July 12
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We live in an age characterized by people seeking out ease and comfort. Probably more so than any other age mankind has ever known.
Because it's easy and it's everywhere. And our primitive brain loves it.
Whether it's Netflix, junk food, or even entertaining ads. There's always something close by that will bring you ease, comfort, and pleasure quickly.
But, it's seeking out discomfort that makes us stronger.
Our lizard brain, our amygdala, yearns for the safety and pleasure of easy comfort. But ironically, allowing this to take over ends up being our undoing.
Because then we don't improve our skills. We don't discover new things. We don't dare to fail.
Seek out discomfort. Encourage your kids to seek out discomfort as well (reasonable discomfort, of course). It's a practice. And the easiest way to avoid the temptations of ease and comfort is to remove the distractions and temptations from the practice environment.
Turn notifications off. Leave the computer in the other room. Enjoy the silence.
By leaning into discomfort, we build our skills to a point where we can enjoy the ease of being able to perform at a higher level.
And in a twist of double irony, this is where safety and security truly lie.
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For parents, students, and anyone else who believes that music can and should be a meaningful part of everyone's life.
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