Conscious Breathing

Recently, an adult student mentioned to me that it was a challenge to make the skills he'd learned in private coaching his 'new habits'. I replied that lifetime habits, even when they don't serve you, take time to reprogram. It's hard letting go of those constrictions, tensions and bad vocal habits, mostly because they've become your comfort zone, and two, because those bad habits are now firmly entrenched in your muscle memory.

So what do you do? First, become CONSCIOUS. Private coaching helps you to become aware of destructive habits that hinder your full expression. Once you become aware, you move on to reprogramming a new, positive habit. If Tiger Woods has to change his grip (and yes, even Tiger Woods still has a coach!) he must repeat the new grip and movement over and over until it becomes a natural part of his muscle memory. After considerable conscious effort, the new grip becomes the norm.

Start by doing what I call 'conscious breathing'. Obviously, we breathe without thinking about it; it just happens. But when we're speaking or singing, we must consciously take slow, low, relaxed breaths. We need to 'fill up' with air, not just take a quick, shallow breath, then plunge back in to our speech or music. Your breath is energy; it supports your tone; it gives you volume, power and inflection. If you don't take time to breathe, your listener won't either. They'll adopt your rhythm and feel tight, and literally, out of breath. You want your listener to be focused on your message or story, not on a subconscious nervousness that is urging them to relax and take a breath!

Work on one element at a time. Become conscious of your breathing. When you're breathing correctly (which will most likely solve many of your other vocal challenges!), then move on to another challenge, like voice placement. When you've become consciously aware of your voice and it's natural placement, and get to a place where you no longer have to think about it, move on to the next challenge, and so on. Don't overwhelm yourself with all the details at once. Rome wasn't built in a day!

Don't get frustrated; take it one step at a time. A lifetime habit is resistant to change. Be kind. Perhaps that habit has served to protect you in some way, but realize that it's time to release it, and replace it. Don't stress; practice 'conscious breathing'!