I studied music in college. One day it was my turn to sing in front of a class of eight. Mrs. D stopped me and said, “You’re the worst student I’ve ever had.” Then she went on to explain not really the worst, but certainly the hardest to teach. “If you would open up and just belt it out, then I could work with your voice,” she said. “But you hold back. You’re giving me nothing to work with.”

Ah, isn’t that the truth? I never did let go and belt out a song for her, but I do understand what she was saying. I have to admit, I’ve lived a lot of my life like that . . . holding back, afraid to fully show up, all in. Thankfully, I am owning my voice much more these days. And I fondly think of Mrs. D’s statement. If I just open up and let go, without fear or worry about what others may think, then I can do a lot more with my voice.

I suspect that’s a good pattern for life. Perhaps we’d all do well to go all in and stop holding back . . . stop holding ourselves back.