If you would have told me that one day I would be in a choir, I never ever ever would have believed you.
Back in 7th grade, the music teacher was...well, she had an attitude. And she didn't know what section to seat me in. This was, of course, in the midst of many hormonal changes, voice and otherwise. Self-conscious barely touches the surface of what it was like to stand there, sing in front of people with no shame, only to be looked at quizzically and told "I don't know where to put you. Why don't you just go in the middle back, go on now. Next."
Since then, not only have I felt weird about my singing voice, I haven't felt that confident about my talking voice either. Lame. At some point along the journey, I shrugged my shoulders at the whole thing. I figure, the message is more important than the delivery and I can always learn how to speak (and sing) with clarity, ease, and confidence.
We have these series of moments that define our lives. The experience itself may be long ago forgotten, but the impact isn't, and that plays out in our behavior every day. That 7th grade experience was one of these for me. My reaction to it kept me quiet for a long time. Then I thought about all the people that have had such an incredibly positive impact on me - the books, art, music, conversations, movies. I would be a much different person if they hadn't shared themselves because they were too paranoid about their voice.
It was at this insight that I decided it is my blessed responsibility to find my voice and share it with the world. It makes a difference. This is what I do as a coach - help people share who they are and watch how many lives bloom as a result.
Where does the choir fit into the picture? Check back in on the next Talk to Me Thursday and find out!
Comments