What I Learned from Singing Out Loud (Finally)
I’ve always loved music, and I love to sing (well, I call it singing!). But I’ve also always been a private singer.
Why? Well, in Grade 3, I remember standing in a line while our music teacher walked past each of us as we sang. If you weren’t “good enough,” he’d poke you in the stomach and tell you to sit down.
You guessed it, I was one of the ones who had to sit. And for years after that, I only sang when no one could hear me. The fear of “not being good enough” had zipped my voice away, tucked quietly out of sight.
But in the last few years, something’s shifted. Through my learning about the brain and what helps us thrive, I’ve discovered that singing, even if it’s not perfect, can release all the good-feeling chemicals our brains love. Singing reduces stress, lifts our mood, and connects us to ourselves and others in a way that words alone just can’t.
I still hear that little voice sometimes, the one that says, “Don’t do it, you’re not good enough.” But now, when the fear of “not being good enough” whispers in my ear, I imagine putting it in my pocket and zipping it shut. I remind myself that joy isn’t reserved for the perfect or the polished. It’s for everyone, especially those who try.
And so, at the Festival of Voices, held in Hobart, I sang. I smiled. And I felt so good. The sense of belonging and pure joy far outweighed any tiny, zipped-up fear.
THIS WEEK’S REFLECTION ACTIVITY:
What’s something you would truly enjoy doing, if only fear weren’t in the way?
Is there a song in you, a story, a dream, or even just a small wish that’s waiting to be set free? What would happen if you permitted yourself to try, just for the fun of it, not for perfection?
Simple activity:
Take a moment. Imagine your fear as something small, maybe a pebble, maybe a slip of paper. Now, mentally pop it in your pocket and zip it shut. Then go and try that thing, just for a little while. Sing, dance, write, speak, or reach out. Whatever it is, let yourself feel the joy that’s waiting on the other side of fear.
Who knows? You might discover a new favourite part of yourself.