The EP features six songs that were recorded over the last few months in Toronto with producers Justin Abedin & Oliver Johnson and a great cast of musicians, as well as guest vocals from Layah Jane, Matt York, Joel Parisien & a few other surprises.

Check out the Featured Video for a behind-the-scenes look of at the sessions and the making of “Into The Light”.

The “Into The Light” Tour will begin down under this March where Chris will play his first dates in Western Australia at the Nannup Festival, as well as select dates on the East Coast in support of the new release.

March 2, 3, 4 – Nannup Festival (Nannup, WA)
March 7th – Clancy’s Pub (Perth, WA)
March 11th – Purepop Records (St. Kilda, VIC)
March 13th – Esplanade Hotel (Melbourne, VIC)
March 16th – Baha (Rye, VIC)
March 17th (aft. show) – The Wesley Anne (Melbourne, VIC)
March 18th – The Wesley Anne (short set) (Melbourne, VIC)
March 22nd – The Beach Rd. Hotel (Bondi Beach, NSW)
March 23rd – Venue 505 – (Sydney, NSW)

Check out the “Shows” section for tickets and the most up to date show info & details.

We’ve all experienced the feeling of appreciation we get when we do someone a favor, give a gift or lend a hand and they express their heartfelt gratitude. We also know what it’s like to hold a door for someone, yield to another car on the road or do a kind gesture for a loved one and not hear those magic words, or receive acknowledgement of some kind.

Now, of course, when we do a good deed or a thoughtful gesture, it shouldn’t be with any expectation of receiving anything in return. That said, the difference in how we feel as the giver when gratitude is expressed versus when it is not is worth noting. The truth is that when we give and it is acknowledged, it makes us want to give more and it increases the likelihood that we will give again and again. In other words, gratitude gives rise to more giving which in turn, gives rise to abundance.

This paradigm applies to our relationship with the Uni-verse and all that it provides for us. Life is truly a miracle. Every day that we get to live on this earth is a gift. Regardless of our position in the world, our status or wealth, we all have so much to be grateful for. And yet so many of us are focused on what’s missing from our lives. So often, we are so consumed with our desires and wants that we end up taking so much for granted and we don’t take the time to express our gratitude for what we already have.

I’m not just talking about saying thank you, although that’s s a good start. I’m talking about taking a moment every now and then (or better yet, ever day) to acknowledge all that there is to be thankful for in your life, in your relationships, in YOU! Not just thinking about it but FEELING it. And not just the big things but the little ones too. Here in the Western world, we have so much that people in other parts of the world would give anything to have and we don’t even really realize it. In fact, sometimes the more we have, the easier it is to lose sight of how blessed we truly are. In the same way, it is often those who have less who are better at expressing their gratitude.

There will always be more to get, more to do and more to become but when we forget to FEEL and EXPRESS our gratitude for what we’ve already got, we essentially stop the flow of abundance. In the same way that when we give and don’t hear a “thank you”, it leaves us feeling less inclined to give again; when we don’t internally acknowledge and outwardly express thanks for all that we have, we are not inviting the Uni-verse to keep on providing for us.

So I invite you to take a moment right now and give some thought to what you are thankful for in your life, in this world, about yourself. There is nothing too trivial and there is no limit to how many times we can express our gratitude for the bigger things in life. Leave a comment and let us all share in the joy of expressing our gratitude and counting our blessings together in community.

THANK YOU!

Much love,

Chris

Written for The Daily Love (Feb. 18th, 2012)

I just spent five days at a big international music conference in France. There were industry people and artists from all over the world there to network, talk shop, learn and do business. I was amazed at the number of people and conversations I came across that were focused on how bad things are in the industry, how difficult it is to have success these days, how it’s all messed up and how the opportunities of the past are gone.

Now there is no question that the music business has dramatically shifted and that it continues to be in flux. And yes, the numbers don’t lie and the facts are indisputable. Music sales are down. It’s true… But the consumption of music is at an all-time high and there are more opportunities than ever before for artists to reach a global audience. Just a few weeks ago, a band I know posted a video of a cover song on YouTube and within a week, they got 22 million views and within two weeks, they were on the Ellen Show.

Depending on how you look at it, you could argue that things have never been better or that things are the worst they’ve ever been. Unfortunately, there are a lot of people going with the latter interpretation. That’s the story they’re choosing to buy into, whether they realize it or not. Their experience might even be validating that view, which is to say there could even be some facts supporting their perspective. As conscious as I was of not wanting to let those conversations influence my own thinking, and despite having a great overall experience at the conference, I left with a subtle feeling of discouragement and found myself questioning my own career. The negative talk and cynical stories had seeped into my thinking and affected my outlook.

