December 31, 2024 • 23 mins
In this episode we reflect on what this past year taught us. I share with you the biggest lessons that I learned this past year as I moved countries, started music school, and juggled a whole bunch of new challenges and adventures.
This episode is also available as a blog post! Click here to read.
Listen to my convo with Maestro Jacob Joyce here!
Get 15% off your next practice journal with code ELEANOR15 . Click here to shop! *
*I never recommend anything that I don't love. This is an affiliate code which means that I receive a commission -- with no extra cost to you! 😊
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
I don't think I know anyone ever who has moved, and
it hasn't been a littlestressful at some point.
Hello and welcome to theConfident Musicianing Podcast.
My name is Eleanor and I am aBritish-American oboist studying
at the Royal Conservatoire ofScotland Literally my dream
school and it took me a long wayto get there.
(00:22):
I applied and auditioned for 12schools in three different
countries.
It was a lot of hard work but,oh my gosh, so worth it.
I want you to have theconfidence to work hard in
achieving your goals, so comewith me as we go on this journey
together.
So sit down, pull up a chair,take a seat or, if you're on the
(00:43):
go, welcome to the ConfidentMusicianing Podcast.
Hello, hello, hello and welcomeback to another episode of the
Confident Musicianing Podcast.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
I count myself so lucky thatyou are here and that we are
(01:05):
spending this time together andwe can just have a little chat.
To be honest, it is quiteinteresting when you start the
year in one place and end it inanother, literally Like this
time.
Last year, the podcast episodeswere recorded in the United
States and that's where I lived,and now we're in the UK and
(01:32):
we're still doing the podcast,we're still recording episodes,
we're still having this amazingcommunity on the podcast, but
the podcast moved.
But the podcast didn't justmove.
I moved, moved, but the podcastdidn't just move, I moved.
And the reason why I moved wasbecause I am now studying at the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
That was like the big thingthat happened this year for me.
(01:53):
I started studying oboe atmusic school and I think it's so
cool.
I think it is so cool and Ithink you know every year, I
feel is going to be differentand every year is focusing on
different aspects of your life.
You might have a year that'sfocused more on your career
(02:16):
versus a year that's focusedmore on relationships, all of
these different things.
There are so many things thatyou can focus on and we go
through phases and I think partof this year, like the big phase
, was education and music schooland the fact that I moved
countries to start my musicschool journey.
(02:40):
It's so exciting.
So today we are having a chillchat about the past year.
Basically, I think this episodeis going to be about this past
year and then the next episode,next week, is going to be about
this upcoming year and kind ofgoals and thoughts about that
(03:02):
and we can kind of have a littlebit of a chat about that.
But today we are going to befocusing on this year
reflections, things like that.
We're here, um, on my couch, onmy couch and there is just it's
a lovely environment.
We had some sunlight earliertoday, which doesn't happen in
(03:24):
the uk and so I literally I waswalking somewhere and I was kind
of rushing not really rushing,but walking fast and it was
quite windy and just a bithectic, and all of a sudden the
sun came out of the clouds and Ijust stood there and soaked it
up, like I literally stopped onthe sidewalk and just took a
(03:48):
look and just felt the sun andit was so good.
That doesn't happen much.
So I am in a good, good podcastmood today.
We are here, it's very cozy andwe're just going to dive in.
So I have three things thathave kind of been lessons from
(04:08):
this past year that I want toshare with you, and I want to
invite you to also have thesereflections as well, if
something piques your interestas I talk and we just have this
chat, if something kind of Idon't know like makes you think
(04:30):
of oh, I forgot about that, oroh, maybe that's something to
think about, just in your ownreflecting of this past year.
I hope that it can be helpfulin that way as well.
So let's dive in.
The first thing I want to talkabout is uncertainty is
necessary for amazing things.
Oh my gosh, if there was atheme for this year, it would be
(04:53):
uncertainty.
I cannot tell you how manythings were uncertain.
So, as I said, in this pastyear, I moved from the US to the
UK to study at the RoyalConservatoire of Scotland and
yeah, no, so many things wereuncertain.
Yeah, no, so many things wereuncertain.
(05:14):
For instance, I have a flat, Ineeded to rent a flat and, oh my
gosh, the housing market istricky.
It's so tricky.
