I've written many times about Change being hard. This is the first year I've considered that maybe it doesn't have to be. Living a life with greater ease, authenticity, more grace, compassion, inspiration and flexibility comes through letting go of limiting beliefs, and yes, control. Is perfection just letting it all be?
Here in the darkest of days, I’m seeing better than ever. I see the rewards of my curiosity; my endurance of some hard times and finding more ease with life. Creating a flexible mind is a matter of practice and muscle building; perhaps a different variety, but just as important as flexibility for our bodies.
Can we believe our way into our best life?
We are wired to believe…something. Often we hold onto beliefs that don’t serve us any longer. Beliefs are not necessarily truth or facts, and they are so powerful, they can limit us and keep us stuck and/or imbue us with unwavering confidence. You can choose.
I would have denied being a perfectionist at one time. I never thought that was a good thing. Turns out, I was right; it’s not a good thing, but I sure was one! Working on releasing and letting go of those controlling tendencies have proved to be better for my mental and physical health than I could have ever imagined.
Working with beginners, and singing out and about around town, I constantly hear misconceptions about being a musician. For those that don’t do it, they make it sound unattainable, or like it’s for an elite few. I have been around and in music my whole life in some capacity. I’ve studying it, trained in different forms, and played in different fields - all sporadically. And, I watch beginners pick up stuff faster than me all the time. It makes me sad to think the world could be missing out on your creations, your voice, because you believed you had to have something you don’t. I’m dispelling myths today!
If you are a student of the nervous system, been in trauma therapies, you are likely familiar with the Freeze mode. Fight and Flight are the nervous system’s fright reactions most frequently referenced, maybe because they are the most noticeable. Fighting and Running away can make a dramatic impact.
Singing in Harmony can be magical! Folks in my Harmony Class (meets 2nd/4th Wed of ea month) get chills, shout, tear up, "ooh-ah" when we get the frequencies just right. It is thrilling. To sing a pleasing harmony to someone's melody, you need to be familiar with the melody so you know what tones would fit and fill in a nice harmonic sound. This takes some ear-training: how to hear some complimentary pitches.
I've got some friends coming to town Oct 22 and 23 to teach us harmonies of old country tunes. Val Mindel and Joe Newberry have been giving Harmony workshops all over the world for years and I am so excited to be having them here in Charlotte teaching us songs and how to find/hear harmonies.
Details:
When: Oct 22 - 10am-4pm; Oct 23 - 12-4pm
Where: workshop will be held in South Charlotte (address given after registered)
Cost: $100 for both days (includes evening house concert at 7pm)
one-day only $65
How to register: Call or email Julie Dean 704 819-2018 or juliedeansings@gmail.com
Saturday evening house concert hosted by Teagarden House Concerts is open to public; $15 for tickets for folks not attending workshop.
Click here to read more about lessons learned through the two day event.
Joe Newberry and Val Mindel