So, what’s the point? Well, in any endeavor, regardless of what facts are at play, I believe that we each get to write our own story. There is no question that someone who is focused on what’s possible and who has faith even in the face of uncertainty is much more likely to succeed (and be happy) than someone focused on the obstacles and the failures. In fact, I would argue that maintaining a positive mindset is more than half the battle. It comes down to choosing a mentality of faith instead of fear, of abundance instead of lack and realizing that this variable alone plays a huge part in shaping our reality and in determining whether or not we realize our goals.

This happens everywhere in our lives. We are constantly being bombarded with other peoples’ views and stories about love, about money, about life, about health. These opinions and messages come in conversation, in what we read, in what we watch and in what we hear. So the question is…Who are we listening to? What stories are we believing? What views are we buying into and how are they affecting our own experience?

The bottom line is this…Don’t let anyone else tell you it’s too hard or too late. You get to decide how it goes for you. You get to choose what lens you are going to look through and that choice will impact your experience. So be selective about whose views and opinions you listen to and consume. More importantly, remember that your life is yours to create and anything is truly possible if you believe in it and keep faith. Rather than let someone else’s experience tell you what’s out there, find out for yourself!

Much love,

CA

Written for The Daily Love (February 6th, 2012)

– Bruce Lee

Time is one of the most precious commodities we have. Each of our lives on this earth will span a given period of time. Seen in this way, each tiny increment of our time is a little piece of our existence, our lifetime. The good news is that it’s mostly up to us to choose how we use our time and in this choice lies the key to a great deal of our happiness and fulfillment.

The challenge lies in the fact that we are living in the age of distraction. It has been said that the average person spends 2.5 hours a day being distracted. At any given moment, there is a wide of range of options that we can choose from to keep ourselves occupied and entertained. Facebook, Twitter, email, Skype, web surfing, TV, music, Netflix, YouTube, we all have our favorites. At a recent lecture on leadership, Robin Sharma put it best in saying that the thing that keeps most of us from realizing our full potential is that we are too busy being busy.

I have been learning that it takes A LOT of time to bring your dreams to life and to walk the path less traveled. It takes a lot of energy too and this makes the choice of how we use our time that much more important. This choice includes who you spend time with, what activities you engage in, what content you consume and even what you think about. I know I definitely have days when I’m so busy thinking and stressing about the things I need to do that I end up wasting a ton of time and energy that would be better spent just getting them done!

Making good use of our time and energy will keep us feeling fulfilled and this in turn, keeps us renewed as we move forward, whether it’s in our careers, our relationships or in any particular area of our lives.

So how do we cultivate this practice? Being aware of the quality of your PRESENCE in whatever it is that you are doing at any moment is a great start. Are you really present in what you are doing or are you just mindlessly going through the motions, procrastinating, escaping or occupying yourself to relieve boredom? If that’s the case, chances are you’re wasting time rather than spending it.

The next level of this awareness comes from being mindful of the distinction between spending and wasting time in a more practical sense. This means consciously choosing what stays and what goes in your life, and discerning between what and who are worth your time or not.

Who do you hang out with most? Who do you talk to on a regular basis? What activities do you do daily or even weekly? How do you spend your alone time? It’s worth taking a moment to consider the quality of these uses of your time in the context of the bigger picture of your life. Are your choices resulting in fulfilling experiences? Are you moving in the direction of your dreams and aspirations? When you look back, will you be satisfied knowing that you spent X amount of hours scrolling through your newsfeed, watching weeks worth of TV and being in an ok relationship with Mr./Mrs. Wrong for months or even years?

Our lives and our time here are precious. Let us SPEND them accordingly. With people we love, doing what brings us the most joy and making the world a better place for having lived in it.

Thank you for taking the time to read this and spending a few moments with me.

Much love,

Chris

Written for The Daily Love (January, 21st, 2012)

In light of this, it’s very easy to get tunnel vision and to get caught up in the constant push towards some future-based destination. Having goals and a vision is a great thing and it helps to keep us focused, motivated and on track. At the same time, it’s important to take a step back every now and then to acknowledge our victories, to look at how far we’ve come and appreciate all that we are and have in this moment. That’s the fuel that keeps the engine going and without it, our whole lives can become an endless pursuit of something that we will never even get to enjoy when we’ve attained it.

