I was responsible for my own voice and how it functioned. Every singer is responsible for their own actions for their voice. In order to be responsible, I had to trust myself. Looking back on my initial journey as a soprano, I didn’t trust myself to know that I could know my own voice and that I could take my own counsel to some degree. I have always had tremendous respect for people so I was someone who would put more weight on the opinions of others than into my own weight scale and I don’t mean body weight. Sometimes its really good to trust the other persons advice and counsel, especially if they are good at what they do, but the opposite is not so good. You study and then you listen to your gut and take what you know deep down in your heart works for you. I didn’t do that. I don’t blame myself or anyone else, it’s just my journey. It’s just how it went. I know SO much now because of all that I went through so I only hold a happy heart about it all.
Don’t spend time complaining and blaming other people. That’s super easy to do and gets you absolutely nowhere-it only makes a person stuck further in the negative outlook. Look at yourself and take a good long, tough and honest look at what you are doing with your voice. How you are practicing, how you are producing, how you are studying, how you are exercising, how you are eating, how much water you are drinking? Take that all into account and be ACCOUNTABLE and RESPONSIBLE to yourself.
My life and my voice have changed-dramatically, and it wasn’t just when I became a lower voice, the voice I always was inside. I drink a gallon of water a day, no alcohol at all. (I went through those days, and alcohol never benefited me) I eat clean meals only that are plant-based yet have lean animal protein. You have to find in the meal department what works for you. For me, there are two people that have been an influence : Elizabeth Rotoff in The Fit Singer (Please see thefitsinger.com) and Danette May at Danettemay.com. Elizabeth is terrific at helping singers to get healthy and stay healthy. If you don’t know about her, look her up online. She is very active online and have a good 14 Day Vocal Reset Program that I recommend as a great start. Danette May’s program changed me-I learned how to eat and when, I eat six small meals a day. I consume that gallon of water and I move my body each day. I am at the gym at 5 am EVERY day. The most important ingredient for me is Meditation. I brought this aspect of my wellness into Resonanz Opera and I use it in Skokstudio LLC too. You will experience what you think so meditation really opens up the thought and the mind practice. SO important in the work of a voice user.
I took responsibility. I am ever so glad that I did and you know what? It’s just never too late to change. It’s never too late to sing, it’s never too late to have a career, (you create your own career) it’s never too late to be happy in your life, it’s never to be late to be satisfied and best of all it’s never too late to be full of abundance.
Love you all so much,
Heidi Skok