What will you do about yours?
“It’s never too late to be what you might have been.” – George Eliot
All of us have a song inside that wants to be sung. Inside you and inside me, it waits patiently, to a fault. It doesn’t demand to be sung. It isn’t destined to be sung. But it’s there. And your song knows (and you know) at some deep level the world and you would be forever changed if your song was surfaced and put to music. Music: the precise combination of your talent, your cares and concerns, your weaknesses and your ever-present gifts.
The idea of an unsung song resonates. It has the sound and feeling of truth, doesn’t it? “Yes” you say, “but how do I know my song?”
It’s a great question without an easy answer. There is an ancient saying that goes like this: “when the student is ready, the teacher appears.” That statement applies here. So, if you’re ready to truly explore this question from the inside out with the commitment to know at a deep level the nature of your song, the following exercises and practices can help you as they did me.
- Prayer – the Creator placed the song within so it makes sense to go back to the Source for guidance.
- Centered and grounded breathing – please email me and I’ll send you some great instructions on how to do this.
- Meditation– especially breath-focused meditation designed to slow down our mental chatter. Again, email me, and I’ll send a guide on how to do this effectively.
- Journaling in the areas of your inner life. This will help you tune in to the person you are. Journal about some of your earliest memories of what you dreamed about doing as an adult. Are there common threads? Here’s another journal exercise:
With pen and a blank sheet of paper in hand (or in a new Word document), complete this sentence: “If I had to guess, I would say my song has something to do with…” Then write down whatever comes to mind in a stream of consciousness. Don’t filter, evaluate or edit. Just write as fast as the words or ideas come to you. If you get stuck, think specifically about how you would respond to these questions:
1. Other than my family, what or who do I care about at the deepest level?
2. Over the years, I’ve felt my deepest joy when….
3. When thinking about the needs of the world, when do I feel anger?
4. In the past, when have I felt moved to take action?
5. What gifts or talents do I have right now that could be of service to the people, groups or cause I noted above?
Theologian and author, Frederick Buechner said, “Your vocation in life is where your greatest joy meets the world’s greatest need.” This also applies to your unsung song.
To close out your journal entry, write about where that intersection might land for you. No commitments or declarations are necessary here. Just freely think about where your greatest joy
Note: Working with a personal guide or coach who will listen deeply, ask artful questions, and play back what is being said can be a powerful tool. If you would like to process what it would be like to work with a coach like me, please email me at keith@voyagercoachconsult.com