Don’t Die with the Music Still in You
Dr. Wayne Dyer, one of my favorite authors and spiritual teachers, has used this saying for years: Don’t Die with the Music Still in You. I’m not sure who it is originally credited to. But what a beautiful and inspiring statement it is. And it recently ran across my email inbox, prompting me to write an article about it.
As you may (or may not) know, I have been surrounded by loss this year. First, my mom passed away in March, then my son left for college across the country in May, then one of my cats passed away recently (in mid October). As you might imagine, the themes of death and loss are swirling around in my head and heart.
Loss can do some funny things. It can make us take stock of where we are in our lives, what we have, what relationships we’re in, what we do for money, etc. Loss can help us make changes in our lives that we’ve been putting off, like finally getting to items on that bucket (or wish) list. We might adopt an attitude of “life is too short to…,” then make decisions to move us in different directions in one or more areas of life.
Or loss can keep us stuck. Stuck in fear that something else bad might happen or stuck in memories and what-if’s. We might lament our loss and replay things over and over in our minds. We might be stuck on auto-pilot because we’re just too steeped in sadness, or grief, or guilt, or anger, or a mixture of complicated emotions.
Luckily, I have a tremendous support system of family, friends, and professionals who are there for me, providing strength, words of wisdom, shoulders to cry on, empathic ears, and little nudges forward. I have shared my life goals (both personal and professional) with so many people who offer true support that it is very difficult for me to stay stuck. HALLELULIA! I have people who want me to share my music.
While the saying “Don’t Die with the Music Still in You” is quite appropriate for me since I am a singer/songwriter and actually write music, the point of this saying is to share who you really are with the world while you still can. We all have something inside begging to get out. It is our passion, what lights us up inside (and out), our unique gifts and talents, or a message for the world. So often we are afraid to share that special side of ourselves. Sometimes it takes a major shift, like looking death or loss square in the face, to get us to the point of being ready to take the leap. Sometimes it is something less traumatic that happens. Either way, it just takes some courage and motivation to share yourself with the world and to not die with your music still inside you.
Here’s some tips on how you can unleash your special passion:
- Get clear on what truly lights you up. It’s different for everyone. Think about what puts a smile on your face and gives you that warm, fuzzy feeling.
- Share your passion with another person. It’s easy to declare a passion silently to yourself. You’ve probably done that already. But where has it gotten you. Letting someone else know about your passion sets the wheels in motion of accountability. Now you have someone else keeping an eye on your passion who can support you in unleashing it.
- Vow to add more time and space (and whatever other resources you might need) to allow that passion to move more front and center. You can start small. Block out 15 minutes a week on your schedule to devote to your passion and see what happens. Notice any shifts in how you think and how you feel as you start focusing more on your passion.
So what is the “music” that is still in you? I’d love to hear what your passion is and how you plan to unleash it. Leave a comment below.
Photo: Freedom #2 © by hang_in_there
