Wellness for Musicians

Grasshopper pose💪🦗

Keeping the child-like curiosity and playfulness on the mat🧘🏻‍♀️👶🏻

That feeling of anxiety whenever you think about “practicing” music - as well as resistance, reluctance, and obsession - we call it “practice anxiety.”

It’s that feeling of guilt and shame when you keep avoiding to practice. Or even when you do practice, you feel like you should do more. In rare cases, you spend most of your day practicing, and you decide on other activities by asking “is it worth giving up my practice time for?”

These are often the result of the belief that we “should” practice as much as possible. Even if we don’t consciously believe that, so many of us subconsciously do, because we are taught to think this way for so long.

I’m the same. I’d procrastinate so hard, I would stay up all night before lessons. I once finished memorizing a piece a day before a competition. I’d hate myself and call myself all sorts of names.

But the hardest part was, I thought I was the only one struggling with this. I always lied about how much I practiced, ever since I was 8. I had carried this toxic feeling around practicing for so long and on my own.

You see, practicing music is a very lonely activity, with no apparent reward - just the shame for not doing it. We are expected to find our passion and desire as fuels to keep us at it for 3 - 5 hours, day in and day out, for decades. Then you go to lessons and you get grilled for not being good enough. No wonder why most musicians have deep wounds that need healing.

We need this old and limiting belief system to be the thing of the PAST. No, you are NOT alone. And we should not be fighting this alone now. It’s hard enough to combat practice anxiety, but these days we are also dealing with other issues, like decision fatigue, lack of routine, news worn-out, social media/games that are supposed to keep you engaged for hours, etc - we need all the support we can get.

This is why I hope you give virtual practice rooms a try, and experience the power of accountability. An hour of uninterrupted, focused, and productive practice can simply be achieved by just showing up at a given meeting time. This has personally been the best thing I’ve ever done to combat my practice anxiety🙏

Check out the virtual practice rooms schedule and show up to meetings from here!
https://peacefulmusicians.wixsite.com/peacefulmusicians/blank-page

I admit, I used to wake up at 11am.

Laying in bed, thinking about the day ahead, and projecting all the stuff that have to happen in order for the day to be a “good day” is overwhelming.
Keeping my eyes on the goal, but then I look down for a second and I realize I’m still in bed. A list of all the things in between my current reality and my goal quickly shows itself up in my head, which keeps me in bed for longer.

So I try to do just one thing.
Get up. Check.
Walk. Check.
Brush teeth. Check.
Make coffee. Check.
I try not to wonder if I should be doing the thing I am already doing. That is my brain trying to keep me in the state of inaction, comfort of my bed.

But practicing was still hard.
Every time I think about practicing, I start thinking: how long do I practice? When? What for? What else I should rather do first,,, etc, etc.

Well, I just had the first day of virtual practice yesterday, and I had the most productive practice session since I left school TWO YEARS AGO.
I just logged in, and started practicing. I just did ONE thing at a time.
It’s so simple. But it works!
The amount of motivation and focus I gain from simply SEEING others practicing at the same time is REAL.

I will be practicing at 10am CDT today, tomorrow, and Thursday this week, so join me if you can!
See the schedule here to get the ZOOM link!
https://peacefulmusicians.wixsite.com/peacefulmusicians/blank-page

Is it difficult for you to find the motivation to practice? Do you miss the feeling of seeing others practicing around you? Do you wish you had a way to be accountable for a certain amount of practice every week? (I do😭!!!!)

Come practice with me and others on ZOOM!!🙋🏻‍♀️

Along with my amazing colleagues and Amanda Leger-Harewood, Peaceful Musicians team is launching a new and exciting online gathering: virtual practice rooms!

It’s easy:
🔹Go to the virtual practice rooms schedule here: https://peacefulmusicians.wixsite.com/peacefulmusicians/blank-page
🔹Find the time slot that works for you, and click to get the Zoom link. No need to sign up!
🔹Then just show up, and practice with people from around the country who face similar struggles!
🔹All level and all discipline are welcome!

