I was born on a 22nd. My granddaddy was born on 11/11, of 1911 no less. I like even numbers. I like the balance of doubling. Is it nonsense that I’m hopeful for 2022? Maybe. All I know is that if I could still find joyful and contented moments in the firestorm of 2021, I can find them anytime, anywhere.

So here I am; hopeful for 2022!

I know myself better
I love myself more
I’m getting clearer on what I want and what I don’t want in my life
I’m getting better at asking for what I need
My voice is getting stronger.

For a person who uses their voice for a living, I have experienced this apparatus like a tantrum-filled toddler and an impetuous teen the last few years. I’ve learned how to use it to express my hurt inner child; how to whine impatiently at the mystery of life. You see, I never used my voice like this before.

I was a good girl. I was praised for being a good and easy child and teenager. The problem was that I was hurting and scared inside but suppressed it all to be in the care of the grown ups in my life who seemed they needed me that way.

My voice was used in the arts; a safe place to express hidden in creativity, or mimicry.

I was telling a friend this fall how impatient I’d become with people. Not sure if it’s the hard year; a year filled with so many losses, and I was just stuck in an angry stage. She said: I don’t know; sounds like you are just getting better at asking for what you need.

Oh! Huh. Something feels right about that.

After months of loss, personal and collective, I found some peace at the ocean a few times in the fall, and then another wave of grief and fear hit before the holidays. Aware of…

The unknown.
The liminal space.
The in-between.
The threshold of what was and what is to come.

We use the changing of a calendar year to start a new, but our lives cannot be programmed to time in such an arbitrary way.

And yet today, I feel something shifting. Maybe it’s because I had a fun Christmas. I traveled to Alabama to see my sweet niece get married, and got to visit with some of my family I don’t see often. Maybe it’s because I took this week to truly rest and not be productive or worry about the past or future. Maybe I’m becoming more comfortable with this in-between space of not knowing what’s next.

I’m feeling hopeful on this threshold of time.

And, I’m feeling useful. My clients are creative and willing and eager to learn and grow. It’s such an honor to be on this journey for all types of voice growth - from singing, to learning how to ask for what we need.

Our world is better when we each do this healing work of connecting our voices to our hearts.

If you’re interested in exploring voice coaching with me in 2022, I’d love to hear from you.

Take care of you…

julie