The Rich Braid of Emotions in Playing

Emotions play a huge part in practice routines and performing.  Hopes, dreams, successes, as well as disappointments, influence our approach to learning and mastery.

I have been digging Marc Brackett, Ph.D.’s book, Permission To Feel.  Reading it has led me to reflect on the feelings that came with my own experiences.  My journey through school, auditions, teaching, performing and questioning if taking a chance was the right thing to do was often defined by my fear of rejection and failure, and insecurities.  In these moments, I didn’t give myself “permission to feel” my love of music, the joy of playing, the excitement of collaboration that was also part of the experiences.  In his book, Brackett gives us permission to feel the rich braid of emotion that encompasses every moment.

Today, acknowledge your emotions as you prepare to play.  What do you love?  What scares you?  What does it feel like to create a resonant sound? What frustrates you? And of course, what is new? What changes do you experience?

It’s OKAY if your initial thoughts fall in the negative realm.  Yup, they are part of the moment.  But what else lies in this experience?  

I love the inside cover of Brackett’s book, laying out a range of emotions on a scale of pleasant to unpleasant and low to high energy.  Naming your emotions will not only empower the positive ones443 but disempower the negative ones!

Be curious!