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"Vocal Rest": A Gift for Everyone to Experience!

There is a, perhaps outside of the professional singing community, little-known phenomenon called "vocal rest" which has recently made a big difference in my life.  I'd like to share how it all happened, because--a blog necessitates that sharing between me and you (the reader) goes on to ensure that you know more about me, and through writing I know more about me, and through reading my writing, perhaps you find out more about yourself, as well.

Anyway, I've been on "vocal rest" (which for a non-singer just means not talking at all for a certain period of time...literally 'resting your voice' by not using it---simple enough, right?) because I actually have been singing too much and my voice isn't sounding or working as well as it normally does.  Now, even though I actually went on "vocal rest" because I wanted to allow my singing voice to recuperate, in addition to that happening, it has also given me the time to notice a number of things in my life (strangely, not unlike the theme of the recent movie "A Thousand Words") which are unnecessary and not maybe the best for me.  For example, saying things that I don't really need to say, or saying things which I'd regret later are simply things that I can leave out of my life and not be the worse for it.  I've seemingly been spared from several embarassing or awkward moments during this period of vocal rest, and I actually quite like it.  Besides, in a community where I am normally spending the majority of my time communicating through singing words (which someone else wrote and which I have to interpret) perhaps it would be wise for me to use the words that are my own, outside of singing, more wisely.

Especially since I have come to realize through this necessary "vocal rest" time (because I was singing too much when my voice was particularly vulnerable and then it just got worse....seems like a no-brainer there but did I listen to my 'inner' voice on that one? You can guess the answer on that---otherwise I'd not need to be on "vocal rest", would I?) I've figured out now more of what I need to do for myself in order to listen to my gut when I should, and how to not let that get lost in all the other things going on in life, and let it get shouted down by life's numerous demands (or the demands of other people, for that matter!).

So, I know that I have written a pretty short summation of my feelings on the importance of some time spent actually purposely not talking, whether it be to fix vocal issues (perhaps self-imposed, as in my case) or just to become more aware of what we say or would say, which might not serve us, and how we can be more careful to choose to always use our inner voices to guide us in deciding how we represent ourselves with our words (which is, let's face it, how most people get to know or understand who and what we're about).

Therefore, hope you all will be perhaps a bit less talkative, or at least try the concept of "vocal rest" if you're feeling like maybe you could use a bit of perspective (and you singers, ..... maybe it's not such a bad thing if you have to go on "vocal rest"---look for the bit of wisdom that comes with it)!

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