The Plateau

THE PLATEAU can happen to all of us. Whether we are a parent who is waiting for a child to master years of working on twinkle twinkle little star, a student who has spent months of struggling on one piece after flying through 10, feeling like one book is dragging you down while the last one was a breeze, or making snail paced headway on a technique.

THE PLATEAU can happen in all areas of our lives;

work, sports, diet, artistic ability, exercise, finances, relationships... 

It can and will most likely happen in the areas that mean the most to us. And when the plateau happens it can make us feel lost. It can make us feel hopeless.

We live for progress and we want things to happen easily and instantly. When we plateau, progress stops, everything seems harder and nothing happens instantly.

So what is there to do? 

Embrace the struggle and find joy in the challenge (Easier said then done).

Go back to what you can do well (Review!). 

Find new inspiration (Listening/Observing!). 

GIVE IT TIME (Also, easier said than done). 

It is EASY to give up. It is EASY to tell ourselves that we just aren't meant to do any better and that our skills are limited. It is much harder to struggle through the unknown. It takes discipline to keep with it, to keep trying, to keep working every day. It takes strength to not lose hope and to believe that things will change. We as adults have experienced these struggles in one form or another, and maybe we've given in to a few and persevered through others. If we can continue to teach children these skills of discipline, strength and what it is to struggle and accept challenges, we will see them persevere through more everyday.

The Plateau will never last as change is always close by. It's only the moment that seems to last forever. If we can get through the moment, and then the next, pretty soon we'll be wondering why we ever had anything to complain about, anything to struggle through... until the next challenge hits.

Playing the violin challenges every part of ourselves. It can make us deal with our emotions and feelings, our identity and self-esteem, our patience and will power. It makes us deal with people and the world around us. It makes us deal with ourselves and allows us to discover how we learn, what we love and who we are.

Technically a running analogy. If you are a runner, USE IT!
If not, think of it in terms of practice. Still applies!

Sometimes as adults we do so much for the children in our lives that we forget to tell ourselves all the same things we encourage children to do. Sometimes we need reminders. After all, we are a child's greatest model. The better we take care of ourselves, the better we'll be able to care for others.

Whether you are one of the amazing parents learning the violin along side your child or are just as amazing by being a rock of support through your child's musical journey, make sure that you handle the plateau's in all areas of your life the way you'd want your child to handle them. And as you'd tell your child, "Just do the best that you can do". That's all any of us can do.