Do you love to sing in the shower? This may be why.

From the time I was a child, a radio played in my head. I was 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 singing or humming. My nickname was Songbird. (One of them, anyway.)

I am still that person in the grocery store (not the library) mindlessly singing, oblivious to passers-by. Not because I’m necessarily happy or all that good, but because it soothes me. It’s become a habit.

Years ago, I was reprimanded at work because I would sing or hum on my way in or out of the office. As I turned the corner of the EMPTY lobby and hallway, people could “hear me coming.” I wasn’t belting out a tune, but it was apparently distracting enough that I was told to stop. I would hear loud laughing, gossip, and talking—but my humming was off-limits.

I was SO embarrassed.

I didn’t know it then, but that was another trigger for me—years of attracting people and environments that hushed me, ignored me, or devalued what I had to contribute came crashing back into my reality.

I immediately learned to turn off the radio that played almost continuously in my head. Unfortunately, in its’ place came an onslaught of anxious and worrisome thoughts and the feeling of being suppressed.

That “mind radio” and subsequent humming allowed me to express myself safely and release the nervous energy trapped inside. It turns out I was instinctively onto something: self-soothing my overly-anxious, hyper-alert mind.

The vagus nerve runs from your brain down your neck and body. Activating it alerts your brain and stimulates the parasympathetic nervous system, calming you.

Your larynx is connected to your vagus nerve.💡

Humming and singing activate that system. So do deep breathing and chanting in yoga or meditation. Vocalizing also helps open the throat chakra balancing out and clearing stuck energy.

So the next time you hear or see someone chatting away in a social setting—they may be dealing with anxiety, not just wanting to take up oxygen or hear themselves speak. As they are learning better social queues, giving compassion is key.

Now I make private time for singing and belting out my favorite tunes because it’s part of my toolkit. It’s medicine for my soul.

Next time you hum, note where you are, how you feel, and if anything is “off” at a subconscious level. You may be surprised at what you find.

#mentalhealth #inspiration #uncoach #encouragement #sing #beyou #energy