Finding Your Own Rhythm

Trusting the voice within

I recently went to a rock concert where groups of kids aged 7-15 performed songs they'd been practicing as a ‘rock band’ over the past few months. 

I will never forget this.

The vocalist, a girl about 8 years old, stood on stage facing a small audience of 50 parents and other kid performers. Throughout the 10-minute performance, however, she kept turning her head backward, looking at her instructor who stood behind her playing guitar.

The girl had a beautiful voice. But, she wouldn’t sing a word unless she saw her instructor nod or mouth the next word in the lyric, encouraging her to go on. 

That 10-minute performance was etched deeply in my mind. 

I wonder if the girl knew the lyrics? She seemed to, as she sang the right words once her instructor mouthed the same phrases. 

Despite knowing all or most of the words, she was unsure and afraid to proceed on her own.

Even after practicing the songs over the last few months, she wasn’t able to trust her own instinct and judgment of when to start singing while listening to the melody. 

As a result, she became completely reliant on her instructor, looking outward for guidance and validation. 

…

I empathize with the little girl, likely scared to perform her first rock show in front of an audience.

It is scary being in the spotlight, and even scarier to ‘fail’ by singing the wrong words or starting at the wrong time. 

The thought, ‘What if I mess up?’ was likely front and center for the 8-year-old. Looking at her instructor probably felt safer—no need to worry about mistakes, though at the cost of trusting her own instincts.   

…

Walking out of the concert, the sight of a young girl singing while turning her head backwards stayed with me.

I can’t help but wonder how often we act like that young girl—unsure of ourselves, looking outward for cues, nods of approval, or validation. It’s understandable. Society often teaches us that others know best, whether it's teachers, bosses, or other experts. 

For instance, straight A’s tell us we’re smart, a promotion means we’re valued at work, and a big house or million-dollar paycheck signals success.

We become so accustomed to relying on these 'instructors' that we lose sight of our own inner rhythm.

But what if, like that little girl, we already know the words to our own song? What if deep down, we have the wisdom to follow our own melody without waiting for someone else to tell us when to start?

The truth is, we often do know—if only we would pause, turn inward, and trust the voice that’s been quietly guiding us all along. That inner voice, our intuition, already knows the beat of our own drum.

We just need to listen.

Where in your life are you relying on external validation instead of trusting your own inner voice?