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SIMPLE + TRUE

by Grace Theisen

Simple + True EP available now on iTunes and Spotify.

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Hawaii... you were UNREAL. Not only did we get to learn how to surf we learned how to SNUBA. It’s basically like scuba diving for beginners. And it was completely terrifying at first but our instructor told us to give it “five minutes” and we would be hooked. To be able to breath under water for 30 minutes 30 feet under the water in the Molokini crater was a truly unforgettable experience. I was SO PROUD of us for not chickening out and for DOING THE DANG THING. - Traveling with this woman was seriously life changing. (And body changing LOL.) She is a complete energizer bunny and would daily wake up at 5 am to literally chase the sunset and run 8 miles and then I would meet her and we would run/hike for two hours-usually ending in the water. It was completely epic and gloriously exhausting. She pushed me mentally and physically every single day and reminded me I AM STRONG and my mind set makes ALL the difference. But we could also just sit together in silence and enjoy a sunset or watch the waves and be completely at peace. There isn’t a lot of people that can get me to travel across the country with them at the drop of a hat (because I have SO many fears about flying and pain 🙄) but this woman is one of them. And I would do it again any day any time. Not to mention I love traveling with someone who LOVES FOOD AS MUCH AS ME. Even when the waitress asks us if “we are sure we want to order that much food.” UM YES MA’AM. WE LIKE FOOD OVER HERE. - Cannot thank you enough Meghan for the trip of a lifetime. And while most people thought we were partners the whole time 😂🤦🏻‍♀️ you truly are my soul sister. You entered my life in one of the darkest seasons and you have been such a constant source of LIGHT ever since. I feel like this trip was me finally coming out of the dark and to do it with you by my side was completely and utterly GOD-ORDAINED. ❤️ Also TIME TO MOVE TO THE PACIFIC COAST AM I RIGHT?! - Also SEA TURTLES FOR LIFE. They followed me EVERYWHERE and I freaked out EVERY TIME I saw one. Thank you JESUS for all the above. I feel so insanely blessed and grateful and WOW. HAWAII. YES. PLEASE.
Y’ALL I AM HOOKED. I CANNOT GET OVER THAT 1. I GOT UP MY FIRST TIME SURFING AND 2. IT WAS THE MOST EUPHORIC EXPERIENCE EVER. - These photos are from two days of lessons and WOW. I literally want to move to Hawaii just so I can do this every dang day. I was pretty nervous about it because with 2 back surgeries I did NOT know if this was a wise decision. Nor did my instructor LOL. But I DID THE DANG THING. And it felt like all of my working out, physical therapy, pilates, yoga, and boxing this past year led up to this moment-to be able to get up and surf. Not once did I think about pain or my back and it was unreal. Our instructor was the COOLEST guy ever-so kind and hilarious and truly it was my most favorite thing I have ever done in my life thus far. It reminded me of who I was before pain-athletic, adventurous and fearless. And this whole TRIP has just been SO DANG HEALING to my soul in reminding me that PAIN DOESNT HAVE THE FINAL SAY. - Brock sent me out the first time and all of a sudden-it just clicked and I was UP AND SURFING AND FREAKING OUT. Not to mention right before I went a sea turtle came RIGHT up next to me and I got to pet it and it just chilled under my board. 😍 - WOW WOW WOW. Hey guys?! I AM MOVING TO HAWAII. I cant get over how euphoric the feeling is when you get up.... and it takes patience, breathing, and focus to get to that place... the moment you look down is the moment you fall. You have to keep your eyes UP and on your target. Not to mention you fall a lot but you just get back on and paddle back out and try again...pretty much like life am I right? - And YES. I 100% took out that tiny girl and I felt TERRIBLE even though my face shows otherwise. I was headed STRAIGHT towards her and had no idea how to turn at that point. 🙈 And apparently she didn’t want to surf anyone more after that. WHOOPS. - Thank you Brock and the surfing crew for making this a TRIP OF A LIFETIME. And for letting me come back again. 🤗 I WILL BE BACK.
HAWAII PART 1: RESORT LIFE. - The last three days were packed full of morning runs, hikes, rock climbing, sea turtle spotting, ocean swimming, pool side laying, Mai-Tai drinking, sunset watching and wedding attending. I literally don’t even have words for how insanely healing this entire trip has been. AND IT’S NOT EVEN OVER YET. - I told @meghanguilfoil that coming to Hawaii was a huge step for me in facing my fear of long travel post second surgery. I almost said no to the trip because I was scared of long plane rides, detox side effects and pain. But then I realized THIS IS WHAT DETOX IS ALL ABOUT. Creating a life in which you WANT to be sober for. One where you say YES to once in a lifetime trip versus letting fear and pain be in the driver’s seat. I know it sounds dumb that it seems like such a “rough decisioin to go to Hawaii” but when you deal with a bladder that sometime shuts down at the worst times, constant nausea and pain, UTI’S, anxiety and depression-saying YES to the unknown can be terrifying. - But I DID IT. Sure I had