Today, we are interviewing Lindsay Wilkins-Mulder, a musician, mother, US Army veteran, and a crisis coordinator.
How did you get into what you do right now? Please tell us more about your journey.
I was born in Alabama and grew up listening to my dad, a vocalist, and a drummer.
I escaped into music as a teenager as an outlet for clinical depression and alcoholism. I thought I could substitute a vice or something positive. Unfortunately, my demons got the best of me. I joined the military to escape inevitable death. I needed to let go of the environment that held me a prisoner. I thought that was enough. However, I lost both my sisters to suicide. The most recent having been in May. Depression found them. And their thoughts killed them.
I have been throwing myself into music, specifically production, hoping that one day my music could help someone as it helped me so long ago.
Who are your role models?
I don’t really have any role models. Because of my way of thinking, I have a very tough time following the herd. (The irony of being a soldier isn’t lost on me.) I pave my own paths; many times it’s the most difficult trail to travel.
What inspires you?
My inspiration comes from the difficulty of life. I want others to find comfort in their abilities to manage the darker, scarier sides of our mortality. I want them to know that they aren’t alone. To live is to struggle. There’s value to holding on to hope. Hope, as cliche as it is, is its own inspiration.
Please tell us about what you do.
I’m a songwriter, and I collaborate on various projects. I’m also involved with several veteran groups and pages on social media and in person.
What’s your most memorable experience?
Several memorable experiences, positive and negative. All of them have shaped me, and some completely.
Which social media channels work best for promoting your work? What exactly do you do on the social media channel that makes it work for you?
I use Facebook mostly. I have an Instagram account that I set up in September. Still having issues with the format, but I’m working it out.
SoundCloud is another outlet.
Being that most social media pages and groups I run are military-oriented, members resist change quite often, so we are used to keeping content as is. It’s comfortable.
My online presence isn’t huge, but it’s recognizable in some ways. I’m pretty down-to-earth.
What’s your greatest fear?
My greatest fear is losing someone else that I love.
Looking back, what’s one thing you wish you understood better before you ever got started?
I don’t have many regrets about how I got started. I don’t think I’d be me without good and bad learning experiences.
What are the strategies that helped you become successful in your journey?
The strategies that have helped me are networking and being receptive to criticism. I understand that there are many, many people more experienced and entrenched than I am. I won’t turn down an opportunity to learn from their successes and mistakes.
What keeps you going when things get tough?
When things get tough, I do my best to “soldier on”. I tell myself that ‘this too shall pass’. It’s difficult when you’re in that mindset, but you have to claw your way back up.
Any message for our readers.
When given an opportunity, use it. There will come a day in which you’ll tell yourself, “if only…” The regrets of not trying are haunting. You cannot rewind time. The clock waits for nobody. Secondly, the things you say cannot be taken back. And the old “sticks and stones” saying? Words can break someone.
How can people connect with you?
People can connect with me on social media, specifically my Facebook profile and Instagram. You can also check out the music at Soundcloud.
People can also help her launch her International Record Label via her Gofundme campaign.