From time to time, I may refer to your ukulele practice, and I think I need to take a moment to explain what I mean by that:
Referring to your new hobby as an ukulele practice is inspired by the concept of a yoga practice which emphasizes the understanding of one’s self in relationship to the activity of yoga rather, whereas practicing yoga would be the act of going through a series of poses. When I practice yoga, there’s a natural variance in my “performance.” Some days I have better balance or stamina, some days I’m more fatigued and stiff. That’s natural and normal, and I experience the same type of fluctuations with my uke practice. Some days my fingers are less agile, some days my playing and singing are a little smoother than others.
Thinking about your playing in terms of maintaining a practice will keeps your focus on the more satisfying, bigger picture of making music a regular part of your life, while also leaving more room for being playful and patient with your day-to-day playing. Whether this concept of a ukulele practice resonates with you or not, it won’t play a big role in the suggestions I offer in the Habit Hacks series. The Habit Hacks will focus on offering pragmatic and practical advice regardless of what you call your playing time, so you can make more music more often. Happy strumming!