And I remember I had kind of anoffer or like a potential thing
that would work on one flat,but, to be honest, it was a
(05:36):
little farther away from theschool and I wasn't sure about
it.
And there were other flats Iwas thinking about and I was
kind of talking about and it wasquite unsure, and I remember
just sitting there thinking,okay, if I just go with this one
flat, it'll be quick, it'll bedone, the stress will be over,
(05:58):
I'll have somewhere at least.
And I remember someone sayingto me hold your nerve, hold your
nerve.
You can just wait a littlelonger to find that flat that
will be the best fit for you.
And I am so glad I did, becauseI love my little flat, my
(06:21):
little flat where we record theepisodes.
I absolutely love it and I knowthat it is such a better fit
than the one that I was thinkingabout getting, just so that I
wouldn't be as stressed.
So, yeah, also, auditioning fordifferent music scholarships In
the earlier part of this pastyear I did a lot of auditions
(06:41):
for different fundingopportunities for my education
and that was a lot ofuncertainty.
I mean auditioning in general.
There's a lot of uncertaintythat goes around with that, and
that was something that I reallykind of struggled with.
The uncertainty bit of it, andI think that as well, it's just
(07:03):
so important to remember likethe uncertain bit is so, so
necessary for the fantastic,amazing things to happen after
the uncertainty.
Yes, so I think throughout mywhole year uncertainty has
happened, but when I sit with itand when I kind of keep it
(07:26):
company almost and make friendswith it and just get to know it,
that's when the magic reallyhappens In all different aspects
, in auditioning, in finding aflat, in just all the different
things big, small, justeverything.
It's so, so, so helpful.
Like every time there wasuncertainty, I feel like there
(07:49):
was something that came out ofthat.
So I challenge you, I invite youto, just in general, when you
have things that are uncertain,sit with them and let them grow,
be like why are we uncertain?
What?
Like just let it chill, let itbe and be like okay, we're
uncertain, that's normal, that'sokay.
(08:09):
I don't think I know anyoneever who has moved and it hasn't
been a little stressful at somepoint.
So, yeah, it's important tokind of think about that.
So I invite you to think aboutuncertainty and if you are about
to do something big whether itis moving across the world to
(08:31):
start a university course or ifit's something else I invite you
to kind of sit in thatuncertainty, because that is
part of it and I think ifeverything was certain, then it
wouldn't be as magical, itwouldn't be as exciting, I don't
think.
So that's something that isreally important in my year,
(08:51):
that just kind of sitting backwriting this episode, I thought
that's something that I want toput in, because uncertainty was
a big part of it.
All right, the second thing ohmy gosh, I am reading this right
now.
I'm like I have my script infront of me and like my talking
points and I read it and I'mlike, yes, this is something I'm
(09:12):
still struggling with,literally.
This morning I woke it and I'mlike, yes, this is something I'm
still struggling with,literally.
This morning I woke up and Ilike made my porridge, because I
have porridge in the morningand this is something I was
struggling with.
So that is enjoying the nowrather than being stressed about
the future.
So good, so much that I'm backhere.
(09:34):
So for the most of the year, Iwas working towards moving.
Moving was like the bigexciting thing, all of the
aspects of it I worked on it,from finding a flat, from
finding like funding, so likescholarships and you know just
things like that, so many things.
To like legal stuff oh my gosh,things like you know opening a
(10:01):
British bank account and likegetting, you know just just all
of the things that you need toget and to do and just the, just
the little, the little humanthings that you have to do.
There's so much stuff and everyday I would wake up early and I
would work, and I would work,and I would work, and then the
(10:22):
evening happened and I wouldhang out with friends, I would
hang out with family.
It would be good for that.
But I know that there wouldcome a point where I move and I
wouldn't be with the people thatI know in the states and that I
would miss them.
Um, and I do miss them, I missthem so much.
(10:45):
But I at that point I stressedabout that, like literally, if
we were having a good time,there was a little voice in the
back of my head being like infour months you will be across
the world or in, you know, onemonth, or maybe in a week or
tomorrow, you know, whatever itis.
And that little voice justruined the joy, you know.
(11:09):
And so I just I kind of decidedsomething.
I was like I'm not gonna countthe days.
I really, really focused onhushing that voice a bit more
because I wanted to have thatjoy and that voice was ruining
that joy that I had.
I knew I had this thing rightwhere.
