Holidays can be challenging when it comes to practice. Whether you’re busy with shopping, socializing, traveling, hosting, or just generally distracted by the commotion of the season, it can be hard to carve out focused time with your guitar.
Changes in routine are part of the appeal of the season, but knowing that doesn’t make navigating the chaos any easier. One thing we can be sure of, though: things go better when we don’t get waylaid by frustration or guilt about guitar practice (or anything else!).
In considering this, I thought about my “Eat, Sleep, Play” saying, and realized that regardless of the various disruptions we encounter in our worlds, we usually manage some way to eat and sleep. We may eat different foods than usual or have meals at different times and our sleep may be more or less cramped or on a different schedule, but we still get it all in. So, if we get the eat and sleep parts, why does it need to be different with play?
Maybe I need to explain “Eat, Sleep, Play”
Many years ago, I was inspired by my animals to create a T-shirt that reflected their lifestyle and philosophy: Eat, Sleep, Play. A student who was a big fan of my wise assistant, Sadie, took this picture of us teaching together. Sadie and her three amazing siblings no longer reside in the physical world, but their wisdom lives on in my mind…and on my shirt.
Those four fabulous felines lived long, healthy, and happy lives and it was hard to see them go. But then in the spring, Alfie and Annie arrived to heal my heart and carry on the teachings! They remind me daily of the most important activities in life—with an emphasis on the play part!
Here are some of the things they tell me about playing during the holidays.
Melt into your environment. If you are liquid enough and can find a way to relax in a new location, you might discover you can actually play in some less than ideal places. Be on the lookout for little cubby holes where you can escape with your guitar. And, if all else fails (and if there’s no music playing), you can sit pretty much anywhere, close your eyes, and play in your head!
Give a little on your private, super-productive time and settle for what you can realistically manage. You don’t have to give up your structured work altogether, but accept that you may not make a lot of progress for a week or two. And, when you return to your discipline (you will return—I’ll help with that!), you may just find that you’re better for the break!
Surrender to hearing—or maybe even playing—music that may not be to your taste. It’s only once a year. If you don’t love the music your friends or relatives love, try being creative with it as a way of engaging. Reharmonize it, improvise with it, give it a reggae beat or a jazz feel, or update the lyrics to express what’s in your own heart. It’s fun!
Entertain the people who are tugging at your guitar time. You can do it! You have a guitar and opposable thumbs!
May your life be filled with peace, love, laughter, and music during the holidays and every day of the year!
Want to wear my motto? “Eat, Sleep, Play” T-shirts are now ½ price with the coupon code t-shirt4half .
