Statistics reveal that most people in the world are more afraid of singing in public than of death itself! I believe that such a fear is a great one to overcome. It’s amazing how much gets freed up in one’s psyche (soul) upon facing this bugaboo once and for all – and performing onstage is a lot of fun, to boot!

Some years ago I determined to take the bull by the horns and accept the challenge. I enrolled in a singing workshop in New York City at the Turtle Bay Music School to perform in a live CABARET at its culmination. I was scared spitless! But, having taught at various colleges in NYC, I knew that if I worked out my performance thoroughly in advance I could handle ‘appearing’ in public.

Singing, however is a whole ‘nother thing, especially when it comes to the aspect of smoothly transitioning back and forth between the lower tones (chest voice) and the upper tones (head voice). I had observed other newbies hit a screeching sound, which I recognized as sheer terror at that juncture, and determined that I would not be doing any such transition!

I chose an up-tempo song with a non-challenging range: “Fever” and opted for a key that was in my SPEAKING RANGE – which eliminated most of the triggers for terror. Then I performed it at home several hundred times over the next few months, imagining a full audience in front of me.

On the day of the show I felt like I should be going to the hospital instead of the nightclub!! . But I went! . And I performed “Fever” two nights in a row at the “DON’T. TELL. MAMA” cabaret. I was ecstatic! . I had done it! . Twice!

I’m hoping that anyone reading this – you – may take courage in the face of crippling fear, when you know God is on your side, and step out and “do it afraid!” The sense of being free from this kind of fear is at once awesome and humbling.

—O-V-E-R-C-O-M-I-N-G—