I was like I know that if Istress and stress and stress,
(11:36):
and then I get there and I moveand then I miss these people.
I'm going to regret that stress.
I'm going to be like gosh.
I wish I could have just beenfull of joy and in the moment
when I had it, so I thought,well, I have it right now, so
let's just do that.
When I had it, so I thought,well, I have it right now, so
(11:58):
let's just do that.
And I'm so glad I did that,because I do miss them a lot.
I miss them so much.
But, um, I'm grateful that whenI was there, I was in the
moment and I really focused onnot stressing about in six weeks
you will not be here anymore.
You know what I mean.
So that's something that isreally important.
So I think this is something tokind of think about Enjoying
(12:23):
the now.
What is happening right now,literally, as you're listening
to this episode?
What is happening right now,like, literally, as you're
listening to this episode, whatis happening right now?
Where are you?
Are you outside?
Are you inside?
Is it sunny, is it day, is itnight?
Are you cooking something?
What can you smell?
All of these things, right, bepart of the now.
(12:45):
And, yes, that's something thatI struggle with, like,
literally, this morning I wasstruggling with it.
I was eating my porridge and Iwas stressing because I have a
few things that I was a bitnervous about doing today and I
was like I'm excited for Tuesdaybecause it's very random.
I'm excited for Tuesday becausethere's some exciting things
I'm doing on Tuesday.
Um, also, for me it's NewYear's Eve on Tuesday as I'm
(13:08):
recording this, but I keptmaking myself go, well, it's not
Tuesday yet.
We're going to focus on today,and that's something that I
think is really important aswell.
So I invite you to think whatareas of your life can you be
more in the moment about?
Where were you in the moment?
Or when were you in the momentin this past year, versus, maybe
(13:32):
, when were you stressing aboutthe year?
How could you kind of convertthose stress thoughts into
staying in the moment?
That is really, really, reallyimportant.
So I invite you to kind ofthink about that, ponder about
that, just let that simmer inyour mind.
And the last thing oh my gosh,romanticizing every day.
(13:53):
Romanticizing every day, Ithink, especially when we're
undertaking big things, whenthings are being, you know, when
things have a lot of stressinvolved, romanticizing the
every day is so, so, so helpful.
So, for instance, like when Iwas telling you earlier in the
episode about me, you know,walking somewhere and then the
(14:15):
sunlight came out and I justfelt so good in that moment.
I also, on my way back fromthat walk, I ran into a woman
who I loved her shoes and shehad a very nice beret on.
She was like a really nicestyle, and I just walked up to
her and I was like I love yourshoes, I love your beret, and we
(14:37):
ended up having a really really, really lovely conversation.
Like it was so cool, like sheknows some people, some of the
professors at the conservatoirethat I go to.
I had no idea about this.
That was so cool.
I just randomly ran into herand it ended up being such an
amazing conversation that I justwalked away from that feeling
(15:00):
so full of just joy, soromanticizing the little things
of the everyday, even if you aredoing something that maybe you
don't enjoy as much.
I've done summer jobs and alsonon-summer jobs where I've done
cleaning.
So I cleaned a school.
This is something I did thispast summer and also the summer
(15:23):
before summer and also thesummer before.
Um, I had a summer job where Icleaned a school and it was.
It was like it was fine, it wasgreat, and and I have so much
respect for people who cleanthings, um, who clean things for
(15:49):
a job, um, because I, I haveexperience in that and I know
it's it's it's difficult, butit's it's.
It should be respected more.
I think, um, but that you know,if I think what's my, what's my
dream, like part-time job, Idon't think that is it, but
that's the job that I had atthat point, um, and I was like
you, you know what.
Okay, that's what I have and Iam going to romanticize it, I'm
(16:11):
going to have fun with it.
I ended up listening because Icould listen to things as I
clean.
I ended up listening to so manyfun podcasts.
I actually listened to some ofthe podcast episodes from this
podcast, especially the one withMeister Jacob Joyce, which is
really good, and I'll link it inthe description or in the show
notes.
But I ended up listening topodcasts.
(16:32):
I listened to French podcasts.
I don't speak much French atall, but I wanted to kind of
learn, so I did that and thatwas like such a way of
romanticizing work days.
So that's something that I didthis summer that I think was
really cool and I think you knowit's romanticizing the tiny
(16:53):
things, like.
