Afraid of Singing...Out Loud? Here's 3 Ways to Try It (Risk Free!)
In middle school, I was the kid that was picked last in sports. Not always, but I could count on it about 50% of the time. So naturally, I developed a belief around my ability to play sports. To me, it was incredibly vulnerable. Yes, sports, in general. I honestly don’t know how athletes do it. You have to trust your body to maneuver in awkward ways. You make public mistakes for everyone to see. AND you risk letting people down. (As in like...a lot of freaking people.)
But for whatever reason, playing sports is totally normal. Most kids do it. Singing, on the other hand, isn’t as normalized. In fact, it’s arguably more vulnerable than...pretty much anything else. It’s strapped to your body so you can’t help what it naturally sounds like. It has the ability to deeply move people to their soul. And this tends to freak people out. (Raise your hand if you’re in the I-hate-the-sound-of-my-voice club.) I know this to be true not only for myself, but from hundreds of stories from my clients.
What’s sad about this is that singing is designed to help us, not taunt us! Sure, we can feel ‘bad’ and sing. We can sing about feeling bad! And neurologically speaking, the outcome is the same: singing elevates our mood. Period.
If I told you that you could immediately shift your mood (& day!) by singing with your whole heart (& body!), would you do it? Right now? Chances are, probably not. You’re not in the right place and don’t have time. Okay, no problem.
How about tonight?
Tomorrow?
Next week?
The ‘lack of time’ reasoning is lame. (If you can spend 5 minutes scrolling on social media, you can spend 5 minutes singing a song.) And let’s be real — so is the ‘I don’t have anywhere to sing’ excuse. (There’s your closet, car, shower, church, college practice room, public park, or heck — be that person wailing on a subway. Might as well get some tips while you’re at it!)
So…what’s stopping you from singing?
Because the truth is — you can sing.
Singing is a choice not for the abled, but for the willing. It’s designed for everyone and excludes no one. All you need is an open heart & a willingness to let go.
My friend -- you have this gift for a reason! As author Brene Brown says, “Vulnerability is the birthplace of innovation, creativity, and change.”
Ready to take the leap? Here’s 3 ways to try singing — totally risk free!
ALLOW YOURSELF TO GET WEIRD (& CURIOUS!)
Remember being a kid and not giving a shit about what others thought about you? That’s the kinda weird we’re going for here. And the best part? No one needs to hear you. This is only for you!
TRY THIS:
Go for a walk outdoors and tune in to the sounds you hear around you. The sound of birds chirping or the cars whizzing by. The rustling of the leaves against the wind. The large crowds of people. Whatever you hear, mimic it as you walk.
Find a space where you can make some noise. (See list above!) And start exploring your own voice’s versatility:
- Make animal noises. (We’re primates, after all!)
- Sing in different accents or styles. (There’s a difference between country music and opera!)
- Play different “characters.”
- Emulate artists you listen to. (Totally okay to do!)
- Try different dynamic levels.
- Go. Vocally. Nuts! (Just don’t hurt yourself. ;))
This is not meant for you to judge yourself. Get curious about what you discover. The more acclimated you get to your voice (& less serious about what you “should” sound like!), the better singing will feel in your mind and body!
2. PRACTICE VOCAL WARM UPS
In order to sing, muscles have to activate our larynx. And what do we know about muscles? They need to be taken care of.
Vocal warm ups are a great way to practice healthy singing AND feeling confident! If we think about it — confidence comes from feeling in control, right? By taking the time to warm up your voice, you’re teaching your body how to respond the way you want it to. Wouldn’t it feel awesome to sing that high note and sound great doing it? You can! And this comes from a little bit of focus + consistent practice.
TRY THIS:
Make the sound of a siren in the shape of an 'oo’ with your mouth (as if you’re imitating a police siren). Start in a low part of your range and go up & down with your voice (as if you’re drawing circles or swirls with your sound). Then make ‘bigger’ sirens by going higher in your range.
Need extra help? Learn how to create an quick & efficient warm up for your voice (so you can get to number 3!) —
3. CREATE YOUR SING-ALONG PLAYLIST
You know the songs you blast in the car that make you feel amazing? Start saving those tunes because they’re about to go into your sing-along playlist. This is the list of songs that make you feel good. They don’t have to be upbeat (I feel awesome singing those slow, tear jerker ballads!) — they just make your heart sing.
TRY THIS:
Create a playlist on your favorite music player and title it something fun. Perhaps it’s your Feel Good Songs or Wail Away Music — whatever you choose, add 2-5 songs & start singing along!
Take note: what’s your jam? Are the songs a similar style? Tempo? How does it feel in your voice to sing them? You may intuitively know the answer to this, but you’ll never really know until you sing!
Try to sing one song every day this week. (Uhh…funnest assignment ever! Yes, funnest.)
As you start developing a relationship with your voice, you may hear some interesting thoughts pop up:
I don’t have anywhere to practice singing.
I can’t carry a tune to save my life.
I’m not cut out to sing.
I hate the sound of my own voice.
This, my friend, is totally normal. Remember, singing is vulnerable. As in…totally uncomfortable. It’s also what makes it equally magical and beautiful to experience!
Don’t let fear take the driver’s seat. Be willing to explore the God-given instrument you were born with and experience the powerful impact it can make on your life.
CLICK HERE & LET ME KNOW:
Which 2 songs are on your sing-along playlist?
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