CONFIDENCE LESSONS FROM A MUSICAL

I don't sing because I'm happy; I'm happy because I sing (William James)

I'm a fan of musicals. That's a colossal understatement. I'm crazy about musicals. I can't understand what's not to like about singing and dancing your way through love, betrayal, perils, triumphs, dastardly deeds and happy endings. And beyond the song and dance spectacle there is a world of wisdom in the lyrics from musicals. “Don't Rain on My Parade,“ from Funny Girl for example is one of the greatest anthems ever written about seizing life by two hands and going for broke for your dreams; and of course “America” from West Side Story is a timeless expose on race relations and immigration. But I digress...

The song I want to talk about right now is “I Whistle a Happy Tune” from The King and I written by Rogers & Hammerstein. I first saw it on Broadway as a star struck adolescent with Gertrude Lawrence as the English Governess (and singer of the song) and Yule Brenner as the King. I was so enraptured watching them waltzing around the Court of Siam I don’t think I exhaled for the duration.

The song is sung by the Governess Anna Leonowens to her son Louis after the curtain rises on Act One of the musical, to persuade him not to be afraid as they arrive in Siam to serve the King. In so doing she persuades herself as well.

 If ever there was a perfect NLP role modeling of ‘getting into state’ this song is it. In the words of Amy Cuddy, our body changes our mind, our mind changes our behavior and our behavior changes our outcomes. In other words fake it until you are it.

If you know the song "I Whistle a Happy Tune" start singing it! If you don't know it look it up and learn it!

In every Presence, Impact & Influence and Leadership Program I facilitate, and with every client I coach in communication or confidence, we always explore this powerful somatic reframing or what we call in theatre, Acting As If. It boils down to one word: Intention.

When you set a clear intention through your body your voice, energy and belief follow through most elegantly. Participants are always amazed as they witness their peers transform before their eyes from tentative to virtuoso communicators when they play the " Act As If" game. They can motivate, reassure, exude authority (not arrogance) or perform whatever energy-state their scenario requires of them.

There are no one-size-fits-all rules here. Your unique presence finds the shape, the power and personal signature it needs. With clarity comes confidence.

Your body is the director of your show, the CEO of You Inc. and it shapes your attitude, beliefs, energy and mind. All it's waiting for is its mission - from you. So set your intention and “Act As If.” Start with I Whistle a Happy Tune and see how quickly you can upgrade your mojo.

Oh, and go see a musical!

 copyright, Diana Theodores 2018, thoughts from forthcoming book, Performing As YOU: how to have authentic impact in every role you play, Re-Think Press, June 2019