sing and be well

commentary by linda dessau

published 15 march 2007

lessons in creativity | volume 3 • number 1

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"Making the simple complicated is commonplace; making the complicated simple—awesomely simple—that's creativity." -Charles Mingus

† Self-care Advice guest contributor

Linda Dessau (eMail • Web site • creativity coaching services), BFA, MTA, CPCC, is a self-care expert, accredited music therapist and certified life coach whose journey of making and sharing music began with piano lessons at age 6.

Linda owns a successful music therapy practice and delivers weekly group and individual programs to adults and seniors with a variety of special needs.

As a certified life coach, she has developed resources and products aimed at empowering individuals to make healthier choices. She has also taught and spoken locally, in Toronto, Canada, as well as at conferences and events in other cities.

Linda's work has become focused on serving fellow creative types—musicians, artists and writers—via her popular Web site, eCourse and newsletter. Her original articles about creativity and self-care are published all over the Web and world.

Linda's most recent venture, Sing Out Your Stress, brings together her passions, gifts and skills in an exciting way by allowing her to share her whole self—musical, creative, spiritual, self-caring—by incorporating a strong interest in the Internet and new technologies.

Aaron Waugh (eMail • Web site • MySpace page), born in New Jersey and raised in Pasadena, California, is a self-educated abstractionist figure painter. He is known for his typography expression style of figurative painting, as well as portraits of Jazz and Blues musicians. Having had numerous one-man exhibitions around the world over the years, Waugh has established an international following. His art is on exhibit in several galleries around the world, including some in Europe and Australia and throughout the United States. In Southern California, Waugh's work may be found at UCLA Medical Center and a multitude of businesses. ("Sing Sister Sing" - all rights reserved)

Advanced Notions (various)

formerly patsymooreDOTcoms Bonus Writings; insightful and inciting literature from artists and about art

Amsterdam Dispatch (Karin Bos)

an insider's look at the art scene and artist life in Amsterdam

The Art of Fiction (Peter Quinones)

reviews of timeless literature author interviews

bohoTV (various)

noteworthy Arts-centric viral video

Cambridge Letters (Kym Cooper-Rodgers)

reports about art scenes abroad

(9/2004-12/2005)

Deleted Scenes (Stuart Chait)

a guide to the great cinema and television you're missing

Design Psychology (Jeanette Joy Fisher)

a look at how design elements contribute to happiness, well-being, and productivity

(7/2005-3/2007)

The Iraq Watch Papers (various)

observations on war and peace

(3/2003-7/2006)

Lessons in Creativity (Linda Dessau)

self-care tips for artists

London Letters (Shakila Taranum Maan)

reports about the London arts scene and design

On Books (Tim Haigh)

book criticism

Paris: Vie et Art (Francis Powell)

an insider's look at the art scene and artist life in The City of Light

Portrait of the Artist (various)

a gallery of work by compelling visualists

Rake on Music (Jamie Lee Rake)

your map to the music underground

Savor (Brian Parker)

a passionate survey of food and cooking

The Self Expressed (various)

creative writing

Special Assignment (various)

profiles and interviews

Tending the Planet (Alyssa Stebbing)

ruminations on social responsibility and spiritual life

Thus Spake Fred (Fred Clark)

smart, witty examinations of socio-political issues

transcripts from A Lovers Quarrel

(Dwight Ozard)

one man's documentation of his restless relationship with faith and culture

(6/2004-9/2005)

Verse (Jim Newcombe/John-Paul Gillespie)

poetry laid bare

Verse Live (various)

new poetry

The World Watch Papers (various)

inspections of matters impacting the globe

Write of Passage (Eboni Rafus)

journalings of a confirmed writer

When people find out that I’m a music therapist, the comments I hear most often are “I wish I could sing!” or “Oh, I love to sing, but I’m not good enough to do it in front of anyone”. Some of these people share that, as children, they were told—by a parent, teacher or someone else—that they should just mouth the words because they didn’t have a good enough voice.

Singing is our birthright! Singing is a natural and pure expression of how glad we feel to be alive, and the way we show our love of music. Here are my top five reasons to sing:

1.		To connect with your body | We sing with our whole bodies. Because singing is so closely connected to breath, it helps us “be in our bodies” and let go of the thinking (or worrying) we do much of the day. Singing can be a joyful activity and can release endorphins (those feel-good chemicals that the body creates).
2.		To connect with yourself | Meditative toning, singing along to a favorite song or simply humming to yourself are all ways to tap into your inner landscape and see what’s going on in there.
3.		To connect with others | Singing with other people—in meditation, prayer, gathered 'round the piano or at a sing-along, concert, or bedside—helps us experience, in a very deep way, that we're all truly connected.
4.		To express your feelings | Many times, a singer, songwriter, or composer has expressed our feelings in a way we never could have. If there’s a song that expresses what you want or need to say, try singing along (keep in mind that this is just for you and it’s not about “sounding good”).
5.		To boost your good feelings | Whatever you focus on, you’ll invite more of into your life. Choose uplifting, joyful and celebratory songs to sing.

So, sing out! Be proud of your own unique voice. Experiment with what works for you. Keep a journal of what you notice in your mind and body when you sing specific songs. Then, you can choose the right song for the right moment and make use of the power of singing in your life.