Self-Care for Your Voice (And the Rest of You!)...

Let's take stock for a moment: how has your voice improved in the past year? What do you want to work on in 2018? Got any outstanding questions or fears holding you back? Got some good trainings lined up to learn new skills? How about the overall health of your voice? Believe it or not, it's connected to the overall health of your body.

Being human comes with many challenges. We know that stress is bad for us, and we bravely struggle to maintain a balance of mind, body and spirit that enables us to be our best in the world. Now more than ever, self-care is a worthwhile investment of our precious time. If you're going to speak (and sing) up for yourself, some of that time needs to be dedicated to your voice. 

I'm constantly reminding my clients that the health of your body IS the health of your voice. If you are tired, run-down, and listless your voice will be as well. Getting to good health involves a series of good habits, big and small, that we practice every day. Over time we come to trust these habits as they begin to work, making us stronger, fitter, and more resilient. 

Some excellent habits that can improve the health of your voice (and your entire body) are drinking more water (start with a giant glass of H20 before your morning coffee), prioritizing sleep (try going to bed an hour earlier, and let your body learn to relax into it), and working on cardio fitness (so that your lungs are healthy and strong, for deeper breath support when you speak and sing). These are proven ways to uplift your overall state of health as well as that of your voice. There is one other important issue I want to address, and that is chronic pain/ inflammation.

Inflammation is part of the aging process. The degree to which we experience its effects depends on both genealogical and lifestyle factors. Some of these are beyond our control, but many of them we can improve via our good daily habits. There are some kinds of inflammation, however, that can and should be addressed (and healed) for the good of your voice. Some of these include chronic lung issues, like asthma, bronchitis and frequent colds that lead to coughs. The larynx, home of your vocal cords, sits right on top of the trachea, your windpipe. Coughing and wheezing can cause the larynx to become tense and irritated. Many people try to "power through" these kinds of illnesses, thinking that they'll resolve on their own. But if left untreated for too long these issues can cause terrible hoarseness, and even long-term laryngitis. If your voice is compromised your ability to be effective in the world is limited, because you cannot speak up for yourself in a powerful way.

I advise my clients to take care of these issues quickly when they appear. I also remind them that "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure", and encourage them to explore new and more effective ways to boost their immunity. For myself, I've always had great success with acupuncture, which I receive regularly. I also avoid dairy products, which cause huge problems in my digestion, sleep, and vocal tone, and make any allergy/cold symptoms much worse. I guard my sleep carefully, and make sure not to stay too long (or party too hard) at parties. If there's one thing I've learned from my years onstage, it's that you should always leave 'em wanting more :)

Ten Wellness Tips for Artists...

Artists and creative people work hard to balance our external and internal lives. Outside we're hustling to pay our bills, fulfill our responsibilities to loved ones, and make progress on whatever creative project is obsessing us. Inside we're engaged with the many ideas, dreams, and visions that drive our creative work, and shape the way we exist in the world. There is a strange dichotomy at work in the soul of a creative person, whereby we are absolutely compelled to create by powerful forces that feel as real as the outside world we live in, yet they are completely invisible to others. This process can be so engaging that we sometimes feel like we've crossed an ocean and climbed a mountain in a single day, though in fact what we actually did was sit at our workspace, bent over a project, making small and deliberate changes to it. After this kind of dedicated devotion, the outside world can feel flat, and we might struggle to feel connected to anyone or anything in it. We have to pull ourselves out of it and move on with our day, juggling all the aspects of our existence related to our survival and community connection, while our inner life continues to spin. With so much going on, and so much at stake, we are highly prone to exhaustion and burnout. 

In a previous post I mentioned the importance of establishing and maintaining a baseline of health and wellness. This baseline can act as a protective boundary, remedy, and guide if we stay in touch with our needs and tend to them regularly. Here are 10 health and wellness tips specifically for artists, so we can re-charge, re-boot, and emerge better than ever: 

Walk around your neighborhood without music in your ears

• Re-orient your hearing by leaving your music player and/or phone at home. Walk at a leisurely pace. Listen to the sounds of your neighborhood. Breathe deeply and look around you. Notice tiny moments of beauty and calm. Observe the weather and enjoy the season. Feel yourself present in your body, in your home, in this moment. Refresh your total awareness and get your mind and body back in the same place. Now you can day dream and let your thoughts wander as you think and dream about your creative projects.

Take a power nap

• Stop reading this and go lie down. Set a timer for 20 minutes (not more than 25). Get comfortable, close your eyes, slow your breathing. Make sure the room is dark, cool, and quiet enough to prevent the outside world from interfering. If your mind is racing, breathe in for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. Napping gives your entire system time to re-boot. Nap well, and wake up calm and refreshed. 

Do some dedicated emotional releasing

• Laughter, crying, both at the same time. Yelling, sobbing, shaking or anything that promotes release of pent-up emotional forces. Artists have complex inner lives that often clash with the outside world. Our sensitivity is our strength, but it can cause problems if we don't honor it by staying on top of our emotions. The only goal is freedom from fear, so no need to turn this into a chore. Emotional clearing can be done in private, or with a therapist, lover, or trusted friend, as long as they can give you the space to let it all go. Trust that this activity is part of your wellness regime, and go for it. 

