It is never comfortable. No matter how many times I sign up for the class and know that I am desiring the challenge that comes from facing my self with the compassionate help of my instructor and classmates. It is therapy on steroids…. and it gives me more than you can imagine to work with—pre show, night of show and then for weeks/months afterwards! I choose this opportunity to grow leaps and bounds. And, oddly, it was exhilarating, fun and not so bad once I said yes and committed to the full journey of putting myself out there.

I am told that songs pick us….. so when I sat with the intention of finding two songs that would push me and speak to where I want to go in my life… what stone do I want to uncover? what song do I want to feel supported by…. these two songs came up.

Man I Feel Like a Woman by Shania Twain was a new song for me. I wanted to try a country western song. Fun, high energy, powerful, playful, sexy and alive…. all feelings I wanted to experience. Shania’s video had me dancing in my heart. I imagined my adult sons line dancing on a Friday night. I had to work hard to learn the words. And figure out how to make the song mine.

When I sang along to the karaoke track, I enjoyed the way it made me feel—strong and confident. The more I dropped into it, I struggled…. what exactly does it mean to feel like a woman…. so I took myself into the foothills and when I was high enough up, I would look around to make sure that no-one was around before I tried belting out that line. Awkward for sure but in the studio I felt it would be more awkward to subject my classmates to my attempts to find what it truly meant for me to identify with the word woman—I kept feeling more like a child. And I wondered if I would need to change my choice of song, but I stayed with the song and in the end, I loved the way I was able to meet myself and the questions I had about stepping into myself as a woman.

And the other song, Flowers by Miley Cyrus, spoke to me because whether conscious or not …. I got to understand by working this song so intensely that I have expectations that often go unmet…in my relationships. So….singing this song presented an opportunity to take charge of what I can control and if I want flowers…. I can buy my own. I did that for myself on Valentines Day. And, I bought myself flowers since….

Both songs were intended to help launch me into more of my personal power…..
meant to awaken the new emerging me…. to sing my way into awareness and celebrate the journey along the way. These two artists I find very inspirational.

You can watch even more of my past performances on my YouTube channel.

Thank you Marlene, Vocal Journeys, for giving me the chance to find and grow my voice! You are a true guide providing constructive feedback in a safe and loving studio space.