Hi everyone,
This is my last post before we say goodbye to 2020. I’m so ready for the new year, mostly to leave this insanity behind, but also because of what 2021 will bring. I hope you are finding this to be a time of rejuvenation and relaxation.
Now, on to the newsletter.
Financial Stability Tip: Things To Consider In A 9-5 Job
With the live music industry essentially on hold until we come out of the pandemic, I have connected with a lot of musicians searching for some financial stability until performances start up once again. Cutting expenses is one way to stabilize, but ultimately a lot of musicians have found a 9-5 job to gain some financial stability. The challenge is finding a job that allows you to continue to perform as things start to open back up.
Tip: While we are starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel in regards to the pandemic, it will still be some time before we get back to normal. In light of this, consider taking on flexible work that allows you to set your own schedule. Here’s an article to help you as you consider taking on work to stabilize your finances.
Work/Life Balance Tip: Look Back At 2020
I generally consider my New Year’s resolutions as a commitment to the future me. Running a marathon, gaining better work/life balance, or even paying off my student loans have been resolutions that I’ve committed to in the past. The resolutions I have been able to keep usually happen when I can reflect back before making plans for the future.
Tip: Check out this amazing year in review template from the folks over at nesslabs. The process of filling out the template takes about an hour, however by the end you’ll have an incredibly clear picture of the goals you need to set for 2021!
Tips On Finding Meaning: Understand Emotional Flexibility
“LIfe is Messy,” says Brad Stulberg in his post about holding everything together. No words could be closer to the truth for me these days. Stulberg argues that the secret to managing the highs and lows of life comes down to the concept of Emotional Flexibility. He defines this as “the capacity to produce context-dependent responses to life events, and to respond flexibly to changing emotional circumstances.”
Tip: Emotional flexibility is something you can develop. The simplest way to improve this skill is to live in the moment without letting past or future challenges weigh you down. Try putting down your phone, getting off the computer, and focusing on the things that matter most in your life and see if you are able to gain some emotional flexibility in the process.
Field Notes: Treating Artists As Workers
One of the biggest challenges in our field is that society continuously undervalues the price of bringing art into the world. The worst culprits are often the artists themselves. The utopian belief that we bring art into the world as a creative outlet without simultaneously considering the fact that we need to get paid to create is something that needs to shift. If we value art, we need to pay our artists.
Tip: Start being more comfortable with discussing your finances in public. (For example, I took on crushing debt to build my career and I’m still paying it off, fifteen years later.) We have to build awareness that the career of an artist doesn’t magically happen without financial stability. Author William Deresiewicz points out in this post that “wanting to get paid does not mean that you’re a capitalist. It doesn’t even mean that you assent to capitalism. It only means that you live in a capitalist society.”
The Way Things Work: Thoughts on Getting To The Heart Of A Problem
There are so many things going haywire in our world right now. One of the biggest challenges I face is understanding what to tackle that will allow me to best get to the heart of a problem. This is especially true when outside forces are constantly dictating the things in which I should be focusing.
Tip: Take a moment to get to the heart of the problem. I find that I often end up wasting a lot of time working on a solution to something that wasn’t actually the problem. Then I focus on creating the easiest solution to the problem at hand. Too often, my solution is too complex.
Things I Loved:
- It’s magic!!
- This is SUPER addicting
- This cover of The Only Living Boy in NY!
- This fascinating breakdown of 2020 election voting by demographics.
- Cello + Voice = magic!
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