share your gift

Nothing inspires me to sing and be fearless more than listening to music on a walk outside. What is your source of healing, of inspiration? Take a break from life, from everyone, find a quiet spot in nature, and be reinvigorated. When I do this, while listening to my favorite artists, I feel the breath of life surging through my veins, and I am reminded that the ability and/or the desire to sing is a gift meant to be shared, just as is every other gift.

I hope your choose to share yours. :)

Vocal Affirmations

I have my first rehearsal / jam session with a group of new people in my new city - now it is time to again put into practice what I've here preached! I find my stomach-nerves beginning to manifest - and so it is time to take control of the situation. I plan to do a short yoga flow, followed by meditation, visualization, and affirmations. Here are some affirmations that both you and I can use before any audition, rehearsal, or performance to increase confidence in yourself and your talents:

• I am a great singer. 
• I am an impeccable performer with lots of energy and talent.
• I am creative and open to sharing my creativity with others.
• I am self-confident, courageous, and excited to express myself.
• I share my talents with others, joyously, and receive their talents joyously.
• I release any energy blockages to creating. I am excited to create. I create beautifully on my own, and am open to doing so with others.
• I release myself from the binds of perception and judgment. I believe in myself and my talents. I am excited to share in the creative process with other musicians.
• I am a musician.
• My voice is a beautiful instrument for which I am very grateful.
• I am grateful for this experience to collaborate with other talented musicians.
• I am open to creative inspiration.
• I am calm, I am peaceful, I am love and I am loving.

Affirmations are really powerful tools for asserting who you are and what you wants - for quieting and focusing the mind - and for reminding yourself of just how talented and worthy that you are - as a vocalist and beyond!

Yoga & Meditation

One of the best ways to combat that oh-so-familiar stage-fright for auditions and performances is through yoga and meditation. Once the nerves start assembling themselves in the pit of your stomach, you know it is time to breathe, to sit in silence, to visualize yourself succeeding on stage or in front of your audition judges, and to follow your breath. This will always assist in quieting your mind and calming your nerves.

I spent years and years not doing this. For years I suffered - not performing at my best, screwing up auditions - because of those silly nerves!! My voice would be shaky, I wouldn't sound as good as I had practiced, and I never had figured out a way to deal with this. This past year, I slowly began incorporating meditation before major events such as interviews and auditions. Simple breathing exercises really made a difference in slowing down my heart and quieting those butterflies. A popular one I use is called "Pranayama" - breathe in for 4 seconds, hold 4 seconds, exhale 6 seconds, hold 2 seconds. You execute this breathing style in three different positions - 1) hands on hips, palms facing the ground, 2) hands in armpits, palms facing the ground, and 3) hands up and behind you, on your shoulder blades. But really, you can do any sort of breathing exercises, guided meditations, or any other type of relaxation that slows down your breathing and in turn slows down those nerves.

Because our bodies and our minds flow together, a good way to slow to connect these two before meditating is through yoga. Doing any sort of short or long yoga flow of any style is also meditative, and can also put you greatly at ease prior to singing. I recommend a short, comprehensive yoga session (Rodney Yee has some youtube flows you can follow that are excellent), followed by silent meditation. During the meditation, recite affirmations to yourself: "I am talented. I am a great singer. I am confident. I am beautiful. I am an excellent performer," and visualize yourself in the audition or the performance, rocking it out. Then, the law of attraction will go to work for you, as it always does.

don't think - just do!

Beyond confidence, a common mistake that I fall into is over-thinking. Over-thinking leads to second-guessing which leads to, you guessed it: lack of confidence. And the cycle continues. Do you love to sing? Do you feel drawn to this beautiful form of expression? Then do it. The knowledge that we are all one, that no one is better or worse than any other, that we are innately connected, can help with this "just do it" mentality. Ask my mother, I am the QUEEN of over-analyzing situations. I have scared myself out of singing many times, doubting myself. But what good does that do? That only leads to regret, to self-resent, and to jealousy. Because we are all one, these things don't really exist, they are merely constructs of the mind.

So, just do it! Sing! Sing to yourself, all day long. Sing in the shower. Sing when you wake up. Sing in your car. Sing when you walk. Dance while listening to music. Feel what you hear, feel what you sing, be what you sing, be what you feel. Don't allow yourself that time to think - that is perpetuates further fear, unnecessary fear. So, sing! Create, love, be. Don't be afraid of perception or judgment. We are all one! Rise above the confines of your mind that you've created. If you feel compelled to sing, you are a singer. If you feel inspired by voice, you are a singer. You are who you choose to be. Choose to sing, and just do it.

Singing and the Art of Confidence

Hands down, the most important factor to being a good singer is Confidence.

Certainly practice helps, thereby increasing your confidence as a vocalist. But above all, the courage required to sing in any capacity is the most challenging tool to develop, and the most essential.

Not to discourage shy singers out there! Confidence is challenging to obtain at first, but once you get past that initial fear, singing/performing becomes easier and easier. Start by taking small steps: sing in front of a mirror. Gradually move up to singing in front of your mom, roommate, boyfriend, whomever you feel comfortable with. As you become more bold and comfortable, expand your audience - join a choir, take voice lessons, participate in karaoke or an open mic.

Whenever I am about to perform, I take some time to myself to just close my eyes and breathe. While doing so, I remind myself that we are all human - no one is better than any one of us, and therefore, there is nothing to fear. I know that I am a talented singer. Therefore, I will do well. Silent meditation paired with reciting affirmations can really help soothe anxiety for any performance, and boost your self-esteem. Because in all reality, what does it matter? You are seizing the moment - expressing your joy/sorrow/enthusiasm for living via song - and that is truly beautiful. Life is too short to be concerned with the potential judgment of others - or judgment inflicted by yourself. Trust me, I've been there, you're not alone. But you see, your voice is the most intimate musical instrument that exists - because it is a part of you. Therefore, whatever style of singing you choose, whatever range of singer you are, in whatever capacity you use your voice - you are doing something beautiful and real. Nothing else matters.