INJURY’S OPPORTUNITIES

Injury is not an ideal way to consider changes to your playing, but some injuries invite you to reconsider unhelpful assumptions. Perhaps you need to change your instrument, perhaps you need to change your practice habits, perhaps you need to tweak or completely revamp some element(s) of your technique, perhaps you need to be a smarter practicer because you simply cannot spend as much time practicing as you did before your injury. An injury is a tough way to think about opportunity, but it is a chance to look at what you have. It is a chance to consider strengths and weaknesses and see what you can do with the things you have. A wise (structured and slow!) return to playing after a recovery that involves long time away from your instrument can afford you time to coordinate your overall strengthening and your micro-strengthening and turn you into an even better, even stronger technician than you were before you got hurt.

DISCOURAGEMENT

Discouragement is tough. It can, like injury, be an opportunity to try something new because the old way is simply not working. Having feelings about something can be a great way to identify a problem or a success. Identifying the feeling can help you learn what you need to do again, or stop trying! There are a lot of ways to respond to discouragement. Try to choose something you can use to make headway toward achieving your goals. Enjoy being creative about trying a different solution to the small or large obstacle in front of you.