Betty found herself inspired by watching other members’ projects in the Academy chats. Each video sparked new ideas — little things she wanted to try. Even something as simple as experimenting with a new chord became a springboard for her own creativity.

But this wasn’t about learning more “technique” for its own sake. It was about Connection, not perfection — allowing ideas from the community to feed the expansion of her authentic musical voice.

Facing the Blocks – and Embracing the Freedoms

One of Betty’s biggest challenges was time — and that she sometimes felt guilty taking that time! Between entertaining visiting family and managing her own health, she often felt overextended. Yet she discovered an important truth:

“If I don’t take time for my physical, mental, and emotional health, I’m not going to be worth anything to anyone else.”

That realization brought a kind of freedom — the freedom to let playing the harp be a gift to herself, not a luxury she had to earn.

Playing for Joy, Not Perfection

There was a time when being asked to play would leave Betty frozen unless she had all the notes in front of her and had been practicing that exact piece. This time, she simply sat down and let her fingers wander through bits and pieces she half-remembered, weaving them together into something whole.

It wasn’t about flawless transitions or polished performance. It was about feeling the joy of playing and letting that be enough.

Watch Betty’s Final-Beginning Project below:

The Big “Aha”

Through this project, Betty rediscovered something simple but profound:

• Playing makes her happy.
• She’s not alone in feeling “not enough.”
• Music is about connection — to others and to herself.

Knowing she’s part of a supportive, international community of harpists has helped her let go of the need to “get it right” and instead focus on bringing her authentic self to the harp.

Because in the end, that’s what Hip Harp Academy is all about: Don’t do more. Hide less.