I challenge you to think aboutwhere can I romanticize the
small things in my life, whetherit's a cup of coffee in the
morning or porridge or just allof these things.
I think it's so helpful to dothat, especially if you're
stressed about something, to belike, yes, I'm stressed about
something, but look, it's sunny.
(17:15):
Or look, I get to listen to apodcast today while I do this,
that and the other.
Or I'm hanging out with afriend, or, oh my gosh, I ran
into someone and it was a lovelyconversation.
So all of these things I reallytried to romanticize every day,
and some days were harder thanother days, some days were
(17:37):
harder than other days, but Ithink it can be so helpful.
So I challenge you to kind ofthink about where can you
romanticize your day?
Where can you do that?
Yeah, so you know what?
I didn't talk much about musicin this and I think that that is
(17:59):
okay because I think it appliesto music as well.
I mean, I mentioned auditionsand things like that and kind of
romanticizing things whenyou're stressed about stuff, and
that can be auditions, but thething is this it does really
apply to music.
After all, my move from the USto the UK was because of Oboe,
(18:21):
and I think this is a reallygreat time to kind of talk about
something that I'm very excitedabout.
So if you want to fast trackyour practice growth in music, a
really good way to do that isto plan your practice, and I
(18:41):
don't know if you planned yourpractice at any point in this
past year, or maybe you'rethinking about it for 2025.
I think it's so helpful and Iactually recently did it, like I
started doing it a few monthsago.
I did it a little bit a fewyears ago, but a few months ago
I got back into it because I gota notebook from Notable, which
(19:06):
is a lovely, lovely, lovelynotebook company.
And I got a notebook fromNotable and I was able to really
track my practice, and it wasso helpful for my first term at
university, because things arebusy, things are hectic, right,
and so I was able to take thosehectic things but also be able
(19:27):
to add my practice into them,and that was really, really,
really helpful with thisnotebook.
So I thought you know what weneed to.
Well, I need to kind of tellyou about this because it's been
so helpful for me and I don'tget keep.
I don't get keep this becauseit's been so helpful for me and
(19:49):
I don't get keep, I don't getkeep.
So notable is, yeah, they sell,they sell practice journals and
it's just the best practicejournals.
Mine.
I have a spiral bound journal.
I write down all of my goalsand then I write down or goals
for the day, and then I writedown my practice sessions and
kind of what, what I do in thesessions, and then there's a
reflection section and then atthe end of the week there's a
(20:11):
reflection section for the week.
So you can kind of grow betweenweeks, like that's literally my
my thing.
I love that.
So of course I've got you a code, of course I've got you a code.
Of course I've got you a code.
So the code is Eleanor15, thatis E-L-E-A-N-O-R 15 for 15% off
(20:35):
your order.
From Notable I will link in theshow notes, in the description
down below, the link to get yourjournals and just pop in that
code and you'll get 15% off yourjournal.
And yeah, we'll just all growtogether in our practicing and
(20:58):
our planning.
And yeah, it was so good for meI had to.
I just knew I was like I haveto tell you about this.
So that is what that is.
So please do click the link andpop in the promo code.
I never recommend anything thatI don't love.
This is an affiliate code,which means that I receive a
commission with no extra cost toyou.
(21:20):
Let's do a recap.
Step one, or not?
Step one.
Number one Uncertainty isnecessary for amazing things.
If you have uncertainty and yousit with it and let it kind of
grow and be okay with it, thengood things can come out of that
(21:48):
.
The second thing is Trying tofind what is good about the now
and knowing that the future willcome and you don't need to
stress about it.
And the third thing isromanticizing every single day
and, yes, some days will beeasier and other days it'll be
so much harder to do that, but Ijust challenge you to do that
because it can be so helpful tojust kind of changing the
(22:12):
feeling of a day.
All right, that is about it forthis episode.
Thank you so much for hangingout with me.
We have made it to the end of2024.
This episode, actually, if Ithink about it, it's coming out
on New Year's Eve.
So yeah, we've made it.
Yay, I cannot wait to hang outwith you more in 2025.
(22:33):
We will like I cannot wait, I'mplanning episodes.
They're so exciting.
The first one will be all aboutgoals and kind of looking
forward to 2025.
So that is what we're going tobe doing and, in the meantime, I
wish you a happy, happy, happy,happy new year.
To be honest, I don't know whatI'm doing for my new year.