We are offering a free trial of our virtual practice rooms for two weeks beginning tomorrow (August 24th), and you can come to as many times as you’d like!

Follow the link in my bio to find out more about how it works.
Let’s be each other’s practice buddy🙌

Go out there and enjoy the weekend, but wear a mask and stay safe🙌

I’m obsessed with my complete matching outfit from 😍😍😍 Her masks are so stretchy and comfortable - I sometimes forget to take it off after I get home from grocery shopping😂

Happy Friday everyone💕

“Slow and steady progress↗️” - that would be nice, wouldn’t it?😂 In reality though, progress is not linear, and often looks more chaotic like tangled cables🧶🤦🏻‍♀️

In every journey, every path, you will go through a phase of regression. You may be facing obstacles and disapproval. You may be feeling uninspired, stuck, or frustrated at your current state. You may be forced to put your project on the backburner while figuring out other parts of your life.

But it is still a part of progress, part of a journey that cannot be avoided or skipped. So trust that you will get through this. Keep your eyes on your goal, and don't beat yourself up if you don't see any tangible improvement. Everything you're going through right now can someday be your advantage, even if you don't see it.

And someday when you breakthrough, you will shoot forward so fast like a slingshot, because of you persevered through the discomfort of "going backward.”🏃‍♀️

No it’s not those “take a break from your practice and stretch!” post. (though that’s important!)

What I wanna say is this: “spend sometime with your instrument.” Even if you don’t feel like playing your instrument today.

Don’t think about what you’d do with the instrument, or how long you’re going to be with the instrument. You can only do one thing at a time, only one action at a time.
So choose; “Just Be with Your Instrument.”

Go open up the case. Pick it up. Sit on the bench. Put the phone away. Don’t think about “then what?” just yet. Move to your instrument first, and let your body guide you next.
Maybe you want to stretch next to your instrument. Maybe you just stare at your instrument - marveling the beautiful work of art. Maybe you want to play that old piece that made your heart full when you were 10.
The goal is not about eventually turning to practice here. I like to do this because it’s a good way to get out of my head and get into my body, and consciously and subconsciously welcoming my instrument into my life in a more positive and gentle way.

If you love music, but somehow you resist your instrument, I’m exactly the same way. I’m always working on taking down that resistance, too.

Try this today and share with me what you thought🥰

I wish I heard this 15 years ago. Or 10. Or 5. Or even last year.

Finding a motivation to practice was always difficult for me. I had times in my life when I practiced 6 to 8 hours a day, but it came with great price. I also always needed the next thing on my calendar to practice consistently - competitions, recitals, auditions, etc. So when summer rolls around, I get depressed that I don’t have the drive to practice anymore. Right around this time in August, I used to start panicking and cramming. Who can relate to this RIGHT NOW?🙋🏻‍♀️

I used to compare myself with other musicians who make it normal to practice 8 to 10 hours a day. I used to shame myself that I couldn’t do that. Then I used to tell myself that life is more than just practicing. Then again I would envy that those people miraculously have this self-discipline to stay in practice room for that long. Then I would tell myself “there is no way they are practicing efficiently.” I both demonized the idea of practicing long hours, and then worshipped it at the same time. You see how twisted this is? But I know I’m not alone.

It got worse when I graduated from my doctorate program. I went from practicing at least 2 to 4 hours a day, to none, for a long time. I would try to practice here and there, but just couldn’t make it consistent. I started to ask myself “Why am I like this? Where is my motivation? Why is doing other things so much easier but the very thing I’m supposed to love - I am not able to do? Do I not love music enough? Am I not meant to be a musician?”

