Bullying is the Cause of Bullying

“You can’t give someone something you don’t have.” I always say this when I sing and speak at schools around the country through Hey U.G.L.Y. (Unique.Gifted.Lovable.You.- www.heyugly.org). If you’re angry, you most likely make the people around you angry. But if you fill yourself up with tons of love, you give tons of love to other people. This is the message that I want to get across to students and adults. 

Bullying is a seemingly inevitable part of growing up. A child is having self-esteem issues, which could be a product of his environment or something going on internally that he is working through. That child spills his negative emotions onto the kid at school who appears to be weaker. The “weaker” child then begins to hate himself. He starts to believe the things that are being said about him. He starts to feel like the bully is right. This child begins to hurt himself every day. Then, he finds someone who appears weaker and takes out his self-hate on the next “weaker” guy. And so goes this domino effect. Bullying is the cause of bullying. So how do we stop it?

My take on this is that emotional awareness and self-love must grow and change parallel to the changes in our lives. If we don’t keep our awareness and feelings in check, we end up spending tons of time playing catch-up with ourselves. Therefore, as children are going through puberty, as their brains are being wired in relation to their environment, their awareness and acceptance of the given situations must do the same. 

So what is it that we can do to make this a reality? Teach children empathy, teach children to ask themselves, “How am I feeling today?”. Teach children to accept and love their own dimensions. If we all had these key concepts ingrained in us as young children, we would collectively grow into a beautiful, nurturing, mentally stable society!

Recommended Reading: The Brain That Changes Itself by Dr. Norman Doidge. This book is all about neuroplasticity- the brain’s malleability, and supports my reasons for instilling emotional awareness and self-love in people from the beginning.

Please check out my music and projects at www.devynrush.com and www.youtube.com/devynrushmusic. Follow me on Twitter @DevynRush!

First School Today!

Today was Day 1 of my Hey U.G.L.Y. Find Your Inner Child School Tour! It was AWESOME. Seeing the notes that the kids took, that said, "I am enough" and "I love myself" made me so happy.

This week has been insane and amazing.  I played a show in Elverson, PA with my good friend and American Idol co-group member in Hollywood, Caleb Hawley. Then, Devyn and the Rush played a show at LIC Bar in New York, with one of the best crowds I have ever played to. Today was an incredibly fulfilling one, and all I can say is that I'm very excited about Thanksgiving- So much to be thankful for :)

Next week, I fly back to San Francisco to sing at One Mama's Big Event!

Always feel free to email me: devynrush@gmail.com.

Thanks for the continued support, my loves!

XO,

Devyn

I Love My Life, and I Created It

Did you ever have a morning, where you woke up and thought, "I love my life, and I created it."? It's a pretty intense and amazing feeling, isn't it? To realize that you've jumped over hurdles and smashed down brick walls and overcome challenges... and then, there you are, sitting in the life you created for yourself...

I'm in San Francisco for an event I'm doing on Thursday called Women Rock It- to inspire women to get out of their own way in a male-driven business society. I've been able to look at this beautiful life of mine and track it back to just 10 months ago, when I was sitting in my room, so upset about being cut from American Idol. It felt like my dream had been shattered. A lot of heartbreak happened around that time, and I was frustrated and afraid that things would keep getting worse from there. My reaction to those negative thoughts and feelings, was to start working as hard as I could, and then...

In March, I began meeting some of the most incredible people I have ever known- primarily Evan Bailyn, Search Engine Optimization Expert, Social Media Guru, and Author of Outsmarting Google and Outsmarting Social Media (available for pre-order). Evan and I found a lot of common ground, being that we both work for the same cause- to build emotional self-awareness in children. So now, I'm sitting in San Francisco, planning, rehearsing, writing, and getting ready for this event that Evan and I have put together with some more incredible people. 

So many doors have opened since American Idol, and I am unbelievably grateful every day. Many of life's setbacks tend to have a way of shaping you and then presenting doors of opportunity. I am thrilled to have the people, music, and inspiration in my life that I have. 

I love my life, and I'm creating it. 


On Twitter:
@hylamolander
@ineffable111
@devynrush

Find Your Inner Child

This month has been an incredible, emotional time of self-realizations and self-love. One of the reasons for this is Hey U.G.L.Y., one of my newest endeavors. Some very exciting stuff! I'm doing a campaign within the organization, called "Find Your Inner Child." 

When I was in middle school, I was bullied a lot. The bullying from others caused me to bully myself, and it's been quite a journey, but I THINK I found an algorithm, some sort of solution to finding happiness and self-love... and it all begins with Finding Your Inner Child and LOVING him/her. I will never brush Little Devyn aside again. Instead, I've learned when she pops up (during times of insecurity, when I feel awkward or intimidated), and I acknowledge and love her.