(22:55):
It's my first new year that ina while that I've been in the UK
, so I don't know what to do.
I'm still thinking about whatI'm gonna do, but I wish you a
happy new year and I will seeyou in 2025.
Yay, so exciting.
Alright, take care, bye, bye.
I don't think I know anyone ever who has moved, and
it hasn't been a littlestressful at some point.
Hello and welcome to theConfident Musicianing Podcast.
My name is Eleanor and I am aBritish-American oboist studying
at the Royal Conservatoire ofScotland Literally my dream
school and it took me a long wayto get there.
(00:22):
I applied and auditioned for 12schools in three different
countries.
It was a lot of hard work but,oh my gosh, so worth it.
I want you to have theconfidence to work hard in
achieving your goals, so comewith me as we go on this journey
together.
So sit down, pull up a chair,take a seat or, if you're on the
(00:43):
go, welcome to the ConfidentMusicianing Podcast.
Hello, hello, hello and welcomeback to another episode of the
Confident Musicianing Podcast.
Thank you so much for beinghere.
I count myself so lucky thatyou are here and that we are
(01:05):
spending this time together andwe can just have a little chat.
To be honest, it is quiteinteresting when you start the
year in one place and end it inanother, literally Like this
time.
Last year, the podcast episodeswere recorded in the United
States and that's where I lived,and now we're in the UK and
(01:32):
we're still doing the podcast,we're still recording episodes,
we're still having this amazingcommunity on the podcast, but
the podcast moved.
But the podcast didn't justmove.
I moved, moved, but the podcastdidn't just move, I moved.
And the reason why I moved wasbecause I am now studying at the
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.
That was like the big thingthat happened this year for me.
(01:53):
I started studying oboe atmusic school and I think it's so
cool.
I think it is so cool and Ithink you know every year, I
feel is going to be differentand every year is focusing on
different aspects of your life.
You might have a year that'sfocused more on your career
(02:16):
versus a year that's focusedmore on relationships, all of
these different things.
There are so many things thatyou can focus on and we go
through phases and I think partof this year, like the big phase
, was education and music schooland the fact that I moved
countries to start my musicschool journey.
(02:40):
It's so exciting.
So today we are having a chillchat about the past year.
Basically, I think this episodeis going to be about this past
year and then the next episode,next week, is going to be about
this upcoming year and kind ofgoals and thoughts about that
(03:02):
and we can kind of have a littlebit of a chat about that.
But today we are going to befocusing on this year
reflections, things like that.
We're here, um, on my couch, onmy couch and there is just it's
a lovely environment.
We had some sunlight earliertoday, which doesn't happen in
(03:24):
the uk and so I literally I waswalking somewhere and I was kind
of rushing not really rushing,but walking fast and it was
quite windy and just a bithectic, and all of a sudden the
sun came out of the clouds and Ijust stood there and soaked it
up, like I literally stopped onthe sidewalk and just took a
(03:48):
look and just felt the sun andit was so good.
That doesn't happen much.
So I am in a good, good podcastmood today.
We are here, it's very cozy andwe're just going to dive in.
So I have three things thathave kind of been lessons from
(04:08):
this past year that I want toshare with you, and I want to
invite you to also have thesereflections as well, if
something piques your interestas I talk and we just have this
chat, if something kind of Idon't know like makes you think
(04:30):
of oh, I forgot about that, oroh, maybe that's something to
think about, just in your ownreflecting of this past year.
I hope that it can be helpfulin that way as well.
So let's dive in.
The first thing I want to talkabout is uncertainty is
necessary for amazing things.
Oh my gosh, if there was atheme for this year, it would be
(04:53):
uncertainty.
I cannot tell you how manythings were uncertain.
So, as I said, in this pastyear, I moved from the US to the
UK to study at the RoyalConservatoire of Scotland and
yeah, no, so many things wereuncertain.
Yeah, no, so many things wereuncertain.
(05:14):
For instance, I have a flat, Ineeded to rent a flat and, oh my
gosh, the housing market istricky.
It's so tricky.
And I remember I had kind of anoffer or like a potential thing
that would work on one flat,but, to be honest, it was a
(05:36):
little farther away from theschool and I wasn't sure about
it.
And there were other flats Iwas thinking about and I was
kind of talking about and it wasquite unsure, and I remember
just sitting there thinking,okay, if I just go with this one
flat, it'll be quick, it'll bedone, the stress will be over,
(05:58):
I'll have somewhere at least.
