1 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: Welcome to Before Breakfast, a production of I Heart Radio. 2 00:00:09,080 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 1: Good Morning. This is Laura. Welcome to the Before Breakfast podcast. 3 00:00:16,640 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: Today's tip is to create more occasions for singing. One 4 00:00:22,480 --> 00:00:25,520 Speaker 1: of the reasons the holiday season brings so many people 5 00:00:25,960 --> 00:00:29,560 Speaker 1: tidings of comfort and joy is because we are singing 6 00:00:30,000 --> 00:00:33,919 Speaker 1: about tidings of comfort and joy. But there is no 7 00:00:34,000 --> 00:00:37,559 Speaker 1: reason not to enjoy such festivity and more of our 8 00:00:37,600 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 1: occasions all year round. I once wrote a story where 9 00:00:44,400 --> 00:00:47,880 Speaker 1: the main characters were lost for an extended period of time. 10 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,800 Speaker 1: One of the ways they kept themselves sane was singing together. 11 00:00:54,040 --> 00:00:56,840 Speaker 1: Since they obviously hadn't planned to learn a ton of 12 00:00:56,880 --> 00:00:59,680 Speaker 1: new songs before the disaster that drove them off into 13 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:02,680 Speaker 1: the world earness, they had to rely on the songs 14 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:07,760 Speaker 1: they knew, which were Christmas carols, even if it wasn't 15 00:01:07,840 --> 00:01:12,560 Speaker 1: Christmas time. The reason I wrote that detail is that 16 00:01:12,600 --> 00:01:15,800 Speaker 1: I suspect that would be the case for many of us. 17 00:01:17,200 --> 00:01:21,280 Speaker 1: How many songs do you know by heart? Chances are 18 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:25,440 Speaker 1: it is Happy Birthday, maybe the Star Spangled banner for 19 00:01:25,520 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: my American listeners, and Christmas carols obviously, people who sing 20 00:01:31,080 --> 00:01:34,440 Speaker 1: in choirs or singing bands, or perhaps too attend worship 21 00:01:34,520 --> 00:01:38,800 Speaker 1: services quite regularly. Well, no more, but for many people 22 00:01:39,560 --> 00:01:43,399 Speaker 1: that is the sum of the repertoire. We sing in 23 00:01:43,440 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: groups at birthdays, before live sporting events, and at the holidays, 24 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:54,480 Speaker 1: and that is basically it. And that is kind of 25 00:01:54,520 --> 00:01:59,960 Speaker 1: too bad, because singing in groups is a really pleasurable experience. 26 00:02:01,440 --> 00:02:05,720 Speaker 1: Most likely our ancient ancestors kept themselves entertained at night 27 00:02:05,880 --> 00:02:11,200 Speaker 1: by singing around their campfires. Few people can easily remember 28 00:02:11,240 --> 00:02:15,880 Speaker 1: poems or even basic information, but set that material to 29 00:02:16,000 --> 00:02:22,240 Speaker 1: music and you can remember just about anything. Perhaps this 30 00:02:22,280 --> 00:02:25,280 Speaker 1: is how we committed important knowledge to heart in the past. 31 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:30,840 Speaker 1: So no wonder singing feels quite enjoyable now too, and 32 00:02:30,960 --> 00:02:37,320 Speaker 1: not just at karaoke bars, though those are fun. So 33 00:02:37,360 --> 00:02:39,920 Speaker 1: if you'd like to keep some of that Christmas feeling 34 00:02:40,200 --> 00:02:43,440 Speaker 1: year around, figure out if there might be ways to 35 00:02:43,520 --> 00:02:49,200 Speaker 1: introduce new occasions for groups singing into your life. Some 36 00:02:49,320 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: families say a blessing before a meal. See if there 37 00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: is a way you could sing a blessing instead, or 38 00:02:57,680 --> 00:03:01,360 Speaker 1: as well, if you or your kids are part of 39 00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:05,600 Speaker 1: a sports team, maybe you need a team song that 40 00:03:05,639 --> 00:03:09,959 Speaker 1: you can sing together before practices and games. You're running 41 00:03:10,040 --> 00:03:14,600 Speaker 1: or biking group could sing together before taking off. You 42 00:03:14,639 --> 00:03:19,000 Speaker 1: could learn new songs for other holidays. How about a 43 00:03:19,120 --> 00:03:21,680 Speaker 1: patriotic sing along for the Fourth of July or the 44 00:03:21,880 --> 00:03:26,079 Speaker 1: equivalent day in your country. Make a point of spending 45 00:03:26,080 --> 00:03:30,120 Speaker 1: at least twenty minutes on long family car trips singing 46 00:03:30,520 --> 00:03:34,480 Speaker 1: with a sing along album. If you know the singing 47 00:03:34,560 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 1: is going to be required, you will start learning new songs, 48 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:44,000 Speaker 1: which is really not that hard. Songs get stuck in 49 00:03:44,040 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 1: our heads for a reason. Now, to answer a common objection, 50 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:53,960 Speaker 1: you do not have to be good at singing to 51 00:03:54,120 --> 00:03:59,280 Speaker 1: enjoy singing. Singing is probably as natural to humans as talking. 52 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:03,360 Speaker 1: The reason people think they aren't good at singing, and 53 00:04:03,360 --> 00:04:06,520 Speaker 1: I'm putting good in quote marks here, is because they 54 00:04:06,560 --> 00:04:09,960 Speaker 1: are only singing Happy Birthday at the occasional office party. 55 00:04:11,080 --> 00:04:15,200 Speaker 1: When you start singing more regularly, it's just like anything else. 56 00:04:16,400 --> 00:04:21,760 Speaker 1: You get better with practice. So why not start practicing. 57 00:04:23,080 --> 00:04:26,800 Speaker 1: Figure out when beyond the holiday season you could sing more. 58 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:32,919 Speaker 1: You will start feeling tidings of comfort and joy all 59 00:04:33,240 --> 00:04:40,400 Speaker 1: year round in the meantime. This is Laura, Thanks for listening, 60 00:04:41,480 --> 00:04:51,560 Speaker 1: and here's to making the most of our time. Hey, everybody, 61 00:04:51,760 --> 00:04:53,880 Speaker 1: I'd love to hear from you. You can send me 62 00:04:53,920 --> 00:04:57,560 Speaker 1: your tips, your questions, or anything else. Just connect with 63 00:04:57,600 --> 00:05:02,000 Speaker 1: me on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram at Before Breakfast Pod. 64 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:07,039 Speaker 1: That's b E the number four, then Breakfast p o D. 65 00:05:07,839 --> 00:05:10,720 Speaker 1: You can also shoot me an email at Before Breakfast 66 00:05:10,800 --> 00:05:14,679 Speaker 1: podcast at iHeartMedia dot com that Before Breakfast is spelled 67 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,320 Speaker 1: out with all the letters. Thanks so much, I look 68 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:25,719 Speaker 1: forward to staying in touch. Before Breakfast is a production 69 00:05:25,760 --> 00:05:29,200 Speaker 1: of I heart Radio. For more podcasts from I heart Radio, 70 00:05:29,680 --> 00:05:33,200 Speaker 1: visit the i heart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 71 00:05:33,240 --> 00:05:34,600 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.