For the past couple of months, I’ve been fully immersed in the process of recording my second album. I’ve poured my heart and soul into it and have had to make a number of sacrifices along the way to stay on track in meeting a fairly tight deadline. In the final stretch, the process has involved very critical listening to ensure that everything was sounding as awesome as possible. As I was driving to the final recording session, I was listening to a working version of one of the songs and it hit me like a ton of bricks! For the first time in months, I actually heard the music that I’d been working on so hard with appreciative ears and an open heart and it almost moved me to tears.

Now you might be thinking that only some kind of ego maniac could be so emotionally affected by their own music! The truth is that what really got to me in that moment was the realization that I’d been so busy trying to get it perfect and get it done that I forgot to take a step back and just let it in, to really appreciate the fruits of my labor, to stop and smell the roses as the saying goes. We can live our whole lives this way and forget to stop every once in a while to take it all in, to acknowledge our efforts, to honor all that we have become and achieved, to say thank you.

So maybe you’re working your butt off to lose twenty pounds. That’s great but don’t forget to acknowledge and thank yourself for the five that you’ve already shed. Or maybe you’re working on your own masterpiece and are knee deep in the process. Don’t forget to put the pen, the brush or the instrument down every once in a while and allow yourself to look and listen with kind eyes and ears on what you’ve done so far.

We are all our own masterpieces in progress and it helps to remember that we will never be perfect, that the process never ends and that it’s important to find the balance between striving and thriving, between doing and being, between improving and appreciating.

In that spirit, take a moment to step back and have a look at what you’ve accomplished, how far you’ve come and who you’ve become through all of your efforts and experiences. Give yourself the gift of acknowledgement by leaving a comment and sharing with the rest of us. It might be something as simple as a positive attribute you’ve worked on, a good deed you did or a bad habit you’ve kicked. Whatever it is, big or small, let’s celebrate our victories together and encourage one another as we walk the path towards our greatness and our dreams.

Much love,

Chris

Written for The Daily Love (Jan. 14th, 2012)

I’m excited to share my first video blog with you and even more excited that I put it together with my main man Mastin Kipp while I was visiting L.A. over the holidays.

The vlog was inspired by a great conversation we had about the importance of ASKING FOR WHAT WE WANT in life, in relationships and in business. We’re all familiar with the saying: “Ask and it is given”. Well, there’s definitely truth to the fact that if we don’t communicate what we want to the Uni-verse and to others, there’s a significantly lower chance that we will see our wishes come to fruition. And yet, so many of us don’t really speak up and ask for what we want because of a number of reasons that we hold onto as justification for keeping quiet.

At the same time, it’s important to be able to ask for what we want from an authentic place and without having attachment to the outcome. When dealing with people, this means that BEING with people should come first and above any desire or agenda we are hoping to fulfill. When it comes to things we’re after in life more generally, the parallel is BEING content with where we are and not coming from a place of lack, despite having some goal or destination that we have our sights set on. When we are able to strike this balance, our intention will be pure and this will greatly affect the vibration of our requests and the way they will be received.

The last piece of the puzzle is the importance of seeking to bring something to the table when we are making requests to create a win-win. Asking ourselves what we can give in return or how we can add value or serve is a great place to start. In this way, we are both the giver and the receiver. Our requests are much more likely to be heard and acted upon when they are coupled with a desire to make a contribution rather than being all about what we can get. Rather than treating others as a means to some ego-driven end, this approach honors our connectedness as human beings and puts relationships first.

The start of the New Year is a great time to set your sights high and use your voice to ask for what you want! Let us know what you’re asking for and where your requests are coming from. Remember, think big and go for it because this life is ours to create and if we don’t ask, we won’t get.

May this be OUR best year yet!!!

Much love,

Chris (and Mastin)

Created for The Daily Love (Jan. 7th, 2012)

As much as I enjoy picking out a juicy gift for someone I love, wrapping it up and watching their delight as they open it (hopefully!), I’ve come to realize that there’s another kind of gift that warms the heart even more and that is ACCEPTANCE. Some of you might have been thinking I was gonna say unconditional love, gratitude, forgiveness or even chocolate but I believe the greatest gift we can give another is to accept them exactly as they are.

