Why did I sign up for this again…?

Sometimes we forget how lucky we are. My body is exhausted and overworked, my mind is stressed and anxious, and my emotions are a roller coaster due to so many changes, ever present around me. I’m overwhelmed with a whirlwind of responsibilities that come with my job and occasionally I feel like my company has an artistic monopoly over me since I am contractually bound to them for a year and unable to involve myself in any other work. Recently I have been injured and often too blasé to attend dance classes or the like. I’ve felt a bit too dispassionate and drained to seek out live performances or other inspiration. And most upsetting, I’ve been completely consumed with so many seemingly important things that I no longer find time to sing outside of work…not even in the shower or around the house!

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I remember. It’s a joy that no one can take away from me, something that can always lift my spirits, and fortunately for me, I have been able to make a career out of it. But I never want to become the type of person who wont sing unless someone is going paying them. Recently I came home after a particularly tolling week of shows, with a hoarse voice, a frail body, and a distracted mind. I was looking for nothing but some recuperation time and instead I opened the front door to my roommate and a friend sitting down at our piano, singing at the top of their lungs, completely immersed in blissful music.

Music books were scattered all over the table and I was met with gratuitous sighs that I was finally home so that we could all sing the trios they had been waiting to sing. They seemed so eager that I decided I would sing the few songs they requested to appease them and then go to bed. Three hours later I had sung through every music book the three of us had and was left with an elated mood that reminded me why I chose this career and that music is not only my source of income, but one of my very reasons for existing. I could not believe that I had lived here six months, surrounded by other singers, living with a roommate who can sight read piano like a god, and had never taken part in one of these cathartic musical jam sessions.

I’ve found it essential to my well-being to constantly remember why I chose this career and remind myself how lucky I am that I get to make a living doing something that brings such a sense of fulfillment and joy. What are some of your favorite parts of this career and how do you keep yourself working towards your goals during tough spells?