Sing It Out Loud
Nov. 27, 2022Do you like to sing? In the shower, in the car, or in the kitchen? Do you like to belt out a tune when no one is listening?
I do.
I have zero training as a singer and I rarely know the lyrics. When other people listen, they are not impressed. But I like to sing, and I do it because I enjoy the experience. I suspect most people who sing to themselves are in a similar boat.
But if my skill is low, why do I enjoy it so much?
Here's my hypothesis: when I sing, for the most part I'm not listening. I'm imagining. I'm imagining or remembering the way the song sounds when it's performed by the real musicians
This example illustrates how our brain filters and interprets everything that comes through our senses: I hear the humming coming out of my mouth, and instead of judging its quality I use it to trigger my memory of the song being performed.
This can be a limitation: if we're unable to separate our experience from what is really happening, we can make poor decisions.
But it's also an opportunity: if we recognize and accept that we're adding our own interpretation to every experience, we can be more active in guiding that interpretation to one that's constructive.
We can make an active effort to
- be encouraging toward ourselves and others
- see the positive in each situation
- consider the bigger picture, not just the immediate consequences
If I have learned to love my own singing, just think what else I can learn to appreciate!