Podcast, Teaching Guitar and Depression
Mar 23, 2019 23:23:36 GMT
Wild Violet, ocarolan, and 5 more like this
Post by Cams on Mar 23, 2019 23:23:36 GMT
I've been working away at this project over the last week and swinging between bouts of enthusiasm and impostor syndrome. I know in my heart of hearts that it's worthwhile - my being asked to cover the high school kids' lessons for a month has really given me back some self confidence and I believe that teaching is an area that I could grow into, but then I get a pupil who already knows what I'd planned to teach him and then learns a blues tune with alternate thumb and syncopation in 25 minutes. It took me a couple of weeks to get the hang of that!
That said, I don't think I've learned as much music wise as I have in this month - theory that was ropey at best is becoming consolidated, and my scale patterns, mechanics, fingering, improv, it's all improving noticeably in quite a short space of time. I haven't been this hungry to learn and work at this since I moved to Arran 11 years ago, and it has me wondering whether that is down to being so disheartened with my post office job that it has been affecting me mentally for years and I just didn't know. I'm only in there 1 or 2 days a week just now, thanks to my wife's amazing support, and I'm on medication for depression, so those two things seem to be leading to my enthusiasm and motivation remaining pretty constant, whereas before they would last a only a few days and then I'd be back on the sofa or in bed.
The video making and documenting is helping with the motivation too, although I still am a bit fearful that the motivation will wane again and so I feel like I have to do as much as I can now to build up teaching and playing commitments that will then carry me through.
And I'm reading and posting more in guitar forums now, something I used to spend a lot of time doing and really enjoyed back in my Luxembourg days - engaging with others who share my passion. It feels amazing!
Anyway, that's where I am just now. I appreciate everyone's support. You've been brilliant, and I thank you!
That said, I don't think I've learned as much music wise as I have in this month - theory that was ropey at best is becoming consolidated, and my scale patterns, mechanics, fingering, improv, it's all improving noticeably in quite a short space of time. I haven't been this hungry to learn and work at this since I moved to Arran 11 years ago, and it has me wondering whether that is down to being so disheartened with my post office job that it has been affecting me mentally for years and I just didn't know. I'm only in there 1 or 2 days a week just now, thanks to my wife's amazing support, and I'm on medication for depression, so those two things seem to be leading to my enthusiasm and motivation remaining pretty constant, whereas before they would last a only a few days and then I'd be back on the sofa or in bed.
The video making and documenting is helping with the motivation too, although I still am a bit fearful that the motivation will wane again and so I feel like I have to do as much as I can now to build up teaching and playing commitments that will then carry me through.
And I'm reading and posting more in guitar forums now, something I used to spend a lot of time doing and really enjoyed back in my Luxembourg days - engaging with others who share my passion. It feels amazing!
Anyway, that's where I am just now. I appreciate everyone's support. You've been brilliant, and I thank you!