Thoughtful Refresh Series: Check In 1. How it’s going, what I’m noticing, where I started…

If you follow along with me on Instagram or The B-List newsletter, you know that my big personal project for the summer is working on my routines.

But there is an even bigger part of our lives as performers that the iceberg can represent, and that includes our approach to daily life outside of making music. Routines of all types, planning ahead, reflecting on what’s behind us…tending.

Our culture has a do-it-all-all-the-time mentality, and musicians embrace the high octane version. The great challenge of managing doing remains that we spend so many years doing so much to the point where we begin to choose and exercise discernment around our time we can end up feeling so guilty it’s paralyzing. It helps to think of moderation and to clearly label what value and necessity activities hold.

Our lifetimes are long, and it’s absolutely worth the effort it takes to address the things that make us feel anxious. Because it’s so acceptable to discuss stress and anxiety now, there is also a comfort in relating to everyone having it rather than taking the sometimes tedious and mundane steps toward overcoming what stands in our way.

A warm up is the signal to your body and mind that it’s time to wake up and do what you have trained to do.  

The answer is the opposite of a hack. An anti-hack if you will. It lies in perspective.

How do you create space to flow in your daily tasks?

Hang in there. Stay in the present. A new season is always around the corner.

What are the ways you could explore your unique interests and skills to connect with others?

Our culture pushes make-your-own schedules, self-employment, and autonomy as the ultimate freedoms, but we’re missing the mark thinking that everything should be unbound. Healthy structures help us achieve our goals and enjoy the time we spend in work and activities.

Being a musician who plays with good intonation looks a lot like being a human who plays well with others - both require us to learn to trust ourself and our ears fully but not blindly.

Have a clear intention for your actions and keep looking close to avoid getting caught up in generalities.

What better way could there be to grow as a musician than to learn to mindfully teach ourself?

At first it can feel like a far stretch to combine the chakras with an aspect of musical performance like tonal resonance. As we grow our understanding that the body and mind are always intertwined, we close the gap between thinking of them as two separate entities and open up new resources for ourself as musicians.

Prioritizing these small pockets of joy works because it is when we allow our brain to take a break that it really gets to work. As we rest and relax the brain codifies information, correlates the things we have learned, and rejuvenates itself.

If you’re feeling stuck right now, this blog is a little nudge to take a step forward, even if it’s a small one. Momentum creates momentum.

The next time you catch yourself reaching, take a mental step back. Assess the situation, be “on you” and try focusing on the outcome instead of the effort. It’s ok if you miss.

Once I figured out that it was me in the way, and how I was slowing myself down, it got easier to make better choices.

The goal is not to escape, but rather to help yourself find a way to be in the present moment with a clear head.

Education is built upon a series of agreements from everyone involved.