The beauty of acceptance is that it encompasses all the other sentiments I mentioned, except the chocolate! When we truly accept someone with all their flaws and quirks, that is when we are able to love them unconditionally. When we fully accept them and embrace all their positive attributes, their uniqueness and their gifts, we can receive them with gratitude and appreciation. And when we can accept the growth that comes from sharing experiences both good and bad, we can forgive the past and embrace wherever we are together in the present.

Being with family and those closest to us is an especially good opportunity to practice acceptance. Many of us know our nearest and dearest better than anyone else, we have a lifetime of history together and it’s easy to focus on what we don’t like or what isn’t working in those relationships. Anyone who’s ever tried will tell you that you can’t change anyone so investing our energy in resisting the things we don’t like isn’t worth it. What we can change is our approach and our focus from one of resistance to acceptance.

Sometimes we may even be coming from a place of love and a desire to share something we’ve learned or discovered on our own path with those we care about because we want to help them. But as it has been said, each person must walk the path and learn life’s lessons themselves. In other words, we can’t help anyone who doesn’t want to be helped but we can shower them with love and acceptance until they want to help themselves.

And while we’re busy spreading holiday cheer and accepting all those around us, let us not forget about ourselves. That means you. Yes YOU. There’s nobody else like you and YOU are amazing just the way you are. If you want to give me a gift this year you can do me a big favor and go to the mirror RIGHT NOW, look at the beautiful reflection you see and say: “I love you. You are mine and I accept you just the way you are. You’re the shizzle!“

I want to take this opportunity to thank everyone who reads these blogs, the amazing TDL community, and of course, Mastin, without whom none of this would be possible, for accepting me as I am and receiving my writing and musings with such open arms and love. Sending out big love to you all and wishing you all the best over the holidays!

Accepting you as you are,

Chris

Written for The Daily Love (Dec. 26th, 2011)

The hardest thing of all though is letting go when we know we’re right. When we have a million and one reasons to validate our position, when we’ve got all the evidence to back up our point of view, and the other person is clearly at fault, it takes a lot to give up being right.

That’s what it means to be a bigger person. It means foregoing the opportunity to stick it to someone else for what they’ve done wrong even when we know without a doubt that we’re right. It means letting them off the hook, giving them the benefit of the doubt and practicing forgiveness even when we’ve got them on the ropes.

The fact is that being right doesn’t actually translate into peace of mind or fulfillment. Neither does being angry or upset regardless of how good the reason is. This includes being upset with ourselves when we repeat a mistake or let a situation get the better of us. It’s one thing to acknowledge mistakes and honor our darker emotions and another thing to dwell on them for longer than necessary.

What we often fail to realize is that when someone hurts us, the initial upset is nothing in comparison to the suffering we create for ourselves by holding on to it. We replay the inciting event in our minds over and over again, we build up our case and set out to prove that we’re right to ourselves and others, we raise our guard and vow never to let anyone hurt us again. It can get to be quite exhausting and all it does is prolong the suffering and poison our own pond.

Every time we have an opportunity to engage in a battle of right and wrong and we can be present enough to stay out of it, we expand. Someone cuts you off on the road… instead of honking the horn, cursing or flipping the bird, take a deep breath and feel how much strength it takes to remain calm. That’s growth. Someone says something offensive or takes a cheap shot at you…instead of hitting them with a comeback or laying a beat down with a swift karate chop, stay silent and turn the other cheek. Breathe, feel the anger rising up inside of you and see if you can create space for it rather than fueling the fire. That’s expansion. That’s being the bigger person.

I’m not saying that we should let people abuse us or take advantage of us. What I’m saying is that we have a choice when things go bad to shake it off or take it on. When we take it on, we waste our energy and we give our power away.

True power, true strength lies in moving through the challenges and the conflicts swiftly and not getting bogged down in the small stuff. It means recognizing another person’s weakness and not holding it against them. It means expanding in love instead of contracting in fear in the face of a triggering event or person who’s looking for a fight. Maybe they’re suffering inside. Maybe they’ve had a rough go. Maybe they just don’t know any better. Who knows?

All I know is that being right is a lost cause. Instead, we can invest our energy in worthy causes. We can create with our emotions, we can learn from our experiences and we can be stronger by allowing ourselves to be exposed, by letting our guard down and continuing to love even after we’ve been hurt a thousand times.

Keep giving, keep loving, keep living. Keep growing, keep learning, keep expanding.
That’s what being a bigger person is all about. Who’s in?

Chris

Written for The Daily Love (Dec. 19th, 2011)