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Hello and welcome to this month's blog post! Today I want to have a quick chat about getting stuck in our own heads and how to get past blocks. Have you ever felt that you were in a situation that was just so insurmountable that you couldn’t move past it? When there was something that you had to do but felt so far out of your comfort zone that it just didn’t get done and it stopped you from moving forward? I want to give you some things to think about and try the next time you get blocked from moving forward.
Having a mentor If you are in a position to do this, having a mentor or buddy can help. For whatever reason you need some assistance with, having someone who can encourage you, challenge your negative self-beliefs and keep you accountable can really help you move forward in what it is that you need to do. Whether it’s something like a rehab program, exercise partner, life coach or business mentor, there are people who can help you get past your blocks and help you achieve what you you need to achieve. Sometimes you will need to pay for these services, and make sure you do some research so that you know you’re not getting scammed, or it might take some time to find someone that you gel with, but when you have the right person, they can do wonders in helping you move forward. Ask yourself questions But what if you can’t afford a mentor, or find someone to gel with? What you can do to help yourself is get curious and ask yourself questions. You can also do this even if you have a mentor. If you are feeling blocked or anxious, ask yourself ‘why? What is it that is making me feel this way?’ Ask yourself questions like ‘what would the outcome be if I did this? Didn’t do this?’ ‘What am I afraid of?’ ‘If what I’m afraid of comes to pass, is it the end of the world, or not really?’ Ask questions to navigate your way around the block, challenge yourself to move out of your comfort zone and into your growth zone. Learn to sit with discomfort, to be less afraid of it. Ask yourself ‘why do I feel so uncomfortable?’ Examine it critically and objectively; is it really as bad as you think it is? Remember, it’s so much easier to not do something that it is to do something, ask yourself ‘is what I want to do worth it?’ Asking yourself questions is a great habit to get into, especially if you are challenging yourself why you’re not achieving your goals. And if you need to combine this with having access to a person who encourages you to move forward, with your agenda in mind, not theirs, then this will go a long way to fulfilling your life’s ambitions. Anyway, that’s it for this month. If this resonated with you at all, let me know. You’re not alone, let’s all keep moving forward, one step at a time, to a more satisfying and fulfilling life. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next month. Bye for now!
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Hello and welcome to this month's blog post! Today I want to write about why many of us aren’t living our best life and working in the job of our dreams. Why do we find ourselves stuck in a job or a situation that is unfulfilling, rather than one we love and enjoy from day to day. I want to give you some things to think about that maybe might just give you a nudge in the right direction towards more fulfilment and satisfaction.
Effort and Fear of the Unknown I think the biggest problem with this is; it’s easier to not do something than it is to do something. That’s not to say that people are lazy, far from it. But when you are faced with a task or path that is unknown, or there is a lot of effort involved, maybe for a prolonged period of time, it can be scary embarking on a journey that you have no idea how it’s going to turn out. Fear of the unknown is very real and when something sits outside your comfort zone, it can be very tempting to not branch out and explore the unknown. 'Impostor Syndrome' The next biggest problem is feeling fraudulent in a particular role, or the thought of being in one. This is known as ‘imposter syndrome’ and it can be crippling. Dr Pauline Rose Clance and Suzanne Imes coined the term in 1978 (Rakestraw 2017) and it is a syndrome that makes us feel like a complete fraud working in a particular position; we imagine that others overestimate our abilities, or that we ended up in the position due to something other than intelligence and/or ability. We have a completely irrational fear that sooner or later, everyone is going to discover the ‘deception’ and call us out on it. We don’t even entertain the thought that the only person who thinks we’re an imposter is ourselves. Fear of Failure So why don’t we back ourselves? Why do we play down our strengths and achievements? There are a number of reasons but a big one is a fear of failure. We don’t back ourselves because we are scared of failing. But why are we scared of failing? Well, there are probably quite a few contributing factors but I think the main one is cultural and imposed upon us as kids. When we’re at school, if we’re wrong, or we fail, we get punished. I don’t mean just because we get our maths questions wrong we get a detention, but we might get criticised, ostracised, ridiculed and marked down. We’re made to feel that getting something wrong is bad, despite knowing that, as humans, our best learning comes from making mistakes. Getting something wrong is not viewed as an opportunity for growth, or a teachable moment. Kathryn Schultz does a wonderful TED Talk called ‘On Being Wrong’ and speaks about why being wrong isn’t a bad thing. You can view it here and I hope you do; it’s a well-presented and thought-provoking talk. We’re embarrassed when we get something wrong and we don’t want to be seen as a failure, because society has told us that failing means you won’t get anywhere in life. If you don’t get an education it makes it difficult to get a job. If you don’t get high-enough marks you might not get into university. Some people become perfectionists because they don’t want to be seen as failures, and this can make things worse. Rather than doing an awesome job embarking on a new career path or learning opportunity, the idea that they might fail is so frightening that they are rooted to the spot in fear and don’t actually go anywhere. Money There is also the issue of money; can we afford to take ourselves on a new career path or learning opportunity if it’s going to cost money? The overwhelming majority of us are not rich and not in a position where money is no object, we have to be mindful of where and when we spend our hard-earned dollars. But does that mean you should just not spend money on yourself if a growth opportunity appears? Would you take the opportunity if money wasn’t involved? Sometimes we find that it’s not actually money that’s the problem but something else, and we’re using the lack of finances as a front, maybe even subconsciously. Time The last issue I want to mention is time. In this day and age when everyone feels so busy, life is hectic, it just feels like an impossibility to make time