• Call your mother.
    Count your blessings.
    Wear polished shoes.
    Plant flowers every spring.
    Don't be afraid to say "I don't know."
    Use the good silver.
    Sing in a choir.
    Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.
    Dance like no-one is watching. Sing like no-one is listening. Love like you've never been hurt.
    Never refuse homemade brownies.
    Become the most positive and enthusiastic person you know.
    Make new friends but cherish the old ones.
    Look people in the eye.
    be there when people need you.
    Remember other people's birthdays.
    Strive for excellence, not for perfection.
    Send lots of Valentines Day cards and sign them "Someone who thinks you're terrific."
    Take responsibility for every area of your life.
    Leave everything a little better than you found it.
    Compliment three people everyday.
    Leave the toilet seat in the down position.
    Compliment even small improvements.
    Be the first to say hello.
    Floss your teeth.
    Keep it simple.
    Sing in the shower.
    Feed a stranger's expired parking meter.
    Return borrowed vehicles with the gas tank filled.
    Return all things you borrow.
    Watch a sunrise at least once a year.
    Keep secrets.
    Say "thank-you" a lot.
    Always accept an outstretched hand.
    Say "please" a lot.
    Don't be afraid to say "I made a mistake."
    Be forgiving of yourself and others.
    Commit yourself to constant improvement.
    Learn three clean jokes.
    Have a firm handshake.
    Avoid negative people.
    Ask for a raise when you feel you've earned it.
    Over tip breakfast waitresses.
    Rekindle old friendships.
    Marry only for love.
    Plant a tree on your birthday.
    Keep your promises (no matter what).
    Buy whatever kids are selling on card tables in their front yards.
    Never waste an opportunity to tell someone you love them.
    Live your life as an exclamation, not an explanation.
    Never underestimate the power of love.
    Drink champagne for no reason at all.
    Don't expect life to be fair.
    Stop blaming others.
    Wave at kids on school buses.
    Carry jumper cables in your trunk.
    Treat everyone you meet like you want to be treated.
    Have a dog.

Engage your audience

This is why people come to see you – to be entertained. To entertain means, obviously, to be entertaining.

Nothing is more engaging than eye contact – it’s a fundamental thing about people. It establishes sincerity, interest and trust. So next time you perform, pick someone in the audience and sing your song to them. Some examples:

  • Ask them, personally and sincerely, “Shall we Dance”? Make it feel like an actual invitation.
  • Look them in the eye and try to make them believe that no matter how badly you slipped up, “You Were Always on My Mind”.
  • In “Yesterday” you open your heart and your hurt and your longing – make them believe that you chose just them to share that with.
  • If it’s a happy song, put that smile on your face and that twinkle in your eye as you romp through “Mairi’s Wedding”.
  • Pick someone else for the next verse or the next song.

People are also attracted to movement. In the context of a choir, this takes some coordination. Individuals bopping about can be more distracting than enjoyable, so this is where it’s essential to follow your director’s instructions. All sway together, all clap together, all march together – whatever the song calls for.

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