It can happen to any musician: that inner voice in the back of your head when you are playing music that chooses to fixate on any mistake you make. This internal dialogue can go over and over in the back of your mind telling you that everyone is laughing at you or that you aren’t good enough.
This negative inner dialogue can bring on, or intensify, feelings of anxiety and stage fright that may even cause you to make more mistakes. In other instances, it can create a general sense of indifference toward a performance — preventing you from focusing the best you can to put on the best show you can. It’s a vicious cycle that can discourage many musicians. Wouldn’t you like to overcome this nagging, pessimistic voice and replace it with a positive one?
Mindfulness is an ancient concept, finding its roots in Buddhism. However, its practice has recently become popular in recognition of its mental and physical benefits. And as a musician, your ability to handle mistakes and keep going with confidence is essential.
To avoid the possibility of being discouraged to the point of quitting, let’s take a look at what mindfulness is, how it can elevate your music, and some various ways to keep your mind nice and balanced.
What is Mindfulness?
Any musician can benefit from practising mindfulness. Whether beginner or professional, practising in your room or playing on stage, no musician is above the benefits of exercising mindful techniques. HealthyWay captures the essence of mindfulness, stating that,
“Mindfulness is at play when one consciously attempts to attend to what’s happening both internally and externally and in the space, one is moving through. This may sound like an oversimplification, but take a second to think about the millions of directions your thoughts are pulled in throughout any given day and what it means to really focus on our present state and the space you’re currently in.”
When we focus on the present state, we are better equipped to balance our mental states of emotion, stress, and anxiety. Additionally, we are not dwelling on the past — often adverse situations or feelings — and can focus on what is in front of us. Mindfulness can help ease the stress created by your job, aid in substance abuse issues, and much more. But how can it help a musician?
How Mindfulness Can Help Your Music
As noted above, mindfulness is focusing on the present state, and not dwelling on past or future worries. Being able to handle, process, and let go of this negative inner dialogue is imperative for a musician. Not only when performing but when practising as well.
Many would-be musicians quit an instrument because they get discouraged. Thoughts can pop into, and stay, in your head when you are practising that you aren’t good enough, you won’t be able to play like one of the greats, etc. Turn these thoughts into what you can do in the present — ask the questions of how you can get better, and focusing on doing so, to give you the spark you need to continue forward.
Although, an experienced musician can benefit from mindfulness as well. For example, imagine that you were playing a show on stage. No one is perfect, and mistakes are just a part of playing music. It can throw your focus and confidence off if, when you do make a mistake, you dwell on it and think that everyone now thinks you aren’t good enough to be on the stage. Being able to blow right past the mistake, knowing there’s nothing you can do about it now, and shrugging it off will get you confident and back in the zone in no time.
Mindfulness will also get easier over time the more you practice. Maryville University, when examining how successful people unplug, encourages the investment of time to practice mindfulness for the payoff of becoming more focused in the long run, stating “allowing for mindfulness can help busy professionals achieve better focus and greater purpose later on.” With time, you’ll notice that you will be more relaxed when taking the stage, or more willing to make a mistake when practising to push yourself. This confidence is not only true with music but in life altogether.
Practising Mindfulness
Mindfulness is closely associated with meditation, but you don’t have to be a Buddhist monk to practice. Breathing exercises, mindful listening, walking meditation, and practising mindfulness while you are waiting are all great times to balance your mind.
The fundamental concept is to try to clear your mind. Let every thought your racing mind has come and go, and get better at not following those thoughts. For example, when practising breathing exercises, focus on your breathing (the present) instead of each idea that comes to your mind. You will find yourself chasing these thoughts, but with practice, you’ll become more and more able to let them go — growing more mindful.
You can also practice mindfulness in the way you treat your body. After all, your brain is affected by what you put into your body. Mindful eating — watching your proportions, eating healthier, and not eating in front of a TV (focusing on the present) — will see that you feel better. And when your body feels better, your mental state will get a boost as well.
Other things to be mindful of that can take a toll on your body include alcohol and drugs. Your body can suffer from excessive amounts of drugs and/or alcohol, and therefore your mental health. However, if you struggle with drugs and alcohol, practising mindfulness can help.
Mindfulness can help with many mental issues, and a better general outlook on life. Since music is largely psychological — creatively driven, the anxiety of playing well, focusing your energy, etc. — it may help you to start practising some mindfulness techniques today. As a musician, you’ll want to make sure you can play the best you can, and practising mindfulness can keep you consistently confident and in the right frame of mind for practice or performance.
Courtesy of Desmond Rhodes
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