Discovering I could sing, was the best thing that ever happened to me. Now I say: ‘There was a time before I sang, and a time after’. Singing changed everything, because it enabled me to reconnect with my feeling, which I had blocked since entering secondary school. I was holed up in my head. Singing songs by Schubert and Mahler I sometimes broke into tears during a lesson, the song triggering emotions that were hidden for a long, long time. Other times it filled me with rage, realizing my life was in ruins.

If you feel the need for a change in your life, I highly recommend to start making music. Before taking singing lessons, I took trumpet lessons, which was an eye opener in itself. Making music is one of the best things you can do, because it is a direct expression of feelings. Because music is often an enjoyable activity, it can activate the release of endorphins, which creates a general feeling of well-being.

Now I constantly sing, walking down the stairs in my house, because of the great acoustics, doing the dishes, walking through the park, rehearsing Schubert's Winterreise, even when improving my football skills playing keepy uppy in the park - multitasking with my two passions.