January: Which song will you sing this year?

January. The first month of the year. We’re still in the middle of winter, taking our first slightly hesitant steps into 2026. Every year, I feel that familiar pause. Everything is still open. And I find myself wondering: what will this icy month bring?

I always look forward to new surprises and fresh sources of inspiration. Not the loud ones, but the subtle ones that slowly unfold and linger.

One surprise, in particular, already has my full attention.

Last April, I joined a project choir. Together with seventy other singers, we are preparing for several performances starting mid-May. Every Saturday we rehearse, listening closely as sopranos, altos, baritones and basses gradually blend into one sound. Not overnight, but through practice, repetition, listening and perseverance. Even after months, there are moments that regularly give me goosebumps.

Working towards that first performance, hearing how individual voices become one whole, feels almost magical. It generates energy, energy I take with me.

After rehearsal, cycling home, I often catch myself thinking about the similarities with my work as a personal coach, high-performing team builder and workshop facilitator. Because what happens in that choir room isn’t just about singing. It touches something more fundamental, something that affects how we feel, connect and perform as human beings.

Which brings me to three questions:

  1. What does singing do to a person?

The voice is the most beautiful and personal instrument a person can play. Intimate, sensitive and powerful. Every voice is unique, just like every person.

Singing has several important aspects that I’d like to share. It reduces stress, produces the happiness hormone endorphin and helps improve your breathing. You train your muscles, improve your stamina and maintain good posture. Your brain is positively stimulated by new melodies. Plenty of reasons to sing.

  1. Why is singing together so valuable nowadays?

In this age of individualization, singing together is a pleasant way to create a sense of community and connection. Together, you create something special in an artistic area. You unconsciously develop social skills, and as a group, you’re jointly responsible for ensuring the song sounds beautiful. It’s always magical to experience the emotions that making music evokes.

I recently attended a concert by Trijntje Oosterhuis, Tribute to Stevie Wonder. The audience sang along to several songs, which was really cool and connected us as people for a moment. I went home feeling very good.

  1. Can singing as a skill be learned?

It’s important to understand that singing isn’t only an innate talent. Singing is a skill you can learn and develop through training and practice, perhaps under the guidance of a singing teacher.

So there’s no excuse not to sing. Singing is timeless; you can learn to sing even later in life. The benefits of singing apply to everyone. And of course, the rule “learned young, done old” applies here as well. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF IT!

I also share the above wisdom (un)consciously when I’m coaching people. In short, it boils down to the following:

  1. Listen to your inner voice. It never lies and often knows what your mind doesn’t yet know. Trust this inner voice. It refers to feeling rather than thinking. It is the source of your norms and values, which makes you feel comfortable.
  2. Collaboration means co-creation. Every voice matters when contributing to a goal you cannot achieve alone. This requires alignment and taking responsibility, even for topics that don’t always energize you. Strong results are only achieved when people act as one (high-performing) team.
  3. Everyone possesses talents in which they excel. Excellence rarely comes naturally; it develops through effort, patience and perseverance. The same applies to learning a new skill. The skills that help you move forward, perform effectively, and ultimately reach your goal.

Whether it’s about singing, learning to present yourself more confidently, or successfully completing a team project, I’ll help you navigate this journey with self-awareness and reflection.

And now, my questions to you:

  1. Will you add your voice to the song in 2026?
  2. What kind of song could we create together in 2026?
  3. What might change if you truly let your voice be heard this year?