By Erin Stolle, 99 Walks Content Manager
At the beginning of the year, I did what many people do. I pledged to make something happen this year. Some may call it a resolution, but for me, it was a commitment to put in the time and work to learn something new. My dream? To be able to sit around a campfire and play a guitar. But first, I had to learn how to play the guitar.
The guitar wasn’t the problem. I have, sitting in a corner of my bedroom, a lovely acoustic guitar that I purchased about three and a half years ago with the same intention. But shortly thereafter, we moved across the country. I got busy with activities and work. And I let the whirlwind of life get in the way. And so my guitar sat in its black, zippered case calling to me, beckoning me to help it sing its gorgeous, rustic tune.
And once in a while, I did pick it up, grabbing my Texas flag guitar pick my son gave me for my birthday one year, and did a lesson from an app, or maybe the beginner’s instructional book I purchased at the same time as my guitar. And my fingers would hurt because they had not had the opportunity to build up the calluses they needed. And then I’d feel embarrassed at my elementary playing, especially as I watched my pre-teen son teach himself how to play his guitar with only YouTube videos. “What must my family be thinking?” I wondered.
And so I let my own unsubstantiated fears get in the way of bringing music into my life. I came up with excuses as to why I couldn’t practice, and as untended habits often do, the idea fell to the wayside. But my desire still lingered.
As December turned to January, while sitting around the campfire with my family at Joshua Tree National Park, the spark was reignited. (Pun intended.) My son suggested his favorite app for guitar lessons and I jumped on a new year deal for an annual membership. And then I started to practice. And I was improving and having fun. Until life got in the way.
My goal of practicing four days a week kept falling short. Sometimes it was only three times. More often it was only once. And then it became none. You see, I let other things take priority over the 20-30 minutes of practice time I needed to commit to each day. Chores, running the kids from place to place, or even a silly television show that I wouldn’t remember the next day would take precedence.
But this month, and hopefully beyond, I’m going to remind myself that the laundry can wait. I don’t have to see if they picked house one, two, or three. And, who cares what my family thinks about me plucking away slowly at rhythms and notes? (They’re probably actually thinking—if they notice at all—how great it is that I am learning something new.) So this month, I’m in. I’m ready to fully commit to make my dream a little closer to a reality.
How about you? What in your life needs some focus? Is it a new skill or hobby? Perhaps a fitness goal? Maybe the desire to drink more water, or get more sleep? Identify your goal and join us this month and say it loud and proud—“I’m in!”
Now if you’ll excuse me, I need to go practice.
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