Read for pleasure

• Reading is a kind of cranial sorcery. Our brains conjure up vivid images that appear in front of us, as real as the page they are printed on. The true magic is that these images, no matter how much detail the author uses to describe them, are unique to each of us. Reading provokes imagination and improves concentration, two elements that creative people need in abundance. Read a gripping fiction book, and not on a Kindle! Hold the book in your hands, turn the pages, and feel its magic working on your thirsty brain.  

Clean and declutter your living space

• Out with the old and in with the new. Artists need fresh energy and inspiration to do our best work. Cleaning and straightening our living space is a potent way to honor ourselves and our place in the world. If the KonMari Method isn't your thing, just take out all the trash and recycling, clean some surfaces, and de-clutter a closet or two. Open curtains and windows, and let some fresh air circulate. Water all your plants. Light candles and put out some flowers. Arrange some beautiful things on a mantle or windowsill. Burn some sage or incense. Sit back in your space and enjoy the vibe. 

Get some acupuncture

• An arcane and mysterious healing art from China. No one knows exactly how it works, but the results are so effective that acupuncture is now covered by most American insurance plans (although usually only for a few sessions). Community acupuncture is low-cost and just as effective. Tell your acupuncturist what part of your body is bothering you, or if your immunity is low. He or she will then apply tiny needles (you'll barely feel them!) to specific points along your hands, feet, face, and sometimes torso while you recline and relax, breathing deeply, for 30-60 minutes. Afterward, most people feel a noticeable improvement that continues for days, and will keep improving with further sessions. Still not convinced? A former junkie once told me, "the dreamy, creamy sleep you feel during an acupuncture session is the closest thing you can get to a heroin high." AUTHOR'S NOTE: Disclaimer: Do your own research about acupuncture, and consult your doctor before trying acupuncture. 

Express gratitude to everyone in your life

• Feeling downhearted and blue? Get yourself in a state of gratitude, and put it into action. Go to every person that you love and care about. Use words, be present, and maintain eye contact. Acknowledge the awesomeness of the person sitting across from you, and specifically call out why they mean so much to you. Spend an entire day on this activity and watch how it transforms your perspective: you are blessed, lucky, and ready to take on the rest of your life.  

Snack awesome

• Creative people can work with an intensity and focus that obliterates concern for everything except what's right in front of us. There are good and bad things about this kind of concentration. On the one hand it enables us to synthesize staggering amounts of ideas, experiments, dreams, and passions that translate as huge leaps forward in our work. On the other hand we sometimes (often) forget to take care of our physical needs when we're in this state, and end up utterly wiped out. Plan to snack before you actually need to do it, and chose whole foods like nuts, vegetables, fruit, seeds, and grains that can balance blood sugar and sustain your energy. Pack them in your bag and put them next to you while you work. Set a timer and chow down when it rings. Feed your body, feed your art.

Take a complete media break

• Step away for an entire day. Trust that your friends, acquaintances, crushes, and media stars will be OK on their own for 24 hours, and that the news will still be happening tomorrow. If you're feeling brave, don't text, email, or call anyone during that time. Check in with yourself every time you have the urge to check social media: what do you need, want, think, dream in this moment? Perform each task in your day mindfully, and breathe deeply. Enjoy the gentle calm (and laser-focus!) that returns to your daily routine, and sleep deeply at night.

Meditate

• The science is conclusive: meditation is magic. Take 10-30 minutes in your morning and sit still, eyes closed, breathing deeply and calming your mind (or you can do a guided meditation). Don't judge your thoughts no matter how anxious, fidgety, bored, or spaced-out they might be. Just keep returning to deep breathing and stillness. The ability meditate is a kind of super-power. Many regular meditators report that its effects spread through every area of their lives, rendering them much more calm under stressful circumstances, and enabling them to be fully present and enjoy life in a deeper and more meaningful way. Best of all: it's completely free.

5 Tips for Artists About To Turn 30...

First of all, congratulations! You have beaten a certain notorious statistic and are about to make a huge leap forward in your life and your art. Turning 30 changes you, permanently, if you're lucky. It's the decade when we get serious about work and right livelihood, two terms that sound similar but are not necessarily the same thing. It's also the time when we start to figure out what love means to us, and how much we can learn from it. What you do and how you live in your 30's will set you up for the rest of your life. Set aside some time to consider the following as you cross over to the next realm:

Establish A Baseline of Health and Wellness

• Your physical health is one thing. Your overall wellness is another. There is certainly some overlap between them, but you can be in perfect physical health while still being "unwell". Your art will suffer greatly if your health and wellness are not in balance. Do you feel connected to your loved ones and community? Are you certain of your value to them, and to yourself? Do you have enough emotional energy in reserve to handle a crisis, or are you giving all your power away to others, or to a terrible job? Do you have some kind of spiritual and/or moral compass that you can rely on when things get rough? Do you love someone who actually loves you back? All of these things contribute to your wellness. Tend to them carefully, and you could experience a radical improvement in your quality of life. Find out exactly what is covered by your health insurance, and take full advantage of it. Get a complete physical and keep track of the results. Take care of any outstanding health issues, and start tracking any ongoing ones. Recognize any ongoing mental health issues, seek help from the right professionals, and get support from reliable sources. Understand your digestive and menstrual cycles, and observe the effects of what you eat on how you feel. Boost your immunity. Learn your family's health history, and manage all risk factors that are within your control. Get vaccinated. Establish a regular exercise routine, and know your physical limits so you can push them once in awhile. Breathe deeply every day and sleep restfully every night. Meditate, even if it's just for 10 minutes a day!

