When we are feeling a lack of energy in our lives it’s tempting to think that the solution is to make a BIG change, to make a radical break and head off in an entirely new direction.
For instance, choir practice has lost its lustre, your band practices are a bit boring, or you no longer have that excited feeling as you get into your car and travel to a performance.
The solution could be to go off into a new direction: go to the bank, get a loan, buy an expensive sports car and develop the persona of a punk artist (or, if you are a punk artist, to forsake all and become a choir singer).
Before you do that, however, why not try making a small change to a routine that has become a part of your singing life? After all, it’s a proven way to raise your energy levels – not to mention much less expensive than buying a sports car!
Make This Real
Identify one situation where you are feeling a lack of energy around your singing. It may be your practice time, rehearsals with others, a certain type of performance. Just one.
Now grab a piece of paper and write down that situation. Next, make a list of all of the routines involved in that situation – you can even include ones that sound small and mundane such as brushing your teeth! Think through all of the things you do to regularly get ready for that situation and all of the things you do as you in in that situation. Ensure that you have several things on your list.
You are now more than halfway there on this exercise!
Your final step is to write down something that could be done differently or in a more exciting way next to each item on your list. This might start with using a different kind of toothpaste. However, you might get some more significant ideas: the practice tools you use, the songs you sing, the sights you see, the clothes you wear … could all be in for a “face-lift”
It’s Good for Your Brain
It has been widely recognised that “mixing things up” can be excellent for brain health.
In fact, studies have shown that those of us who are depressed are more prone to certain kinds of repetition in our thought life. Furthermore, the kind of exercise recommended here can actually help us access some of the energy we need to move ahead in our lives.
Sometimes rituals are great – especially when they allow us to apply our valuable thinking to more important tasks.
But when those rituals lead us to a loss of energy, its time to get pen and paper out and begin thinking of new ways to approach familiar situations.
Greg is one of the Founders of Singdaptive and VP of Publishing. He has created online communities for a number of magazines and businesses, acting as a Commissioning Editor, freelance business & personal coach, and educator – active both in the Music Industry as well as in academia.