some bumps in the road and cried a few times on the plane over from anxiety and pain... but what matters is I DID THE DANG THING. I showed up to life and let me just tell you... When we show up and open our eyes-GOD blows us away. - He gives you tiny gifts like swimming next to a sea turtle or sitting next to a couple who the husband is a quadriplegic on the plane ride and helped calm my fears of flying or being able to run a few miles with less pain or seeing wildlife in the most unexpected places or deep conversations with random strangers about pain, sex trafficking and Jesus or crying at @annie_chaang’s wedding because the speech’s were so intentional and rich and FULL of love. - To me-this trip felt like God saying: “I see all the hard work you are doing to take your life back from pain and I just want you to know I LOVE YOU SO DANG MUCH AND AM SO PROUD OF YOU.” - And I could write a million words about my hero, @meghanguilfoil, and how she pushes me to work harder, be kinder, think deeper and always be looking for the miracle in life. I couldn’t have asked for a better travel buddy. Thank you for the trip of a lifetime.
IT’S FINALLY OUT. - True story: I never started actually dating until I was 25 years old. I had been on dates and “coffee dates” but never actually really ‘dated’ someone until 25. Mainly because 1. I wasn’t super interested and had a lot going on in my life from @songsagainstslavery to back pain, surgeries etc.. and 2. I had never clicked with someone enough to want to actually date them. My mom always raised my sisters and I to be super independent and IDK- I was never really interested in the whole process. It seemed exhausting and I truly loved being single. And still do. - Hence my first “real” relationship, I entered it full force-fully me. Because I had never had my heart broken, I showed up with my whole soul-no walls or guards up. I didn’t have any former heart break to tell me otherwise. But also partly because that’s just my personality- I do everything with my whole self. - Four months later we broke up and it HURT LIKE HELL. Mainly because I DID give it 100% so disappointment was deep and unmet expectations cut me to my core. Insecurity crept in. And while I swore off dating forever 😂🙈 I never regretted showing up with my whole soul. And that’s where this song was birthed. From a place of not apologizing that I was FULLY ME 100% and sometimes two hearts don’t always make a good home. And that’s OK. It doesn’t mean you should back down any less in your next relationship-it just means it wasn’t meant to be. - Relationships are hard. LOVE is hard. But don’t ever apologize for showing up with your whole soul no matter what you do/who you date/etc. Even if it ends in heart break... you can at least say YOU gave everything you could have and I think that’s what makes all the difference in life. Those are the people I want to surround myself with. Who are honest to the core about who they are-the good and bad-and don’t apologize for being themselves. - ALSO this is a totally new style of music for me (soul/bluesy) and I LOVE it. It feels so right and so ME compared to previous songs I’ve released. Let me know your thoughts!!! 😭
TOMORROW MY SINGLE “NOT SORRY” COMES OUT AND TODAY I AM SOAKING IN THE SUN IN MAUI. - SO HERE’S A SUPER SERIOUS PIC OF ME THAT @jessicasteddom TOOK EVEN THOUGH INSIDE I AM BURSTING WITH JOY. - Ok that’s all for now folks. See ya tomorrow on all the music platforms. 🤗 and YES. It’s the FIRST SONG I have ever written about a boy and a breakup and well.... you’ll just have to wait to hear the rest. ;)
WHEN YOUR BFF ASKS YOU TO GO TO HAWAII WITH HER LAST MINUTE AND YOUR LIKE “YUP.” - ALSO WHEN YOU HAVE A NEW SINGLE COMING OUT THIS FRIDAYYYYYYYY. - BUT REALLY GUYS. I have been praying for a trip to Hawaii since last March when I woke up from my second back surgery telling everyone I was IN Hawaii. And 1.5 years later... GOD MADE IT HAPPEN. Not to mention we get to stay at the @ritzcarlton because @meghanguilfoil apparently has the coolest friends who get married at the COOLEST PLACES. WHAT THE HECK IS LIFE. - Last week I bought a trip to MAUI and today I am sitting in the Detroit airport so insanely STOKED about life. I haven’t posted on here in awhile because I’ve been detoxing from Pain meds and needed a major detox from social media to help the process and it’s been the best decision ever. - Last night as I was driving to my Aunt’s house-I realized for the first time in probably TWO years... I was feeling TRUE joy. And I just wanted to cry. Because the sunset was insanely beautiful and I was reminiscing on all the hard shit I’ve had to go through this past year. To FINALLY be off of Oxycotin and start to feel like myself again.... UGH I JUST FELT OVERWHELMED WITH JOY. Life is SO DANG BEAUTIFUL guys and you know what? I believe my life is now even MORE beautiful because of the pain I’ve experienced. Because of my scars. I don’t take things for granted anymore. When I have a day without nausea, I want to run all over the city and scream: “HEY GUYS ISNT TODAY AMAZING?!?! ARENT YOU SO HAPPY TO BE ALIVE?!?” - “My favorite part of my body are my eyes-not because of their color or shape-but because of what they see. When I was in my twenties and thirties I wanted my appearance to be more interesting then the beauty that surrounded me... and it was a fool’s thought. Pretty fades but beautiful-the ocean and sunsets-it makes you want to come back for more-it’s vast and magnificent. And I’ve been chasing it ever sense. But one thing I know-there’s no beauty without pain. It flourishes on sorrow. It’s enriched on the knowledge that life is fleeting, sometimes cruel, and often ends without resolutions. And that’s what make beauty deep.” -Diane Keaton
