kelsea Ballerini at the ASCAP Grammy Brunch in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2024.Photo:Rodin Eckenroth/GettyKelsea Ballerinibegan the new year with a fresh mindset.At the ASCAP Grammy Brunch on Friday, the country music star, 30, shared with PEOPLE why she’s stopped to “appreciate” life.“I think I have this problem where I can never look around. I keep looking up, and I am trying to find a healthy balance of that because there’s so much more that I want to do in so many areas. But I do feel like I’ve gotten to take a beat and appreciate what the last couple of years have brought into my life,” she said.The process has benefited Ballerini in many ways.Kelsea Ballerini shares photo of her ASCAP Grammy Brunch look on Instagram.Kelsea Ballerini/instagram"I think it’s really encouraged me to stay diligent in my songwriting and protect the honesty that I found in[Rolling Up the] Welcome Matmoving forward," said Ballerini. “And that’s the whole season I’m in right now is figuring what that sounds like next.“One of the new things that has come into her life is her boyfriend,Chase Stokes. The two sparkeddating rumors in early January 2023andmade their red carpet debut at the 2023 CMT Awardsthat April.Ballerini told PEOPLE that theOuter Banksstar, 31, is supporting her “from a distance” during Grammy weekend due to having to go “back to filming.“Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in Austin in April.Jeff Kravitz/GettyAt the2024 Grammy Awards, Ballerini isup for best country albumforRolling Up the Welcome Mat. The6-track EP was released four months afterher divorcefromMorgan Evanswasfinalized in November 2022. The project wasone of her most personal to date.“I made it very selfishly … quite literally emotionally because I had to,” she told PEOPLE in January. “I put my dog’s name and addresses and receipts, and all these things, and it connected more than anything else I’ve ever put out.“Kelsea Ballerini attends the ASCAP GRAMMY Brunch in the Garden at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on Feb. 2, 2024 in Los Angeles.Rodin Eckenroth/GettyTaking a more vulnerable approach to her music is what Ballerini plans to continue.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The thing that I learned that I just really hold closely now is there’s no amount of truth telling or detail that will make it not relatable,” she told PEOPLE. “I think for a long time, even though I was writing about my life and my emotions, I would try to round the edges, because I’m like, ‘I want everyone to feel themselves in this,’ or see themselves in the story.”The 66th Grammy Awards will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

kelsea Ballerini at the ASCAP Grammy Brunch in Los Angeles on Feb. 2, 2024.Photo:Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 02: Kelsea Ballerini attends the ASCAP GRAMMY Brunch in the Garden at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on February 02, 2024 in Los Angeles, California.

Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Kelsea Ballerinibegan the new year with a fresh mindset.At the ASCAP Grammy Brunch on Friday, the country music star, 30, shared with PEOPLE why she’s stopped to “appreciate” life.“I think I have this problem where I can never look around. I keep looking up, and I am trying to find a healthy balance of that because there’s so much more that I want to do in so many areas. But I do feel like I’ve gotten to take a beat and appreciate what the last couple of years have brought into my life,” she said.The process has benefited Ballerini in many ways.Kelsea Ballerini shares photo of her ASCAP Grammy Brunch look on Instagram.Kelsea Ballerini/instagram"I think it’s really encouraged me to stay diligent in my songwriting and protect the honesty that I found in[Rolling Up the] Welcome Matmoving forward,” said Ballerini. “And that’s the whole season I’m in right now is figuring what that sounds like next.“One of the new things that has come into her life is her boyfriend,Chase Stokes. The two sparkeddating rumors in early January 2023andmade their red carpet debut at the 2023 CMT Awardsthat April.Ballerini told PEOPLE that theOuter Banksstar, 31, is supporting her “from a distance” during Grammy weekend due to having to go “back to filming.“Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in Austin in April.Jeff Kravitz/GettyAt the2024 Grammy Awards, Ballerini isup for best country albumforRolling Up the Welcome Mat. The6-track EP was released four months afterher divorcefromMorgan Evanswasfinalized in November 2022. The project wasone of her most personal to date.“I made it very selfishly … quite literally emotionally because I had to,” she told PEOPLE in January. “I put my dog’s name and addresses and receipts, and all these things, and it connected more than anything else I’ve ever put out.“Kelsea Ballerini attends the ASCAP GRAMMY Brunch in the Garden at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on Feb. 2, 2024 in Los Angeles.Rodin Eckenroth/GettyTaking a more vulnerable approach to her music is what Ballerini plans to continue.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.“The thing that I learned that I just really hold closely now is there’s no amount of truth telling or detail that will make it not relatable,” she told PEOPLE. “I think for a long time, even though I was writing about my life and my emotions, I would try to round the edges, because I’m like, ‘I want everyone to feel themselves in this,’ or see themselves in the story.”The 66th Grammy Awards will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

Kelsea Ballerinibegan the new year with a fresh mindset.

At the ASCAP Grammy Brunch on Friday, the country music star, 30, shared with PEOPLE why she’s stopped to “appreciate” life.

“I think I have this problem where I can never look around. I keep looking up, and I am trying to find a healthy balance of that because there’s so much more that I want to do in so many areas. But I do feel like I’ve gotten to take a beat and appreciate what the last couple of years have brought into my life,” she said.

The process has benefited Ballerini in many ways.

Kelsea Ballerini shares photo of her ASCAP Grammy Brunch look on Instagram.Kelsea Ballerini/instagram

Kelsea Ballerini Is Taking Time to ‘Appreciate What the Last Couple Years Have Brought into My Life’

Kelsea Ballerini/instagram

“I think it’s really encouraged me to stay diligent in my songwriting and protect the honesty that I found in[Rolling Up the] Welcome Matmoving forward,” said Ballerini. “And that’s the whole season I’m in right now is figuring what that sounds like next.”

One of the new things that has come into her life is her boyfriend,Chase Stokes. The two sparkeddating rumors in early January 2023andmade their red carpet debut at the 2023 CMT Awardsthat April.

Ballerini told PEOPLE that theOuter Banksstar, 31, is supporting her “from a distance” during Grammy weekend due to having to go “back to filming.”

Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini at the 2023 CMT Music Awards in Austin in April.Jeff Kravitz/Getty

Chase Stokes and Kelsea Ballerini attend the 2023 CMT Music Awards at Moody Center on April 02, 2023 in Austin, Texas.

Jeff Kravitz/Getty

At the2024 Grammy Awards, Ballerini isup for best country albumforRolling Up the Welcome Mat. The6-track EP was released four months afterher divorcefromMorgan Evanswasfinalized in November 2022. The project wasone of her most personal to date.

“I made it very selfishly … quite literally emotionally because I had to,” she told PEOPLE in January. “I put my dog’s name and addresses and receipts, and all these things, and it connected more than anything else I’ve ever put out.”

Kelsea Ballerini attends the ASCAP GRAMMY Brunch in the Garden at Four Seasons Hotel Los Angeles at Beverly Hills on Feb. 2, 2024 in Los Angeles.Rodin Eckenroth/Getty

Kelsea Ballerini

Taking a more vulnerable approach to her music is what Ballerini plans to continue.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up to date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from juicy celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“The thing that I learned that I just really hold closely now is there’s no amount of truth telling or detail that will make it not relatable,” she told PEOPLE. “I think for a long time, even though I was writing about my life and my emotions, I would try to round the edges, because I’m like, ‘I want everyone to feel themselves in this,’ or see themselves in the story.”

The 66th Grammy Awards will take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles on Sunday, Feb. 4 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT.

source: people.com