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

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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