ONE OF MY SECRET INSECURITIES
I'm going to share a secret with you.
When I was little there were two things I wanted to be when I grew up.
1. A horse jockey. (That's a story for another time.)
2. A singer.
My hopes for being a jockey were dashed when my dad told me I was "already too tall."
And my dream of being a singer... well, that got locked in a box and shoved into the back of the closet when I recorded myself singing along to a 45 of Islands in the Stream. Not only did I not sound like Dolly, I sounded awful and vowed not to embarrass myself like that again.
My love of singing persisted, but even though I do occasionally sing with my songbird bestie, it's still an area of insecurity for me.
So a couple of months ago, I started taking singing lessons.
But guess what happened? My inner Good Student put on her freshly-pressed uniform and decided that if I wasn't a great singer, then why sing at all?
So for the past couple of weeks, I haven't been singing. Not even in the car, let alone practicing the song from my lesson.
The pressure of excelling, of having a goal and doing it for an outcome took me out of my joy.
Thankfully, being in the theme of Play, Pleasure + Fun this month has forced me take my own advice (this is why I teach) and question my expectations. To be in the experience and love rather than the outcome.
Research shows that "play" improves both physical and mental health. It increases creativity and helps us manage stress.
The article quotes a definition of play as a, “state of mind that one has when absorbed in an activity that provides enjoyment and a suspension of sense of time.”
This is no small thing in our very serious world. Work, family, obligations, challenges... activity just for the joy of it is something we have to schedule in to make sure it happens.
My deepest wish is that this gives you pause to ask yourself: What joy or pleasure have I had in the past week? Month? And if you can't think of anything, that you make a point of creating some.
Even if it's just singing in the car. 💜
With love,
