[A version of this article first appeared as a post on my blog From the Front of the Choir]
Many of us wait until the mood hits us before we do something. But often the doing something is what changes our mood for the better.
The saying “Don’t sing because you’re happy, be happy because you sing” hits the nail on the head. Here’s why.
Whether you sing in a choir, are a professional singer or a community choir leader, there will be days when you don’t feel like doing it.
Like many of you, I’ve been fighting off a series of bugs over the last few months and it’s left me feeling low and unmotivated. I just want to slob in front of the TV and veg out. World go away!
But I have a job to do.
I need to turn up every Thursday to lead my choir whether I feel like it or not. And when I do, my mood is always lifted by the singing.
If I don’t turn up there are consequences and at times it means I might not get paid. That’s motivation enough to get me off the sofa!
But many of you won’t have the responsibilities that I do. If the stakes aren’t so high, it’s all too easy to stay at home and let your mood take over, making you feel even worse.
Many of us wait around until it “feels right” to do something. Whether it’s waiting for our muse in order to start a novel or waiting to feel desire before we have a cuddle with our partner or waiting to feel happy before we sing.
Yet it turns out (and there have been studies to show this) that motivation and desire follow action rather than it always being the other way round.
If we cuddle our partner we will begin to feel desire; if we start writing, the creative juices will begin to flow; and if we sing, our mood will be lifted and we will begin to feel happy.
So next time you’re feeling low and don’t want to do anything, take action: drag yourself to choir, or put some music on to sing along with, or take a shower and release your inner diva.
You will definitely feel better for it afterwards. I guarantee.
Chris Rowbury
website: chrisrowbury.com
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