I havenât had time to really play since I got back Monday afternoon!
Okay so I left Wednesday on a road trip to the west side of Chicago for my nephewâs wedding, with hubbyâs favorite sister (ok, his only sister) (hubby stayed home to take care of our old dog) and another of his brothers. We had a wild and crazy time, danced our hearts out, and I showed a nephew-in-law, whom I had just met (big family, lots of nephews and nieces) that, yes, you CAN dance to AC/DCâs Thunderstruck despite his protests too the contrary. (Did I mention open bar?) Anyway, there was no guitar playing, practice and barely a thought about it other than to wax on about how I love Justin guitar when anyone asked what Aunt Becky was up to.
So, I get home Monday, (my birthday!) and managed 32 minutes of, of all things, OMCâs as well as chord perfect practice and strumming. But since then, nothing, not yesterday, not today, itâs like Iâve lost the impetus. That or the fact that weâre in a ridiculous heat wave with no rain and everything outside is dying so Iâm spending all my time watering saplings, seedlings, potatoes, grass, etc. Plus catching up on housework, medical appointments, etc. And we still donât have air conditioning. (donât get my started on my missing HVAC person) so itâs HOT inside the house.
Iâm too tired right now, just got back from my birthday dinner at our favorite Italian restaurant (they are closed Monday and Tuesday) and there was more wine involved.
Does anyone else have trouble getting back into it after being away? I hope to get something in tomorrow, but I still wonder if I can find the time! Iâll be watering stuff for the foreseeable future. ACK!! Got 2 more garden hoses being delivered Friday. I need to find some motivation! Get my mojo back!
Happy birthday Rebecca. Just leave your guitar where you can see/grab it. Youâll soon get the urge to pick it up. Hereâs a thought, buy a new guitar as a birthday present, that will definitely get you motivated to playđ
Hi Rebecca,
Breaking a habit can lead to (temporary) change ⌠for good and bad things ⌠not too much to worry about,
the will to play guitar is there so that will be fineâŚfirst things firstâŚso about your garden , good luck with that and I will do a rain dance (or something) for you. âŚ
Unpleasant inside temperatures are, well ⌠unpleasant. Our apartment building is that well isolated that it easily gets +30 C in summer (whatever that is in Fahrenheit) and will stay at average +27 C for weeks. Meaning, I know how paralyzing hot inside temperatures can be.
For me, itâs actually the Learning Log that works. I just enjoy updating it. So, after the cold air from the heat pump in my office at work had seriously caused me pain for days, and I did not feel like playing even the tiniest bit, it was initially the idea of updating the Learning Log that motivated me to grab my guitar
I think what you are experiencing is perfectly normal and Iâve been there many times.
In fact I have had a similar week where I have hardly picked up. For some reason I have found the day after an open mic, I donât play at all. OK I am normally organising the next one and doing related admin but by Monday Iâm back in the saddle.
This week its not just happened but there have been deliveries to listen out for, yard and garden work due to the time of year, doctors appt (not me), folk popping in. So I have been busy during the day and shattered come evening and any motivation has evaporated. All I have manage was to lay a drum track down in Reaper to check some latency and that has been it.
But this morning my slate is clear apart from some early shopping. So today will be a good day, even if thatâs a 90 minute session before midday.
Guess all I am saying is donât beat yourself up. You will pick up and get back in the groove when the time is right, Rest assured it wonât be long !
Belated Happy Birthday, donât worry about the blip it happens, take your time and put your guitar where you can see it and itâs easily accessible; it will call out to you when youâre ready!
Sounds like you have the perfectly normal âlife happensâ going on.
I wouldnât worry about it too much, giving it some air for some days and getting back in with a empty mind and a heart full of love for music is often good to have a refreshed perspective and a new drive. I usually listen more during these times, picking up fresh inspiration and motivation.
I have stints of a week or even more without playing or singing and it never hurt me.
I notice that, If I do less singing (lower average) over a course of a month, my quality seems to drop a bit.
Happy birthday Rebecca, glad you had a fab birthday.
I think the Dashboard on line works really well. I tend to do a Justin lesson and then set up a practice schedule for the week, it encourages me to get in with it. I think youâve also had the comments about playing songsâŚ. They are the best bit so do that first.
Iâve had a similar 8 week spell but have done what I have suggested above. Itâs worked for me. Youâll get back to it, sometimes things just get in the way. Be kind to yourself, youâll be fine.
Belated happy birthday Rebecca, I hope you had a lovely day.
Iâve been beaten to it. This is what I do when Iâve not been able to grab the guitar for a few days and it all seems a bit odd. Either that or learn something new that helps inspire you.
Perhaps, at night when you sit down at your sofa to wind down a bit before bed, just grab your guitar and hold itâŚ
Maybe the tv is on, maybe someoneâs reading something⌠You just hold your guitar on your lapâŚ
I think itâs impossible that in less than two minutes you wonât be doing something with itâŚ
Happy birthday! It does sound like you are doing fun things as well as not so fun things. Life is like that. Just know that you will get back to it and cut yourself some slack. Start by just having fun with the guitar when the moment strikes! We all need breaks and we all have lives outside guitar. I probably wonât play much for the next week. We are movingâŚsigh. I need to leave a couple of guitars in the old house for staging, apparently that is a thing.
Happy birthday, Rebecca, for the other day! Sounds like some fab times had!! Loved hearing you cut up the dance floor to some AC/DC!
I also find my enthusiasm ebbs and flows at times, like Iâm sure everyone does, especially at busy times or when external factors (hot weather! ) are a significant influence. I do tend to rediscover my desire through listening to music that I love. Hearing a song thatâs super cool and thinking it would be fun to check out how to play it, starts me back down the right track of feeling inspired
Like mentioned above, it helps to have your guitar handy and perhaps just focus on the aspects of playing that you most enjoy, with the emphasis on play
Also, a break to reset is fine too of course! We all need that from time to time
Happy Birthday Rebecca. Hope you had a great day.
My enthusiasm levels ebb and flow like the rest of us. When Iâm feeling flat I have a session where I play the simplest songs I know and that is so much fun itâs usually enough to fire me into action again.
Happy (belated) birthday, Rebecca!!
Sounds like you had an awesome mini vacay!!
Itâs just started winter where I am but Iâve come from somewhere very hot and dry so I really get what itâs like for it to be so hot. Hope the heat wave passes soon!
Iâm lucky enough to have space to always have my gear set up in the room where I spend most of my time, so I can pick them up for a short time without much hassle. But some days I still only manage a couple of songs. I donât have any sage advice to add but itâs obvious how much you love guitar. Donât stress or beat yourself up, itâll call you back
I experienced the same when I had been on holiday a year ago. I was away for a week, and after coming back, I didnât touch my guitar for another two weeks. I was really concerned about that, as I knew from experience with other hobbies, this could lead to quitting it completely .
So one day, I forced myself to pick the guitar up again and found my way back.
Since then, I now always take my guitar with me when Iâm away .
Hi Rebecca, Iâm late to the party, happy belated birthday, seems as if you had a good time on your short trip. A lot already has been said, not much to add. Donât stress yourself too much. Heat is a limiting factor, it slows us down. Your motivation will come back. As already mentioned, the guitar should be in a space where you can easily pick it up. Pick it up every day, even if itâs only five minutes. Do easy stuff and let it flow. Donât set yourself too much under pressure!
, good luck with that and I will do a rain dance (or something) for you. âŚ
) are a significant influence. I do tend to rediscover my desire through listening to music that I love. Hearing a song thatâs super cool and thinking it would be fun to check out how to play it, starts me back down the right track of feeling inspired 
.
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