The Best Advice To Never Give Up On Your Dreams

Want the best advice to never give up on your dreams? You’ve got to hear what Stacey Jackson (@staerox) has to say. Wife. Mother. Friend. Rock star and television host.

Yes, you read that right.

Stacey believes that you can have it all. But this “all” may not be at the same time. Realistic advice that all of us could appreciate.

Especially me.

With wisdom like this, how could I not ask Stacey to be a mentor in my book Get Up, where I asked her the question: WHAT WOULD YOU TELL YOUR TEENAGE SELF?

Just like “Flipside” —Stacey’s number one record on the Global Digital Radio Chart for Independent Music – her advice is gold, baby.

Stacey Jackson with her number one record – The Flipside

Who is Stacey Jackson?

I am a singer/songwriter. Music TV presenter and mother of four. I put my career on hold for over 15 years to raise my family and then decided to take the plunge into a creative industry. There is a misconception that you need to be a certain age to work in the entertainment world which is known to be quite ageist. I try to break down those barriers because I believe that it’s never too late to live your dreams. 

Did you always want to be a singer?

Yes! From the time I was 11 and sang on live TV. I always knew that I wanted to be a singer when I grew up. By the time I was 15, I was in an original rock band back in the 80s writing and performing wherever and whenever we could. 

Tell me about your gig at Spotlight TV “Stacey Jackson in the 80’s”

I absolutely loooove hosting the program. When I got the call to audition for the job I already had like 30 episode ideas rolling through my head! I would have been soooo gutted if I didn’t get the role.  I write and research all the shows and so far I’ve written over 55 episodes. It’s such a fun and nostalgic TV series but because I lived through that era, I bring a lot of personal memories to the table. Information about the artists and songs of the time are obviously discussed, but I also really love choosing the themes for each week. This could be anything from 80s artists’ influence on fashion to the number one songs the year I got my driver’s license! The one thing I find challenging is I always try to find the best videos to suit the themes but back then, most of the video quality wasn’t that great. (Think standard quality resolution, not high definition) But that’s part of the nostalgia I guess!

Name three rituals that must get done every day and why.

I MUST do some form of a workout every day. If I don’t do any exercise it’s like forgetting to brush my teeth! At least 10-15 mins of a brain game like Wordle or Sudoku need to be played. There is nothing like being challenged and those games really stimulate my brain. I also tell my husband that I love him every day. Because it’s true and you never get tired of hearing that someone loves you. 

Share a stressful situation that you experienced.

We just experienced a house fire. It was pretty scary. We all ran out of the house in the middle of dinner when we saw the smoke coming up from the basement. We grabbed the dog and literally bolted out of the house. My daughter didn’t even have shoes on! Eleven fire trucks arrived within five minutes with 77 firemen! I actually still have PTSD when I hear a fire truck siren. From this horrific experience, I think about the positives and I recognize how super lucky we all were. If it happened just a couple of hours later, we could have all been asleep in our beds! So I am grateful that we are all alive, and safe, and that “stuff is just stuff”. You realize what’s really important in your life when you go through something like that. 

What do your kids and husband think about your career?

They are my biggest cheering section! I couldn’t do this without the support of my family. I also think I am sending out positive messages to my kids that anything is possible if you work hard, love what you do, and stay true to yourself – you can make anything happen. This is all part of the best advice to never give up on your dreams.

Is there a life lesson when it comes to:

Business and/or career: Believe in yourself! Confidence is key. 

Your marriage: Make time for each other. Keep learning about each other. As people grow and change, you want to grow together and appreciate each other’s maturation. By understanding and respecting each other you can also tackle any drama as a team. A strong equal bond from the beginning is important so you don’t get into any “tit for tats”. 

Your relationships: I am so lucky to be surrounded by an amazing family but I am equally as lucky to have such incredible friends in my life. Choose the people that help lift you up. Life is too short to envelope yourself with toxicity and people that only want to bring you down to make themselves feel better about their lives. 


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Talk about a whirlwind of positive energy and passion for loving what you do. Stacey is an excellent example of following one’s dreams, no matter how old you are. The best advice to never to give up on your dreams.