I'm visiting my hometown of New Hope, PA to be in a fashion show for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I was just sitting in my room, going through old papers, lyrics, and pictures. My walls are purple and lime green, the colors I chose when I was 12 and we moved into this house. Wow. The lyrics are intense, and the papers are letters, book reports, quizzes, and report cards. And... I found pictures of "Little Devyn." I'm sure we've all had moments where we stop and think about when we were kids, looking at pictures and poems, being reminded of where we were and what we felt when they were taken and written. 

Anyway, I thought I would share this with you. Find Your Inner Child and nurture him/her. It just might be the best thing you can do for the beautiful, older version of yourself. And you are beautiful. And you are capable of being loved. 

If you are being bullied (by someone else or by yourself), or if you just want an outlet, someone to tell something to, email me at devynrush@gmail.com. I read everything and will always write back. 

Be kind to yourself, and stay beautiful- the way you already are.

Love,

Devyn Rush

This Month ROCKS.

So much going on this month! 

I will be in and out of NYC for all different shows: www.devynrush.com/shows

I am working with some amazing new organizations and finding out so many interested things about bullying, so that I can contribute to the ending of it. Check out my latest Youtube Video!

If you are being bullied or feel the need to bully others, I am always just an email away and so open to talking about it. 

devynrush@gmail.com

Recommended Reading:

- The Secret by Rhonda Byrne

- Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer (Adult Content)

I can't believe it.

Playing Highline Ballroom Sunday night with some of the music talented singers, songwriters, and musicians I have ever worked with was an absolute dream come true. Last night, my band and I played at Rockwood Stage 2, and what an incredible experience that was! Two big dreams fulfilled this week... and it's only beginning.

Alisha Zalkin, Brooke Ishibashi, Nick Moran, and I are PLAYING FOR CHANGE NYC. Playing For Change is an incredible organization that raises funds to build music schools all over the world.www.playingforchange.org

Upcoming Appearances:

Wednesday, July 27 @9pm: LIC Bar- 45-58 Vernon Blvd, Long Island City, NY. 7 Train to Vernon Blvd-Jackson Ave

Wednesday, August 3 @6pm: Rockwood Music Hall/Stage 1- 196 Allen Street, NY, NY. F Train to 2nd Ave, 6 to Bleecker, NR to Prince

Wednesday, August 24 @9:15pm: The Bitter End- 147 Bleecker St, between Thompson and LaGuardia. ABCDEFV Trains to W. 4th-Washington Sq, 6 to Bleecker St

Saturday, August 27: SHOW WITH CALEB HAWLEY AND JEROME BELL. Info TBA. The show will be at a venue outside of Phila, PA.

Monday, September 12 @7pm: The Bitter End/NY Songwriters Circle

Saturday, September 17: Playing For Change Day! Info TBA.

See you guys soon!

XO,

Devyn

Things Are Looking Up :)

Hello All You Incredible People,

I'm pretty excited about life recently, and I thought I should fill you in!

My day started off with spin class, and I'm now enjoying an iced grande soy chai latte (the barista wrote "Debbie" on my cup, but hey.). I've been meeting some of the most incredible people I've ever known, and I've been having some very cool life realizations.

So I'm sitting in Starbucks right now, listening to some awesome jazz and thinking about all the great opportunities that have been opening up. I recently became an ambassador for Yoga G (www.yogag.org)- an organization that specializes in teaching women and children of domestic violence- I'm doing a Kripalu teacher training in October. Bringing song-writing and yoga to schools nationwide is shaping up! I am so passionate about taking a good look at the issue of bullying and helping a situation which I theorize is strictly societal, and though it is seemingly inevitable, it does not need to happen. 

On July 17 at 8pm, I'm singing at an AMAZING benefit concert for Playing For Change (www.playingforchange.com), an organization that raises funds to build music schools around the world... Every child deserves to fall in love with music, my friends. The show will be at Highline Ballroom in NYC, and I would love to see you there. The show features Alisha Zalkin, Brooke Ishibashi, Nick Moran, and me! These three incredible people and I have been working around the clock to make this event huge and bring music to the world. 

GET YOUR TICKETS NOW:  

Highline Ballroom Tickets

Thank you all so much for your support, and please know that I am always just an email away: devynrush@gmail.com

XO,

Devyn

Current Books:

Success Is Not An Accident: The Mental Bank Concept by Dr. John Kappas

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein