Deanna Dubbin, Vocal Coach, continued ...

This project has really been a metaphor for my singing career in many ways.  I started out with so much hope, enthusiasm and naivety.  I was vocally pushing through a lot of personal pain and angst and would do whatever it took to get the song out.  But I had my group of cheerleaders to carry me through.  As long as I got the approval of my peers and family, I could go on.  But what happens when those cheerleaders are no longer there.  This is where the 'rubber meets the road' for me.  With respect to the floors, some people have been aw-struck by my determination to do the job myself.  Some have even suggested I go into business because of the professional looking job I've done.   Some have refrained from comment while others have joked at how long it has taken me and I'm still not done.  What wrong with me anyway.  Why is it taking so long they ask?  Each one of those positions invokes a personal emotional response in me. Some of the comments have been inspiring and have helped me carry on to completion.  Other comments have frustrated me.  But at the end of the day, I have been able to step back, look at the floors and smile with a true sense of accomplishment at how far I have gone and what I learned along the way.  My career as a singer carries the same options.  What I know for sure is there are no guarantees the cheerleaders will be there to help you through those tough times when you are second guessing yourself.  Dig deep and try to find the cheerleader in yourself.  Find that magic moment that started you on the journey as a singer.  Go back to the beginning.  And if you have to step away from your passion for awhile to gain perspective, do so and embrace that time for yourself.  Choosing to become a vocalist can encompass so many personal discoveries.  When the time is right for you, jump in and sing and allow the mysteries to unfold.