It wasn’t until my Peaceful Musicians teammate Amanda Leger-Harewood put it so well in the course - how this idea of thinking that love based motivation, in other words intrinsic motivation, is superior than the extrinsic motivation, can actually DIMINISH the intrinsic motivation. She says;
“Motivation is actually really complex and so much more goes into it than simple desire. I love music with my whole heart — it is part of my innermost being — but discipline lives in an entirely different part of my brain. Then/Therefor saying that I would practice if I just loved music enough is not only INACCURATE but also somewhat DESTRUCTIVE.”

In that course, I learned that the very person I was always envious of for being so disciplined and having so much willpower to practice, also struggled with practice anxiety. Another says “me too” - then another, then another. How did I not know that I wasn’t the only one!?? How is it that we ALL spend our dark days alone, feeling ashamed, not being able to confront that we need help to do the very thing we love most?
The LACK of motivation should NOT make you question whether you truly love it or not.

And there are many ways we can improve our motivations, that are studied, proven, and practiced. Amanda does this so well. “For me, motivation means hacking my brain to find tactics that work, not increasing my desire to do music.” One of the most effective way is to have a partnership or accountability group. This is why practice rooms, studio classes and lessons are so good at keeping everyone motivated during the semester. But with the global pandemic, it is really hard to find the kind of support group, or healthy extrinsic motivations.

That is why the Peaceful Musicians team is currently working on a new idea, called “virtual practice rooms”! Stay tuned for an official announcement!!

“Compare yourself to who you were yesterday, not to who someone else is today.” - Jordan Peterson

We are all on our own paths and places💕

The most important thing in pretty much everything? Balance. But you need strength and flexibility to achieve the balance.

🔹We are looking for at least 4 more people to register for our online course “Peaceful Musicians” by FRIDAY!
🔹There’s a scholarship option available. Message me for details!
🔹If you can’t join this round, help us reach this goal by sharing and spreading the words about the course to some of your musician friends🙏
Here’s the course description. Swipe➡️ to see workbook sample pages📖
Registration link in bio🔗

We have put all we can into our 4 week program “Peaceful Musicians”🙆🏻‍♀️
Everything we know that work to elevate musicians from feeling anxious and weary, and be on the path to finding/keeping motivation👍✨
We had an amazing first round a few weeks ago, so I wanted to share some voices here!!
Here is the link to register🔗
https://www.cognitoforms.com/PeacefulMusicians/PeacefulMusiciansRegistration

A few days ago, while leading a Yoga session, my student mentioned that she’s starting to gain her flexibility, and now she can “do” the downward facing dog🙌
This reminded me that, I too, used to struggle to get into most of the asanas. Even downward facing dog used to be difficult. I lacked flexibility in legs and hips, and had very little awareness of my body to get into an alignment. I used to get nervous when the teacher came around the room to correct postures - I knew I wasn’t doing it right . Can you relate?😅
I am forever learning and growing. I’m SO grateful for friends and family who help me teach them better. They have different body types and shapes, and they express freely what works for their bodies.
The perfect example is my husband. He has a muscular body that is big and tight. His forward bend used to stop at 90 degrees, and his Yogi squat was a high chair pose😅
But since he started to practice Yoga with me, and on his own, his body has changed SO much. It is incredible to see the progress, and inspires me to grow even more!!🌳✨
I hope every downward facing dog is a reminder to me today and always. “I am growing. I have come a long way. And I have yet so much to grow, and that is AMAZING.”

New week. New day. New project. New challenges. New opportunities.
Remain open to all of them without judging which is good or bad.

Does it hurt? Yes. Is it uncomfortable? Yes. But is it bearable? Yes. Do you need it? Yes...!

“How to get a yoga body: Have a body, do yoga.”🧘🏻‍♀️

I had an incredible week of teaching “Peaceful Musicians: 5 Day Challenge” with Amanda Rice and Amanda Leger-Harewood. We created this special course with the hope to help and empower musicians during the Covid-19 crisis. I can’t believe we began our journey in early March - I’m so so grateful to be able to work alongside such like-minded, compassionate, and skillful teammates!!🧠💪💖
We were absolutely fortunate to be invited to lead this course as guest lecturers at The University of Arizona Fred Fox School of Music. Special thanks to Dr. Fanya Lin for making this a reality and for trusting in us🙏
Heartfelt thanks to all the wonderful souls who participated, and were ready to absorb everything we were teaching🧘🏻‍♀️💓
We plan on offering another course like this in just coming weeks, so stay tuned!!

