Why I stopped taking voice lessons.

 

When I was in my early 30s, I stopped taking voice lessons.

 

 

A long running show I had been in had just closed and I needed a break.

 

 

This was after over 15 years of studying regularly, growing and reaching those personal goals I had set for myself.

 

 

But I reached a point in my journey where I realized, I had become overly reliant on my coaches.

 

 

 

I was overly reliant on all outside input if I’m being totally honest.

 

 

I filtered a LOT through the “others” eyes- how I was doing, what I was doing, what I needed to do, what was “right”… what was “correct”.

 

 

I needed a break, I needed some space to learn how to do that for myself.

 

 

I needed to learn how to trust and hear my own inner wisdom.

 

 

Especially when it came to my voice.

 

 

Now listen, I’m not trying to put voice teachers out of a job. (Hello, I’m one of them 🤣)

 

 

YES, trusted vocal coaches, voice teachers are invaluable resources! It’s so incredibly helpful to have a partner on the journey of connecting to your voice to see the things you cannot, to help guide, to help sort out, to help nurture, to help support.

 

 

You need the vocabulary, to learn the ins and outs of the instrument.

 

 

There are times in your life when that support is called for, required, a necessity, especially at the beginning.

 

 

But also at every stage of your vocal journey.

 

 

I have had the privilege of studying with some wonderful teachers. Mentors who I am so thankful for. So many incredible lessons have been learned with their guidance, kindness and wisdom. (And continue to!)

 

 

But at that point in my life, as a 30 something, I realized the bigger lesson I needed to learn in that moment was how to become my own teacher.

 

 

My own best coach.

 

 

I believe the ultimate goal for every singer should be learning how to be your own voice teacher. 

 

 

Because really, the best learning takes place by yourself, testing out what you are learning, taking the information you’ve gathered and applying it in a way that makes sense to YOU.

 

 

It’s about learning how to take the reigns of the process and as a result take ownership of your growth as a singer.

 

 

➡️You empower yourself by taking control of your growth.

 

 

When you’re studying, it’s easy to become overly reliant on a coach or teacher to guide your every move. 

 

 

While their expertise is valuable, it’s crucial to understand that you are the one in charge of your journey. 

 

 

No one else can feel exactly what your voice and body are experiencing in the moment. 

 

 

By learning to tune into yourself, you gain the ability to shape your vocal development in a way that’s uniquely suited to you.

 

 

Cause guess what!?

 

 

👉🏻 You know yourself best. 👈🏻

 

 

And taking charge of your learning process allows you to experiment, adjust, and pivot when something isn’t quite right. 

 

 

Every voice is different, and so is every body. 

 

 

One of the key aspects of becoming your own best voice teacher is learning to listen to what your voice and body needs. 

 

 

Rather than waiting for a coach to tell you what adjustments to make, you start to recognize the signals your body gives you. 

 

 

You begin to foster deeper self-awareness by regularly tuning in.

 

 

How do you tune in when you are practicing?

 

 

🧚🏻‍♂️ Trust Your Own Intuition 🧚🏻‍♂️

 

 

Of course this doesn’t happen over night. Sometimes you have no idea what to do next, how to help yourself through a block. And that’s where a coach is super helpful, having that additional set of eyes on you.

 

 

But the more you ask the questions, “What do I need in this moment?” and  “What would my voice like right now?”, the more the answers will become clearer.

 

 

You will learn to go with your voice THAT DAY and use the exercises you need in that moment. 

 

 

Every day is different and every day has different requirements based on what is happening physically and mentally. Only YOU know what you need, but it takes tuning in and asking yourself, “what do I need in this moment?”

 

 

Not the requirements for yesterday. Or tomorrow.

 

 

This moment.

 

 

👉🏻 Singing is a deeply personal experience.

 

 

You are the one who spends the most time with your voice, and learning how to trust your inner guidance can empower you to continue learning even when you're not working with a coach.

 

 

By taking responsibility for your learning process, by continuing to ask those questions and giving yourself what you need, you’ll gain the confidence to make decisions about your voice, technique, repertoire, and journey. 

 

 

I guarantee it.

 

 

Over time, this will reduce reliance on external validation and increase your ability to trust yourself and give you a sense of ownership.

 

 

Not only that, but also:

 

 

✔️ You’ll feel more pride in the progress you make and be more motivated to push through challenges.

 

 

✔️You will feel more confident to connect to your authentic creativity. 

 

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By asking yourself, what do I feel like singing, what do I feel like working on, you are structuring your creative development based on your goals, voice type, and personal preferences, rather than conforming to a one-size-fits-all approach. Or what others are doing.

 

 

✔️ You will compare less.

 

✔️You will begin to learn how to listen to yourself with discerning ears rather that judgmental ones. 

 

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Your intuition isn’t concerned with “good” or “bad”.

 

 

It’s concerned with it feeling better. With finding free-er ways of singing.

 

 

Ways that feel in alignment with you.

 

 

 ✔️You learn how to bring self compassion to the process. 

 

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It’s about being able to hold yourself through the process of growing and improving rather than beating yourself up.

 

 

 

For those at the beginning of this journey, remember, vocal development takes time. 

 

 

Learning how to intuitively know what your voice needs takes practice.

 

 

Those who are taking voice lessons, view the relationship as a team, working together toward the goals you have created for yourself.

 

Be actively involved in your development and don’t be afraid to ask questions, have opinions, and set intentions.

 

Be kind to yourself when you don’t see instant results, and recognize that your journey is a marathon, not a sprint.

 

 

And for those who have been at this awhile, focus on the progress you’ve made rather than what’s still left to work on.

 

 

Celebrate small wins along the way to stay motivated.

 

 

But truly, the most important thing you can do as an artist is to take ownership over your experience.

 

 

Tune in.

 

 

Ask the questions.

 

 

Be your own teacher.

 

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Need some assistance with learning how to tune in more deeply? I’ve created a mini course for you that contains 3 [15 minute] warmups, 4 guided meditations, and 7 journal prompts that put YOU in the drivers seat, gently gets things moving, and connects you back to your voice and singing. 🙌🏻 For the next 3 days only use this 50% OFF coupon code: HALFOFF for my Vocal Reconnect Mini Course. That’s $48 for lifetime access! 😱