Quiet

We are all a mix of extrovert and introvert, though you probably identify more as one or the other. Many choral conductors at least appear to be extroverts, judging by the way they spend their professional lives: “on” in front of students…”on” in front of concertgoers…”on” in lessons and personal interactions…always “on.” Even introverted choir teachers, like me, must learn to adopt an extroverted persona for the public.

So perhaps you need time, as I do, to nurture your introverted part. Summer is that time, and quiet is key.

Find time, regularly, for quiet in your day. Take advantage of your slightly-more-flexible schedule when school is out, and take walks (without headphones), meditate, read, or just get up before the rest of your family.

I’ve often said that these days are for building capacity you can use to sustain yourself during the daily intensity of the school year; part of that is nurturing your introvert now, so that it can remain content as you lean on your extrovert the rest of the year.