Social media is unpaid work. Remember that we can all be empowered in our own choices about how we interact with our life, and especially in our enjoyment of the passage of time.

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.

Much like practicing our instruments, practicing mindfulness can seem slow to progress and sometimes tedious, but the growth is always available to you if you are willing to stick with the practice.

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?

“The more firmly you believe it ought to be possible to find time for everything, the less pressure you’ll feel to ask whether any given activity is the best use of a portion of your time.”

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.

The most valuable thing we have to gain is the ability to see ourselves as musicians with more perspective and balance.

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.

It’s not bad to feel nervous or concerned - what matters is my ability to flip the focus around to the right things. To allow the emotions to come up and pass away because they are just emotions - not facts.

It is good to remember that there is meaning whether we reach one person or a thousand, or maybe we only reach ourselves.

Maybe that’s the answer after all. To be here. To hold space. To make room for my students.

We don’t move forward by simply reading or watching how someone else has done it. We have to feel our way through. Only by building on our own experiences do we continue to step forward.

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.

So, here’s to living with spirit in 2022. And, a little encouragement to choose a word for yourself.