Taking on a new challenge can invigorate your soul, bring life back to your bones, and keep your mind sharp. Tap into your intuition to discover which challenges are right for you. Once you’ve started toward your goal, you might discover a renewed sense of joy, excitement, confidence, determination, and enthusiasm.
Sometimes a Challenge Is What We Need.
Last week, a student came to me requesting more difficult music. Their studies had been going well, yet I sensed less enthusiasm from this student than I once received from them.
As a teacher, when I see this shift in a student’s attitude, I begin to get curious. Is their music too hard, too easy, or not to the student’s liking? Has the student lost interest in playing the piano? Or are they struggling to find practice time? Is home, school, or work life challenging right now?
As I seek to find the answers to these questions I often intuitively find the path forward for each student.
In this case, as I brought my curiosities to the student, they were able to articulate their need for more challenging music.
So, I gave it to them.
As I played the new repertoire for the first time for the student, their eyes lit up with renewed joy and excitement.
Eureka!!
Tackling the Challenge Together
We began to work through the first few measures together, learning first a new time signature, then noting that both hands start in the treble clef. We moved on to sight-reading the right hand alone, observing the skips interspersed with the steps. Finally, we looked at the left hand and began to analyze the harmonies.
By the end of the lesson, the student sat a little taller and seemed energized to face the task before them in the coming weeks to learn this challenging piece of music.
Challenges as Fuel for the Brain (And for Life)
Often we need that extra challenge in life. We become bored with the status quo and desire and almost yearn for a task that pushes us to our max and out of our comfort zone. This is true not only in music but in all areas of life.
It is said that the only constant in life is change. It’s as if our brains crave it and need it. The challenges born of life's changes, both natural and sought after, keep us growing, learning, energized, and engaged in life.
Isn’t where the true joy in life can be found? – In learning, growing, and connecting to the work exterior to us while also connecting deeper to ourselves?
This challenge is what this student required. By connecting with themselves, they knew they needed a greater musical challenge.
Just like for this student, taking on a new challenge of any kind can invigorate your soul, bring life back to your bones, and keep your mind sharp.
Tap into your intuition to discover what kind of challenges are right for you. Once you’ve started toward your goal, you might discover renewed joy, excitement, confidence, determination, and enthusiasm.
Food for Thought:
What is one way you can challenge yourself this week?
Envision how it will feel to challenge your brain, to learn a new skill, and to enrich your life in a new way? Can you see it and feel it?
Set that goal, make a commitment to yourself, and start taking steps toward that goal. After you've done so, ask yourself how it feels to try something new.
I encourage you... Take the risk. Challenge yourself. Discover something new, feel renewed, refreshed, and accomplished!
Could you, or someone you know, benefit from the challenge of learning the piano?
I delight in sharing my love for music with students of all ages and abilities through remote piano lessons. I can help you reach your musical goals with challenges within your reach but just outside your comfort zone. Take that first step today and Book a Call today!
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