Before you blame your voice, read this.

It’s time to practice. You start warming up. You sing through a song you know well, and... something feels off. 

It doesn’t sound or feel like it did yesterday.

GRRRRRR.

That little moment—when your voice doesn't respond the way you expected—is enough to send many of us down a spiral. 

Anxiety kicks in. 

Self-doubt creeps in. 

The dreaded “bad” singing day means there’s something’s wrong with me.

But here’s the truth: having an “off” day vocally isn’t a problem to fix. 

It’s an invitation. 💌

We can meet this moment in one of two ways;

We can grit our teeth and push through with that dammit energy (you know the one). 

OR

we can take a breath, soften, and get curious.

When something feels off, the first thing I do (after I spiral 😜) is I try to do is listen. Not just to the sound, but to my body.

Because my body always has something to say. 

But it won’t yell over the noise of self-judgment. 

I have to get quiet, patient, and a little bit tender to hear it.

Some gentle questions I like to ask:

👉🏻 What might my body need right now?

👉🏻 Is something in me asking for rest, water, food, a stretch?

👉🏻 Is this frustration a clue that I need a nervous system reset?

👉🏻 Can I shift from fixing to exploring?

Singing isn’t just about the vocal folds. 

It’s your breath, your posture, your emotions, your nervous system, your hormones, your hydration, your sleep, your stress.

So much can affect your sound:

❌ Allergies

❌ Menstruation

❌ Illness

❌ A pulled muscle

❌ Anxiety

❌ A terrible night’s sleep

And sometimes, your body is simply in a different state than it was yesterday. 

That’s not wrong. It’s just today’s truth.

When I bring curiosity into my practice, I start to notice:

→ My jaw feels tight.

→ My air isn’t moving as freely.

→ My tongue is working too hard.

→ That high note doesn’t need five repetitions. One is enough.

→ That warmup isn’t helping me today—maybe a different one will.

I might realize I need to take a break and come back later. 

Or that today’s not the day to sing that song. 

Or that singing something gentle actually helps me reconnect.

It becomes less about getting it right and more about being in relationship. ❤️

There’s a surprising kind of intimacy that comes from vocal practice.

Especially on the hard days.

Because if I can meet my own voice with compassion, I’m learning how to meet all of myself with compassion.

Singing can be a mirror. 

It shows me where I’m holding tension, where I’m withholding love. 

And when I respond with curiosity instead of judgment, I begin to heal a little—inside and out.

An off day isn’t a failure. It’s an opportunity.

To listen.

To adjust.

To honor your humanity.

To reconnect with your body.

You don’t need to push through. 

You don’t need to earn your worth by "powering past" discomfort. 

You’re allowed to be gentle. 

You’re allowed to take your time.

And sometimes, what you learn on your off day will make you an even more sensitive, expressive, and connected singer than you were on your best day. ✨

Let me know what you’re working on with your voice! I’d love to hear from you!

And if you'd like some personalized support, I’m offering a free discovery session for voice lessons. It’s a no-pressure way to see how we can work together to unlock more ease and joy in your singing. Apply HERE.