Opening my heart to feel and receive all the goodness in life💓

It was just last week when I was showing a photo of Guruji Yogi Hari's doing peacock pose to my Yogini sister Anna Kirsti. She asked me “can you do this pose?” to that I immediately responded “Me? Never!! I don’t think it’s possible for me to come even close to anything like this anytime!!”
In the past few months I tried many times, but my lower body would not lift up a single inch. So I had given up🤷🏻‍♀️ I just didn’t understand how it could even be possible - not for me, I thought.
Well, with careful instructions and modifications, I managed to come to peacock pose variations for the first time today. I didn’t realize how much my daily Yoga practice has been helping me gain the arm and back muscle, until I try something new like this.
The bottom line is this. Continue your work. Yoga, meditation, exercise, stretch, breath work, practice, act of kindness, journaling, drawing, studying - whatever that you are working on. Do it today, do it tomorrow, do it next week too. 5min or 10min or 30min - it doesn’t matter how long, but don’t quit. Even if you don’t see any progress or result, the resilience is the key. When you continue your work, one day you just might breakthrough, and that day may be surprisingly closer than you think🤔

Happy earth day!!🌍🌳

Watch TV like this anyone??📺💪
My tailbone sticks out so boat pose and sit-ups are very painful and uncomfortable for me. If you have the same problem, try this modification which also intensify the pose!!🚣🏻‍♀️

“85 Percent of What We Worry About Never Happens” - Don Joseph Goewey

I’m constantly worried about something. About the future mostly - about my career, my health, my loved ones, my country, and of course, the virus and its effect on human kind😵 Many of us are wired to worry!🧠
Not all worries, however, are helpful, productive, nor even real. Spending too much time worrying can increase the stress level. I know that very well, but I can’t help it🤷🏻‍♀️
Among many techniques to reduce the time we spend worrying too much, I find THIS method especially helpful and easy!
1️⃣ Schedule “worry time”, no more than 20min, ideally avoiding the night time.
2️⃣ Throughout the day, whenever worrying thoughts come to your mind, write that down on a paper, and move on with your day.
3️⃣ During the “worry time”, give yourself a FULL permission to worry about things listed on the paper. You can worry productively by coming up with solutions, or you can just, worry! All you want! Guilt-free!
It’s a cognitive-behavioral therapy method used to improve mental health. I hope you give it a try!
Wishing you all healthy body and mind❤️🙏

You don’t need fancy Yoga pants to do Yoga. Most days I just do in my PJs👌
Usually a thought of having to change my clothes just to workout is an enough friction to stop me😅 But all I need is to roll out the mat (which you don’t even need honestly!) and I just start by downward facing dog. My body leads me from there😌
Happy everyone!!🧘🏻‍♀️

In less than 12 min, you can enjoy the performance given by Yi Chun Lin on Violin and myself on Piano, and Yoga flow alongside the music!

Yoga Flow with the Music There's so much tension in our body day in and day out. Let's embrace the little imbalances in our body and work with it. :) _____________________________ Dr...

When you step outside, the couch, the TV, the computer screen, and all the things in the house seem distant, small, and trivial. I love looking at my window from the outside. I think, “wow, strange, I live in that tiny space?” I’m reminded that where I live is just a small part of this world 🌎
It’s good to restore a perspective like this, because when you spend too many days inside the familiar but limited space (like me), you start to feel like that’s all there is to the world. It’s a slow burn, so I like to vary my activities and shake things up a little bit! I, for one, plan on going for a long nature walk alone while listening to an audiobook once a week🚶🏻‍♀️🎧
What do you do to feel “free” in the time as this??