A Place Where You Can Just Let Go…

I can’t believe it’s been seven years since I got my current job in Birmingham. I was fresh out of college having had only two months between my final recital and the start of my job and frankly I just couldn’t believe my luck. Those two months between my finishing college and coming to England were perhaps the most blissful summer that I can remember. I was in for a rude awakening though.

I PLACE WHERE YOU CAN LET GO…

You see, before I moved to England, I had a very steady routine of going to yoga five to six days a week. I was very much aware of the physical benefits, how much it was helping with back pain from playing the flute. And apart from the fact that I generally felt great afterward, it was also a kind of sanctuary for me. A place where I could just let go. There was more to it though that I wasn’t quite aware of at the time.

DON’T DO IT!

Fast forward to my move to Birmingham. Starting my new job I had a look at all the programs that were coming my way, all of the pieces I’ve never done and had to learn and decided I would “save time” by not finding a new yoga studio to go to just yet. This is probably the moment in the cinema where the audience shouts “Noooo, don’t do it!” :) Needless to say it wasn’t a great idea.

A RECIPE FOR A DISASTER

I still remember those first few months. How stressed out I was, my back hurting. I started having trouble sleeping, waking up in the middle of the night, and not being able to fall asleep easily. Add to that all of the pressure I was putting myself under wanting everything to be perfect and that ever present nagging voice in my head: “Did they make a mistake? Am I going to be found out?” and you’ve got a recipe for a disaster.

SELFCARE ISN’T CANDY

All I can say is that I wish I knew then what I know now. I wish I knew strategies to relieve pain from all of the hours I spent playing but more importantly tools that would help me to self-regulate, relax and calm down so that I could sleep properly. And most of all, how to be kinder to myself and take care of my mental health. I wish I realized then how crucial my selfcare was, that it wasn’t a luxury but a necessity.

IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE THAT WAY

Well, my friend, what I’ve decided is I don’t want other musicians to have to go through the same thing I did. This is what’s at the heart of what I do and also the idea behind my Personalized 12-Week Musicians’ Yoga Program. I’m running a beta version of it and I’m looking for 1 musician to take though it for 50% of the price.

Do you know anyone who’d be a good fit? Would you yourself like to sign up?

Or do you prefer having a chat?