Are You Unaware of Your Biggest Singing Hurdle?
OKAY KIM, WHAT IS THIS MYSTERIOUS SINGING ROADBLOCK HUH?
That big beautiful brain of yours my dear.
I bang on about how our thoughts, beliefs and emotions have a huge impact on our voices ALL. THE. TIME. It's kinda my jam. But it's because I've seen first hand how it either propels singers forward or paralyses them.
The reason we don't put ourselves on the stage or make our music public is usually not because of a gap in our technique.
You either feel safe and confident sharing your art with the world or the thought of putting yourself out there fills you with dread.
You either feel creatively juiced up or dried up.
You either have the courage to back yourself 100% or you hesitate and start playing small because it feels easier.
Neither option makes you a better or worse person.
Neither option says anything about your value or your worth.
But it says a hell of a lot about your mindset and what you think and feel about yourself and your place in the world.
I hear so many stories from singers about regret.
About shame. About guilt.
And it's time for it to stop.
It's time that we talk openly about our fear.
About our doubt.
About our failures and our successes.
It's time that we replace competition with collaboration.
That we cheer on other artists from the sidelines instead of calling them "talentless" or branding them as "sell outs".
That we encourage people to do their thing and do it BIG.
I write a lot about dealing with judgement, fear, criticism, competition and self doubt and I do this because it damn well matters.
I did this because there is someone out there that is thinking about giving up. Thinking about never singing a note again. Thinking about deleting all their own music that's available on the internet. Hey, that person might even be you.
SO WHAT CAN I DO ABOUT IT?
So, I want you to get really real with yourself and ask "What am I NOT doing that I need to do in order to be the artist I want to be? And WHY am I not doing it?"
Knowledge is power folks.
If you know that you're not uploading that video to YouTube because you're afraid of the criticism, focus on the positive impact it could have on people who hear it and flex that bravery muscle.
If you know that you're not performing because your brother once told you that you had no talent, you may be able to recognise that it's an old story and time to create a new one.
If you know that you're not auditioning anymore because of too many rejections, check in with your big dream. Is it worth taking another risk and another and another? Of course it is.
If there's music inside you, it demands that you be all in.
Take the fear along with you, but choose courage instead.
PS: The thing that has made the most difference to my confidence and managing my mind and self talk is working with a coach.
Having someone see my potential so much more clearly than I can, who calls me out on my BS stories and help me move out of paralysis into inspired action.
If this is something that YOU feel would move the needle for you and help you finally get some momentum on what it is you SO WANT TO DO…
Check out Embody Your Voice here.
This program is my way of working with singers to get them out of their own way and substituting crippling perfectionism, self-doubt and striving for joy and compassion.
