Why I Stopped Singing!

Do you LOVE to SING, but at some point you STOPPED?

Then this is a MUST READ!!

Singing is so innate within me that I’ve been doing it since I was .01 years old, that I made a career of it for the last 8 years of my life, and now I’m told I sing daily, without knowing.  I never understood why people who love to sing, and especially those with a natural gift for vocalizing, STOPPED SINGING!?!

But recently I stopped.  I stopped so hard, that I could stop forever.

Now I get it.

My excuse:  It’s not that I love it any less.  Or that it awakens any fears within me as it does for many.   It’s just that, to sing my best – put my best vocal chords forward (and I won’t settle for less) – I have to work at it everyday.  And undergoing an intense move across the country, huge life transitions, and needing an overall break, I put my practice on the back-burner.

Do I miss practicing?  NO.

Do I miss performing, and singing for people?  YES. YOU’D BETTER BELIEVE IT!!

But even though I miss singing,
I see that I’m at the crossroads many retired singers have encountered.  

Road 1– focus on business and other things in life that are lucrative right off the bat.  Sing from time to time, but nothing serious.

Road 2– SING.  Because it’s what I want to do.  Focus on everything that brings me joy in the world, the main being singing, find musicians to play with, start rehearsing, and get back on that stage.

Road 1 = work.

Road 2 = work, determination, persistence, risk-taking, physical, emotional, mental and spiritual stamina.

Are you starting to understand why many singers stop singing and performing?  Taking road 1 in so many ways is so much easier than road 2.

Lucky for me, I’m just too determined to stop because I know that singing is my medicine.  It produces pleasure and healthy endorphins for myself and others.  I’m willing to put in the time, energy, work, light and life into my practice.

And I’m excited to get back on stage, where I’ll introduce myself as: 
WORLD MUSIC SONGSTRESS

Afterall, I’ve got a lot of VOICE to share.

DO YOU?

You probably do IF:
-You’ve got melodies or words inside just waiting to come out
-You save your singing for the shower, car, or other places people can’t hear you
-Or if you use alcohol-induced kareoke as the only comfortable method to share your voice

And that’s OK!  The path to return to singing (we all sang as children) doesn’t have to be scary.  It can be amazing, beautiful, and even… FUN!  And recognizing that you want to sing, or that you have a lack of singing in your life is the first step.  Then, you must take action.

I will be happy to support your vocal renewal.  Sign up for my newsletter (on the right), or send a private E-mail.  Whatever feels good to you, in your own time.  KNOW YOU ARE SUPPORTED.  The more people singing, the better off the world will be.  Yes.  That is true.

Please let me know if what you read struck a chord. 

Leave a comment below with your singing fears and dreams.

And share this on Facebook, Twitter, or with a friend who has stopped singing.