A few days ago I went to my first hot yoga class back at @intentionalyoga in Kalamazoo since my second back surgery. (LAST MARCH.) - I walked in a bundle of nerves because on the drive there I was SO nauseous from detoxing pain meds (mornings are always the worst) and I was in a lot of pain from waking up early. (Aka 10 am.... yep. I know. Welcome to detox world. Where your life is turned upside down and wake up time is like 2pm and 14 hours of sleep is normal.) - I have been seeing this AMAZING Pain psychologist in Nashville, Dr. Batson (I found her off @curablehealth podcast and for all my chronic pain friends... YOU NEED TO GO SEE HER. She has changed my LIFE in how I relate to Pain) and we have been working on practicing life with an attitude of “outcome independence.” Meaning I, Grace Theisen, am independent of whatever the outcome is. Whether I try something and fail, or pain shows up, or I get tired and need to stop... that doesn’t define me. What defines me is that I TRIED and I am still ME despite the outcome. - This might seem easy but for a high achiever who has had chronic pain for 6 years... this is like pulling teeth in my mind. I want to be the BEST at it and PROVE to everyone I can do it... yadda yadda yadda. But with pain-the more I can be independent of the outcome the less attached I learn to be if pain shows up. Instead of “AHH YOU RUINED MY DAY” and stop the activity.. it’s a “Oh hi pain. I know you think I can’t do this but I can so I am just going to keep going despite you.” - So I went into the yoga practice with that being my only goal-no matter what happens I am STILL Grace. I showed up, got out of bed and MADE it to the mat. Nothing else matters. And you know what? For the first time EVER-I made it through the WHOLE class without judgement for myself or others. Sure I laid down at times and didn’t do all the flows but to me-I showed up and STAYED despite pain being or not being there. I led with grace for myself and my body. I wasn’t attached to the outcome and that made all the difference.❤️ How much kinder to ourselves would we be if we led with outcome independence? - Photo by the amazing @ashtinpaige
True or false.... my boxing coach had to style this photo for me because even after 4 months of training together... I STILL CANT GET MY DANG HANDS IN THE RIGHT START POSITION WITH BOXING. - TRUE. 🙈 - Ok real talk.... If you know me at all then you know that I LIVE in yoga pants or spandex, tall @adidaswomen socks and some kind of crop top. Like if I ever go out wearing jeans and a t-shirt people say, “Wow you look so nice!” 🙈 I have been that way my whole life. I have too many clothes (which I am working on getting rid of and jumping on the capsule wardrobe train because I have been very convicted by how much STUFF I have and never use... but more on that later) and I only wear the same things over and over. My mom legit comments on how much she wants to throw away my favorite red cut-off Rutgers t-shirt because I wore it everyday post second back surgery for like 5 months. - I am a simple girl when it comes to clothes. I choose COMFORT OVER STYLE. Growing up I rode horses all day everyday and would still choose to ride in tank tops and athletic shorts versus jeans because I just don’t think jeans are comfortable. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Senior year of high school I wore sweatpants every. single. day. No joke. - ANYWAYS.... all that to say since I live in yoga pants I am VERY picky about how they fit, feel on me and the quality of them. I will spend more on yoga pants then anything else because I wear them so much and @targetstyle just don’t last. I got this pair sent to me from @thefitactivewear and told them I would do an honest review because of how picky I am. - Whelp. After two times of wearing them.... they are my new staple!!!! I wear a size medium and they are soft, breathable and flexible... which is a must because again... I WANT TO BE COMFORTABLE WHEN I WORKOUT. Plus their price point is ACTUALLY AFFORDABLE and they are as quality as my @lululemon ones. - I give you a 5/5 @thefitactivewear!!!! Plus they are local to Nashville and I am all about supporting local businesses who make yoga pants equally as comfortable as major brands like @lululemon. That’s not easy to do. ❤️
JUST A BUNCH OF TEARS AND SMILES AND DANCING ARE BUTTS OFF LAST NIGHT. TAYLOR NEVER DISAPPOINTS. - When you have thousands of people singing ONE song and thousands of reasons that it means something to that person... I just. WOW. I can’t get over how many times I had goosebumps from not just being thankful to be alive but for how TRANSFORMATIVE music is. ILL NEVER GET OVER IT. ILL NEVER GET OVER THIS TOWN. ❤️

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Finding beauty in pain, through creating art, in pursuit of redemption. 

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