When you go up on stage, think back to the song. Remember the song's meaning before the music starts. Ask yourself a few questions about the song to get yourself in the proper mindset to perform. Who is the speaker in the song? What is he or she thinking? Where has he or she been? Where does he or she hope to go? Who is the song for? Is the speaker singing to a generic audience, or is this song directed at a particular person? You should also think about your audience as you sing. Try to feel the energy in the room. If you're playing a rock song to an audience who's getting wild and excited, you should play to that energy. Sing with more charisma and intensity. If you're playing to an audience who are quiet and respectful, try to tone down your delivery slightly. How you sing into the microphone can affect your sound on stage. Make sure you sing into the microphone in a way that produces a desirable sound. Hold the microphone by the shaft instead of the head, as not to muffle the sound. If you're singing at a lower frequency, sing close to the mic. If you're singing louder, or in a more booming voice, keep your head away from the microphone. If you don't like the sound you're getting, try switching the angle slightly. This can help tweak the sound just slightly. It's perfectly normal to feel stage fright when singing for an audience. There are steps you can take to combat this sense of stage fright. Prior to taking the stage, do some exercise. Go for a walk or a run. Do some stretches. Exercise is great at stress reduction. Pose questions for yourself before each line that ask about the line's context. This is a trick that allows you to pretend you're answering an individual's questions instead of singing to a big crowd. For example, say you're singing "Eleanor Rigby" by the Beatles. Before the line, "Eleanor Rigby, picks up the rice in the church where the wedding has been," imagine someone asking you, "What does Eleanor Rigby do after the wedding?" If you're feeling insecure, remember any compliments you've received for your singing in the past. This can help fuel your passion and keep you focused on stage. Practice deep breathing on stage in order to make sure you have enough energy to sing. This can also help calm your nerves on stage. Breathe deep into your stomach over your chest. Momentarily tense your muscles as you breathe in, and then relax them as you breathe out.

Summary: Keep the song's meaning in mind. Think about your audience. Use the microphone wisely. Combat stage fright while singing. Take deep breaths.

What are your most important qualities? Understanding the unique gifts you have to offer the world can help you figure out what direction your life should take. Take a few hours to think deeply about what makes you special. Spending time in a place where you can be yourself is a good way to identify what makes you, you. Try going to your favorite place in nature, or spending time near people who get you. When you can really be yourself, what qualities emerge? It may also help to ask people you trust what good qualities they see in you. Sometimes it's difficult to see our own strengths clearly. Spend time thinking about your priorities divorced from what you know your current obligations are. Take note of the happiest moments in your life, and prioritize the parts of your life that deliver these moments to you. Remember, you don't need to think about what's feasible and what isn't, just what truly makes you tick. This will help you see what you cherish rather than the strategies you'll use to get them. Keep the list short and sweetno longer than five things. Ask yourself the following questions in order to connect with your priorities: How would you like to live your life? Would you like to be healthy and vital? Would you like to have deeper connections with people in your life? What will make you proud to be able to say about yourself in ten years time? When you have a completely average day, what does it entail? By laying out a daily schedule, not of what you want for yourself, but of what you actually do you can see your current strategies for meeting your priorities. Now that you have this schedule, see if your priorities are reflected in your daily activity or not. Can you draw links between what you cherish and what you know must be taken care of each day? For example, if you already eat a nourishing breakfast in the morning, you can connect this up with a stated priority of maintaining a healthy body and mind. If you cannot see the connection between how you spend your time and what your deeper priorities are, you will know that a significant overhaul may be in order. Looking again at your daily schedule, sort everything you do into two different categories: urgent and valuable. Everything we do holds some sort of meaning for us, otherwise we wouldn't be doing it. Notice the things you do that are urgent, meaning that you feel as though you are under pressure and seek to avoid the consequences of not doing it. Then, look at the other activities that are valuable. If something is valuable that means that there is something intrinsically enjoyable to the activity itself, as it is in line with your priorities (even if only in a small way). For instance, you might be confused about where to place an activity like calling your mom. Ask yourself: do you call your mom daily because you would feel guilty or fear hurting her if you don't check in? Or, do you talk to her frequently because you prioritize family and talking to her sparks the joy of connection in you? Yes to the first option shows that the activity is urgent, and yes to the second means that it is valuable. These need not be only the obligations that we consider crucial, like paying rent and buying groceries, but also the obligations that you feel you have toward others. What are the things that you have to do, for fear of some type of punishment or shame? While these will not go away completely, recognition of what you do out of fear will sharpen your ability to see when you are acting from a priority and when you are acting out of fear, urgency or obligation. Slowly, you'll learn to make different decisions about what needs to be done and when. This time, caring for your priorities and growth rather than simply running in fear of consequences. Begin to notice which obligations can be altered, split, or delegated in order for your values and priorities to be upheld. Can an aunt, friend, or coworker help out with the obligation half time? Or maybe the task is truly the responsibility of someone else - let that person rise to the opportunity to be responsible and handle the task. To live without getting overwhelmed or confused about what your priorities are, it is crucial to surround yourself with people who make you feel comfortable enough to be confident and creative. The next time you go out, be extra mindful of who gives you energy and who makes talking feel like a chore. This will bring out your gut feelings about whose presence really nourishes you, making it easier to spend your time feeling boosted rather than obligated in relation to others. Honestly ask yourself the questions: "Who makes me feel shrunken when I'm around them? Who makes me feel like my contributions are trivial?" You might be surprised (and shaken) to find that people who we love very much bring out tendencies of self-effacement and repression of our true feelings.
Summary: Visualize your best self. Make a list of your priorities. Write out a daily schedule. Separate the urgent from the valuable. List your obligations and duties. Think about your relationships.