Don’t wait til the new year to recommit yourself to your goals. People all over the world make the mistake of waiting until January 1 to renew commitments to lose weight, eat healthier, drink less, quit smoking, work better and relax more. I say, renew your goals often! Now is always a great time to get into some better routines with your piano playing, or anything else! Here are 5 easy ways to recommit to your piano lesson goals.
1. Practice for at least 10 minutes, at least 3 times a week. Can 10 minutes do that trick? Absolutely! Especially when it’s daily. However, if you aim for 3 times a week you’re more likely to hit the mark, and anything additional practice you do is a bonus! ~smile~
2. Play your favorite song, at least 3 times a week. Sometimes we forget that piano playing is supposed to be fun. We may hold off on what we love to play or what comes easier, because we’re so focused on what we still want to improve. Don’t forget to give yourself the gift of playing what YOU love. Students tend to forget about their past learned songs…don’t be one of those students!
3. Perform a song for a friend or loved one, at least once a month. If distance or busy schedules are an issue, just call the person on the phone and invite them to listen through the receiver while you play the music across the miles! I have two students who are sisters, one lives in New Zealand and the other lives in Australia. They both take online piano lessons and they call each other weekly to compare what they are learning!
4. Record yourself playing and listen back, at least once a month. Evaluate objectively and make a note of things you would like to improve. You will be amazed at how well you sound, and if you keep your past recordings, you can look back one day to see how far you progress!
5. Sing along with your playing, at least once a week. If you’re shy about singing, wait until no one is home. Singing along increases your awareness of how well you are playing the rhythm!
Piano Lessons has a tendency to get a little boring at times, so changing up your routine often is an excellent way to shake up your routine and give yourself the boost you need to keep going forward.
Don’t forget to remember the reason why you started piano lessons and re-visit those feelings of excitement when you first told yourself that you wanted to learn to play the piano. Is that familiar feeling? Hold that thought and go ahead and start today with a new attitude and new routine – you can do it!