And I remember someone sayingto me hold your nerve, hold your
nerve.
You can just wait a littlelonger to find that flat that
will be the best fit for you.
And I am so glad I did, becauseI love my little flat, my
(06:21):
little flat where we record theepisodes.
I absolutely love it and I knowthat it is such a better fit
than the one that I was thinkingabout getting, just so that I
wouldn't be as stressed.
So, yeah, also, auditioning fordifferent music scholarships In
the earlier part of this pastyear I did a lot of auditions
(06:41):
for different fundingopportunities for my education
and that was a lot ofuncertainty.
I mean auditioning in general.
There's a lot of uncertaintythat goes around with that, and
that was something that I reallykind of struggled with.
The uncertainty bit of it, andI think that as well, it's just
(07:03):
so important to remember likethe uncertain bit is so, so
necessary for the fantastic,amazing things to happen after
the uncertainty.
Yes, so I think throughout mywhole year uncertainty has
happened, but when I sit with itand when I kind of keep it
(07:26):
company almost and make friendswith it and just get to know it,
that's when the magic reallyhappens In all different aspects
, in auditioning, in finding aflat, in just all the different
things big, small, justeverything.
It's so, so, so helpful.
Like every time there wasuncertainty, I feel like there
(07:49):
was something that came out ofthat.
So I challenge you, I invite youto, just in general, when you
have things that are uncertain,sit with them and let them grow,
be like why are we uncertain?
What?
Like just let it chill, let itbe and be like okay, we're
uncertain, that's normal, that'sokay.
(08:09):
I don't think I know anyoneever who has moved and it hasn't
been a little stressful at somepoint.
So, yeah, it's important tokind of think about that.
So I invite you to think aboutuncertainty and if you are about
to do something big whether itis moving across the world to
(08:31):
start a university course or ifit's something else I invite you
to kind of sit in thatuncertainty, because that is
part of it and I think ifeverything was certain, then it
wouldn't be as magical, itwouldn't be as exciting, I don't
think.
So that's something that isreally important in my year,
(08:51):
that just kind of sitting backwriting this episode, I thought
that's something that I want toput in, because uncertainty was
a big part of it.
All right, the second thing ohmy gosh, I am reading this right
now.
I'm like I have my script infront of me and like my talking
points and I read it and I'mlike, yes, this is something I'm
(09:12):
still struggling with,literally.
This morning I woke it and I'mlike, yes, this is something I'm
still struggling with,literally.
This morning I woke up and Ilike made my porridge, because I
have porridge in the morningand this is something I was
struggling with.
So that is enjoying the nowrather than being stressed about
the future.
So good, so much that I'm backhere.
(09:34):
So for the most of the year, Iwas working towards moving.
Moving was like the bigexciting thing, all of the
aspects of it I worked on it,from finding a flat, from
finding like funding, so likescholarships and you know just
things like that, so many things.
To like legal stuff oh my gosh,things like you know opening a
(10:01):
British bank account and likegetting, you know just just all
of the things that you need toget and to do and just the, just
the little, the little humanthings that you have to do.
There's so much stuff and everyday I would wake up early and I
would work, and I would work,and I would work, and then the
(10:22):
evening happened and I wouldhang out with friends, I would
hang out with family.
It would be good for that.
But I know that there wouldcome a point where I move and I
wouldn't be with the people thatI know in the states and that I
would miss them.
Um, and I do miss them, I missthem so much.
(10:45):
But I at that point I stressedabout that, like literally, if
we were having a good time,there was a little voice in the
back of my head being like infour months you will be across
the world or in, you know, onemonth, or maybe in a week or
tomorrow, you know, whatever itis.
And that little voice justruined the joy, you know.
(11:09):
And so I just I kind of decidedsomething.
I was like I'm not gonna countthe days.
I really, really focused onhushing that voice a bit more
because I wanted to have thatjoy and that voice was ruining
that joy that I had.
I knew I had this thing rightwhere.
I was like I know that if Istress and stress and stress,
(11:36):
and then I get there and I moveand then I miss these people.
I'm going to regret that stress.
I'm going to be like gosh.
I wish I could have just beenfull of joy and in the moment
when I had it, so I thought,well, I have it right now, so
let's just do that.
