Word of the Year: Courage - It's Not Always What I Think It Is...

Well, last night I did it!

I took a step outside of my comfort zone and tried something that I rarely ever do - I attended a webinar that was not a music therapy webinar, but was more music education-based. I found it through a music therapy source, but it was not something that I would have ever found on my own, and the link arrived, and I just thought, "why not?" As a result, I spent an hour last night listening to two presenters talk about some humanistic principles and how they relate to musicking. (I love that word - musicking!) It was refreshing in a way that many things haven't been refreshing lately, and that was a great outcome for me!

My word for this year is "Courage." I am doing things this year that I have never been brave enough to do before, and going to webinars that are outside of my comfort zone are part of those things.

It's kinda silly to think that attending webinars can be a courageous act, but I'm finding that courage is not always skiing down a mountain or risking something big. Sometimes it is all about getting up in the morning and going outside. 

This is my niec-at, Davi!
I've really surprised myself with some of the things that I've found to be courageous over the past seven months. I haven't done some things, and I've done other things that I would never have done if I hadn't selected this word as my word of the year. I have spoken to people that are outside of my circle. I've started looking into things that I've never considered before. I have started a new hobby that I am enjoying (watercoloring), and I've been thinking about things - lots and lots of thinking.

I have been feeling stagnant lately. 

These feelings have manifested in several ways - feeling restless, getting into therapeutic ruts, feeling bored with my situations, finding frustration where there is little to be frustrated about, and other things as well. My perception of my life as standing still is not really all that accurate, but sometimes these things are self-fulfilling prophecies, arent' they? Feeling stagnant leads to stagnation. This is why my word of the year is so important to me right now.

Today's courageous act is to take a shower, get dressed in my uniform, and go to work even though I am exhausted, can't seem to go to sleep, and I have no idea what I am going to do with my clients today. It's not a big thing, but today, courage means getting to my routine.

My future, planned acts of courage include going to conferences that are not music therapy based this year. I started that courageous trend yesterday by attending this (somewhat spontaneous, at least, for me!) webinar that was not part of the music therapy universe. I think I will spend some of my professional development monies on a two-day webinar about neurology, sensory differences, and treatment. I'll also be on the lookout for more professional opportunities that will enrich my knowledge of things outside my comfort zone.

Today, though, I am going to get going. See you tomorrow!!

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