The One Thing You Need to Ask Yourself This December

Certain times of the year encourage us toward particular kinds of reflection.

October and early November lean into mortality. Thanksgiving herds us toward gratitude. The New Year is a powerful nudge to think about self-improvement.

And December?

Well, there’s generally not much time to think in December.

December, for many of us, is a noisy, cookie-laden vortex we’re lucky to stagger out the other end of.

Which is fun, but also kind of a pity, because December is the absolute best time to ask yourself a vital question: What are you proud of this year?

As musicians, we are trained to look forward. How can I develop my skills? How can I improve how I sound? What do I need to do next to get where I want to be?

And since so much of what we do is about skill development, that forward-looking orientation serves us. Progress depends on keeping the future firmly in our sights.

But I think we miss something crucial if we don't take the time to reflect upon, and rejoice in, what we have done. We need a moment to look back on, and celebrate, our own work. Over the past year, have you put forth effort in the service of something you love? If so, that’s pretty terrific!

Acknowledging what we’ve done, not just focusing on what we’ve left undone, is essential fertilizer for musical growth. It’s an antidote for destructive frustration. It is a vital reminder of the power of our own efforts. It is renewing, and it is important.

So take a moment, right now, to ask yourself: What are you proud of this year?

Maybe you practiced most days of the week. Maybe you didn’t quit when you got frustrated. Maybe you picked up a new size of instrument, improved your understanding of time signatures, learned to read bass clef, got through a whole sonata, worked on your tone, brushed up on your articulation, played in a group for the first time, got back in after you got lost…or all of these things. Or more!

You put in musical effort this year. Rejoice!