When I had it, so I thought,well, I have it right now, so
(11:58):
let's just do that.
And I'm so glad I did that,because I do miss them a lot.
I miss them so much.
But, um, I'm grateful that whenI was there, I was in the
moment and I really focused onnot stressing about in six weeks
you will not be here anymore.
You know what I mean.
So that's something that isreally important.
So I think this is something tokind of think about Enjoying
(12:23):
the now.
What is happening right now,literally, as you're listening
to this episode?
What is happening right now,like, literally, as you're
listening to this episode, whatis happening right now?
Where are you?
Are you outside?
Are you inside?
Is it sunny, is it day, is itnight?
Are you cooking something?
What can you smell?
All of these things, right, bepart of the now.
(12:45):
And, yes, that's something thatI struggle with, like,
literally, this morning I wasstruggling with it.
I was eating my porridge and Iwas stressing because I have a
few things that I was a bitnervous about doing today and I
was like I'm excited for Tuesdaybecause it's very random.
I'm excited for Tuesday becausethere's some exciting things
I'm doing on Tuesday.
Um, also, for me it's NewYear's Eve on Tuesday as I'm
(13:08):
recording this, but I keptmaking myself go, well, it's not
Tuesday yet.
We're going to focus on today,and that's something that I
think is really important aswell.
So I invite you to think whatareas of your life can you be
more in the moment about?
Where were you in the moment?
Or when were you in the momentin this past year, versus, maybe
(13:32):
, when were you stressing aboutthe year?
How could you kind of convertthose stress thoughts into
staying in the moment?
That is really, really, reallyimportant.
So I invite you to kind ofthink about that, ponder about
that, just let that simmer inyour mind.
And the last thing oh my gosh,romanticizing every day.
(13:53):
Romanticizing every day, Ithink, especially when we're
undertaking big things, whenthings are being, you know, when
things have a lot of stressinvolved, romanticizing the
every day is so, so, so helpful.
So, for instance, like when Iwas telling you earlier in the
episode about me, you know,walking somewhere and then the
(14:15):
sunlight came out and I justfelt so good in that moment.
I also, on my way back fromthat walk, I ran into a woman
who I loved her shoes and shehad a very nice beret on.
She was like a really nicestyle, and I just walked up to
her and I was like I love yourshoes, I love your beret, and we
(14:37):
ended up having a really really, really lovely conversation.
Like it was so cool, like sheknows some people, some of the
professors at the conservatoirethat I go to.
I had no idea about this.
That was so cool.
I just randomly ran into herand it ended up being such an
amazing conversation that I justwalked away from that feeling
(15:00):
so full of just joy, soromanticizing the little things
of the everyday, even if you aredoing something that maybe you
don't enjoy as much.
I've done summer jobs and alsonon-summer jobs where I've done
cleaning.
So I cleaned a school.
This is something I did thispast summer and also the summer
(15:23):
before summer and also thesummer before.
Um, I had a summer job where Icleaned a school and it was.
It was like it was fine, it wasgreat, and and I have so much
respect for people who cleanthings, um, who clean things for
(15:49):
a job, um, because I, I haveexperience in that and I know
it's it's it's difficult, butit's it's.
It should be respected more.
I think, um, but that you know,if I think what's my, what's my
dream, like part-time job, Idon't think that is it, but
that's the job that I had atthat point, um, and I was like
you, you know what.
Okay, that's what I have and Iam going to romanticize it, I'm
(16:11):
going to have fun with it.
I ended up listening because Icould listen to things as I
clean.
I ended up listening to so manyfun podcasts.
I actually listened to some ofthe podcast episodes from this
podcast, especially the one withMeister Jacob Joyce, which is
really good, and I'll link it inthe description or in the show
notes.
But I ended up listening topodcasts.
(16:32):
I listened to French podcasts.
I don't speak much French atall, but I wanted to kind of
learn, so I did that and thatwas like such a way of
romanticizing work days.
So that's something that I didthis summer that I think was
really cool and I think you knowit's romanticizing the tiny
(16:53):
things, like.
I challenge you to think aboutwhere can I romanticize the
small things in my life, whetherit's a cup of coffee in the
morning or porridge or just allof these things.
I think it's so helpful to dothat, especially if you're
stressed about something, to belike, yes, I'm stressed about
something, but look, it's sunny.