Start Thinking About Your Legacy

• In our 20's we are immortal. We don't acknowledge the shortness of life because we don't have to. Our bodies bounce back to factory-model condition, our whims change like weather systems, and our sense of time is unlimited. We make art with abandon, exploring, discovering, blundering, and making occasional breakthroughs. We might forget to eat, sleep, bathe, or pay our bills, so certain are we of the unceasing river of time in front of us. Once we turn 30 we start to become aware that there are only 24 hours in a day. What are we focused on? Can we identify recurring themes in our work, and let them point us toward a new understanding of ourselves and our art? What role does ambition play in our journey? What, if any, past creative successes can we use as a starting point for what we want to do next? What do we want people to feel when they interact with our art? More specifically, what do we want our artistic legacy to be? If we don't ask and answer these questions, and find a way to articulate them clearly, we might find ourselves at the mercy of others who decide that they know who we are and what we're about. There is nothing worse than feeling that your art is misunderstood! Your legacy is your responsibility. Pick up this paradigm and sign it with your blood, sweat, and love.

Develop Critical Awareness

• If you want to find your place in the world, learn how to deconstruct it. Can you see behind the curtain of our media circus? Do you understand our political system and the ways it affects us, and the ways in which we as artists can affect it? Do you recognize how much corporate interests shape not just our political system, but our entire culture? Do you know how to read between the lines, see beyond the edges, and hear beyond the noise? Don't be easily swayed by passion and rhetoric. Understand the difference between "facts" and "truth" as they are presented in our media, and seek reliable sources of both. In addition to looking at the world around us, developing a strong critical awareness is about knowing and understanding ourselves, so that we can make informed choices in our personal lives rather than blind ones. Can you tell the difference between someone you like and someone that truly compels you? Do you know why you're drawn to some people, but not others? People that compel us may not be good for us, and we can save ourselves a lot of grief if we avoid entangling with them. On the other hand, sometimes they can inspire a huge burst of passion and energy that changes the shape of our lives for the better. Only when we truly know ourselves can we know how to love someone else. There is a certain amount of psychology involved here, and some of it can be painful, as you sort through your past and move through your process of self-inquiry. You might want to enlist a professional for help. Be gentle with yourself, and be quiet in your mind so you can listen to your instincts (regular meditation will help!). Learn to identify trustworthy people and keep them close in your life and heart.

Draw Effective Boundaries Around Your Time and Energy

• You understand that there are only 24 hours in a day. Some of those are reserved for sleeping. Some are for working. Some for making your art. Some of those hours should be for your loved ones and community. This is a valuable investment of your time and energy that can restore and renew you. The trick is knowing when you've given too much. If you find yourself dreading the things you need to do and the people you need to do them with, it's time to re-examine your boundaries. Do you know how to say 'no thank you' to someone or something? Can you clearly articulate your reasons for opting out, and do you know when to keep them to yourself and just stick to "no thanks"? Are you able to distinguish between duty, friendship, family and favors? If time away from your art feels like a sacrifice, can you find a way to re-boot your entire schedule and let your loved ones know that things are going to be different for a bit, while you work on your craft? Banish guilt and replace it with genuine responsibility to your loved ones. Once good boundaries are in place, take extra care of your relationships by living up to your social commitments and being fully present when you're there. 

Practice Engaged Compassion and Generosity

• The world doesn't owe us a thing, but we owe each other the world. The future of our planet isn't looking so good, and many of us are unsure of what we can do about it. Artists are especially vulnerable to a certain kind of existential crisis, one that leads us to question whether we'e having any impact at all. Art can start to feel like a superfluous frivolity, something non-essential and even ridiculous, in the face of so much fear and uncertainty. But the fact is that artists have survived war, plague, famine, and genocide and come out the other side making art that uplifts and inspires the entire human race! This is a powerful gift that we can give, and we should be generous with it. Can you contribute your talents to a worthy cause? Look around in your community: who are the most vulnerable people, and what do they need? Which organizations are taking on their plight, and can you partner with them to put on a benefit event featuring local artists? Maybe you've found a cause that doesn't have a voice. Can you use yours to bring attention where it's needed? What kind of local environmental causes could use your help with mobilizing community actions? Can you donate some pro-bono art skills to help a struggling charity get its message out? Let compassion bloom in your heart, and put it into action with your art!