guitarhabits

photo by Ivan Zuber
A few days ago I saw a great singer songwriter on TV. He was playing his repertoire, talking about his life and all the songs he had written over the years.

I was all ears and loved every minute of it. While listening to his wisdom and beautiful melodies something struck me.

It was one of those wake up calls when suddenly you can see things very clearly. I had a strong urge to change some things in my life again. I needed to get my priorities straight and get back to what is most important in my life. I have done so.

Sometimes with everything that life has to offer, you get lost or off track. You are distracted or tempted by things that look interesting and sound amazing at first. Before you know it you are in over your head. You taste, but end up tasting too much of it. It does not fulfill you anymore.

It does no longer match your identity. Times are changing and so are you. You grow, experience, learn many different things that can change the course of your life. You might become confused about your current situation. You might doubt your job, your lifestyle, the way you play guitar, the band you play in, the music you play, your role as a musician, what you need to practice, how you spend and manage your time, what you want in your life and what you don’t want in your life.

You might ask yourself: Is this the right path? Is this the way I want to continue? You can’t figure it out and you are too afraid to let go of it. You might have started out with something that has grown and grown bigger. You are attached to it for whatever reason. The bigness of it all will make it seem more important than it really is and that can be quite misleading.

The time you invest in something creates a certain value but at the same time it can become a burden.
Maybe your values have changed over time, you might have new dreams or you wanna change or adjust your lifestyle. Maybe you underestimated or overestimated the choices you made or you are just being busy without any sense.

When you find yourself in a situation like this, it can be difficult to find a real honest answer and make a decision about it.

What you should do is observe and listen. Open your ears and eyes to whatever is out there. Pick up signs. Be open to whatever comes your way. There will be a moment when somebody will tell you a story, you hear a song on the radio, you watch a documentary or something in real life will happen that leaves you with a clear answer. At that very moment you will know what to do.

Here are some ways to speed up that process, get you back on track and continue to being your true self:

1. Read stories written by people or about people who inspire you. Read books, blogs and magazines you love. Reading will expand your horizon. It can help you find a way out.

2. Listen to people who can be objective. People who are wise or honest in your opinion.

3. Do something different from what you normally do. Try it for a day, a weekend or a week.

4. Take a long walk outside where it’s quiet. Alone! ( Not to the mall. )

5. Meditate or take some time to relax. ( e.g. drinking tea without the distractions)

6. Write down your questions and worries on paper. Write down pros en cons. Write down your wishes and dreams. 43things.com Write down anything that comes to mind. When you write, things often become clearer.

7. Socialize with friends, family and strangers.

8. Be honest to yourself and others. Let go of your ego. Your ego will stand in the way of beautiful things, improvement and real growth.

9. Play or listen to the music you truly love.

10. Stop worrying about what others may think of you. Don’t let others decide for you.

11. Be fearless, be bold, be courageous to do what you think is best for you.

12. Don’t follow, but lead your own way. Even if it is a lonely way. It will be rewarding.

13. Make a decision. Let it cool for a week or 2. If you still feel it is the right thing to do, act on it.

14. If you make a mistake, learn from it. Don’t regret it. Move on. Better things will come. Every mistake is a lesson learned.

Sometimes you have to do what you don’t like to get to where you want to be. - Tori Amos