(17:15):
Or look, I get to listen to apodcast today while I do this,
that and the other.
Or I'm hanging out with afriend, or, oh my gosh, I ran
into someone and it was a lovelyconversation.
So all of these things I reallytried to romanticize every day,
and some days were harder thanother days, some days were
(17:37):
harder than other days, but Ithink it can be so helpful.
So I challenge you to kind ofthink about where can you
romanticize your day?
Where can you do that?
Yeah, so you know what?
I didn't talk much about musicin this and I think that that is
(17:59):
okay because I think it appliesto music as well.
I mean, I mentioned auditionsand things like that and kind of
romanticizing things whenyou're stressed about stuff, and
that can be auditions, but thething is this it does really
apply to music.
After all, my move from the USto the UK was because of Oboe,
(18:21):
and I think this is a reallygreat time to kind of talk about
something that I'm very excitedabout.
So if you want to fast trackyour practice growth in music, a
really good way to do that isto plan your practice, and I
(18:41):
don't know if you planned yourpractice at any point in this
past year, or maybe you'rethinking about it for 2025.
I think it's so helpful and Iactually recently did it, like I
started doing it a few monthsago.
I did it a little bit a fewyears ago, but a few months ago
I got back into it because I gota notebook from Notable, which
(19:06):
is a lovely, lovely, lovelynotebook company.
And I got a notebook fromNotable and I was able to really
track my practice, and it wasso helpful for my first term at
university, because things arebusy, things are hectic, right,
and so I was able to take thosehectic things but also be able
(19:27):
to add my practice into them,and that was really, really,
really helpful with thisnotebook.
So I thought you know what weneed to.
Well, I need to kind of tellyou about this because it's been
so helpful for me and I don'tget keep.
I don't get keep this becauseit's been so helpful for me and
(19:49):
I don't get keep, I don't getkeep.
So notable is, yeah, they sell,they sell practice journals and
it's just the best practicejournals.
Mine.
I have a spiral bound journal.
I write down all of my goalsand then I write down or goals
for the day, and then I writedown my practice sessions and
kind of what, what I do in thesessions, and then there's a
reflection section and then atthe end of the week there's a
(20:11):
reflection section for the week.
So you can kind of grow betweenweeks, like that's literally my
my thing.
I love that.
So of course I've got you a code, of course I've got you a code.
Of course I've got you a code.
So the code is Eleanor15, thatis E-L-E-A-N-O-R 15 for 15% off
(20:35):
your order.
From Notable I will link in theshow notes, in the description
down below, the link to get yourjournals and just pop in that
code and you'll get 15% off yourjournal.
And yeah, we'll just all growtogether in our practicing and
(20:58):
our planning.
And yeah, it was so good for meI had to.
I just knew I was like I haveto tell you about this.
So that is what that is.
So please do click the link andpop in the promo code.
I never recommend anything thatI don't love.
This is an affiliate code,which means that I receive a
commission with no extra cost toyou.
(21:20):
Let's do a recap.
Step one, or not?
Step one.
Number one Uncertainty isnecessary for amazing things.
If you have uncertainty and yousit with it and let it kind of
grow and be okay with it, thengood things can come out of that
(21:48):
.
The second thing is Trying tofind what is good about the now
and knowing that the future willcome and you don't need to
stress about it.
And the third thing isromanticizing every single day
and, yes, some days will beeasier and other days it'll be
so much harder to do that, but Ijust challenge you to do that
because it can be so helpful tojust kind of changing the
(22:12):
feeling of a day.
All right, that is about it forthis episode.
Thank you so much for hangingout with me.
We have made it to the end of2024.
This episode, actually, if Ithink about it, it's coming out
on New Year's Eve.
So yeah, we've made it.
Yay, I cannot wait to hang outwith you more in 2025.
(22:33):
We will like I cannot wait, I'mplanning episodes.
They're so exciting.
The first one will be all aboutgoals and kind of looking
forward to 2025.
So that is what we're going tobe doing and, in the meantime, I
wish you a happy, happy, happy,happy new year.
To be honest, I don't know whatI'm doing for my new year.
(22:55):
It's my first new year that ina while that I've been in the UK
, so I don't know what to do.
I'm still thinking about whatI'm gonna do, but I wish you a
happy new year and I will seeyou in 2025.
Yay, so exciting.
Alright, take care, bye, bye.
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