When people find out that I am 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 tell me that when they were children, a parent or teacher or someone else told them that they had to say the words because their voices weren’t good enough.

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

1. To connect with your body: We sing with our whole body. Because singing is so connected to breathing, singing helps us “be in our bodies” and stop thinking (or worrying) that we do so much of the day. Singing can be a joyful activity and can release endorphins (those feel-good chemicals in the body).

2. To connect with yourself: Meditative intonation, singing a favorite song, or simply humming to yourself are ways to access your inner landscape and see what’s going on there.

3. To connect with others: Singing with other people, in meditation, in prayer, at a concert, or even over the phone or the Internet, helps us experience in a very profound way that we are all truly connected.

4. To express your feelings: Many times a singer/songwriter/composer has expressed our feelings in a way that 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 will invite more into your life. You can choose uplifting, joyful, and celebratory songs to sing.

So sing! 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 time and use the power of singing in your own life.

(c) Copyright 2006, Linda Dessau.