for something new. We think to ourselves “When I’m less busy, I’ll do x, y and z”. But what do we do if we never get less busy? And when we do have some down-time, all we want to do is collapse in a heap and do nothing. So there are some reasons as to why we aren’t living our best life. And they are some pretty significant reasons! Does this then mean we’re doomed to be stuck in a rut for the rest of our lives? Not at all. We can move forward, but we have to adjust our mindset a little. There is a saying; “The biggest regrets in life are not the things you did, but the things you didn’t do”. Remind yourself of this as you cautiously take a step forward, and then another. Remember that making an effort is harder than not doing anything, but is that effort worth it? You might not know what’s coming, but will you ever find out if you don’t try? You might fail at what you’re doing, but if you don’t do anything, then you’ve already failed. If you trip over, pick yourself up and keep going, consistency is the key. And what if you don’t have time? If it’s important to you, then you need to make the time. Schedule some regular time in your diary and turn up as you would any other appointment or commitment. Community comes in handy here as well, as then you have like-minded people to bounce off and share experiences with. The same goes for finances; if it’s important to you to take a leap and do something towards what you really want to achieve in life, you’ll find a way to make it work, whether it’s securing a grant or funding, or setting up a payment plan. Anyway, that’s it for this month. If this resonated with you at all, let me know. You’re not alone, let’s all keep moving forward, one step at a time, to a more satisfying and fulfilling life. Thanks for reading and I’ll see you next month. Bye for now! References Rakestraw, L 2017, ‘How to Stop Feeling Like a Phoney in Your Library: Recognizing the Causes of Impostor Syndrome, and How to Put a Stop to the Cycle’, Law Library Journal, vol. 109:3 [2017-23], pp. 465-477. On Being Wrong 2011, online video, TED Conferences LLC, New York, written and presented by Kathryn Schulz <https://www.ted.com/talks/kathryn_schulz_on_being_wrong#t-1044012>. Hi everyone and welcome to this month’s blog post! Today I want to write about why the arts are so important, especially from a music point of view. Long gone are the days where every household had a piano in their house, every family member could play at least one instrument and sing-a-longs around the piano were a popular form of entertainment. However, music is still a critical part of humanity, there hasn’t been a culture ever discovered where music and movement weren’t part of their society.
So how does music benefit us? It entertains us, who doesn’t love a good rock concert or classical symphony? We are so used to music being part and parcel with films that it would sound really weird if there was no soundtrack (go and watch Hitchcock’s ‘The Birds' for example). Most computer games have music and some people just need a radio on in the background as part of their day. But that’s not all music’s good for. Music education and children Music education is held by many to be important to children’s development. There is a kindergarten in Berlin, that for 10 years its motto has been “Education through music, not musical education” (Musikkindergarten Berlin 2015). Not only are students gaining knowledge and a love/appreciation of music, but also they are learning akin to a second language and skills that transcend music; such as attention span, memorisation (which we seem to be losing in the age of the smart phone), logic, (some) arithmetic, pattern recognition, hand/eye coordination etc as well as a sense of self-worth and an improved self-esteem. Under the right guidance, singing and listening can help speech development; music, rhythm and movement foster gross and fine motor skills; experiencing sound and acoustic properties can lead to interest in the natural sciences; and, music overall can help counting, structural recognition and social competences (Uibel 2012). Adults who learn an instrument in later life are keen students, eager to learn a new skill and keep their minds active. To have the skills to play a musical instrument (or to sing) can only enrich life. Children who learn to play an instrument or learn to sing appear to have an edge over children who don’t. Researchers are cautiously optimistic about what the study of music can or can’t do for other academic areas. Blanket statements such as “music makes you smarter” are absurd (Hodges 2000) and could jeopardise the importance of the field (Demorest 2000). The study of SAT score results between American students who studied music and those who didn’t were inconclusive (Vaughn 2000) and the study of college students whose performance of a single spatial reasoning task improved after listening to Mozart’s Sonata for Two Pianos (K. 448), (dubbed “the Mozart Effect”) was narrowly interpreted and unable to be replicated (Demorest 2000). However, more recent studies have shown that students who have studied music for the long-term do better when tested for abstract geometry (Spelke 2008), fine motor and auditory discrimination skills (Schlaug 2005) and linguistic structures (Altenmüller 2012). Anecdotally, students who have been observed participating in primary school syllabus musical training for at least one year over a 30-year period developed longer attention spans, increased self-discipline, memory performance and pattern recognition. Music is also used to guide young people away from crime. Developed in 1975, José Antonio Abreu and his friends created the El Sistema project in Venezuela, to give the lower socio-economic youth a more attractive alternative to gangs, drugs and violence. From humble beginnings in an underground garage to headquarters at Centro de Acción Social por la Música in Caracas (Majno 2012), the El Sistema concept has launched world-wide, including Australia (Sistema Australia 2012). There is also continued research into the positive effects of music and youth development (Barrett 2015). Music and health benefits There have also been some astounding discoveries in music therapy, with therapists working with dementia patients and sufferers of Parkinson’s disease. Playing music to these patients seems to light up parts of the brain that gives them back some lucidity and motor skills that that had been lost to them through the disease. Have a look at this ABC Catalyst episode called ‘The Power of Music on the Brain – Dementia and Parkinson’s’. I’m willing to bet that we will discover that music will help us so much more in life if we just keep looking and investing in these areas. So when a government or a school cuts creative arts funding and curriculums, this is a terrible thing! When gigging musicians have to have a day-job just to bring in enough money to pay the bills, and where a pandemic like Covid-19 can almost completely decimate an industry, these are things that, as a society, we should be doing our utmost to build back up, so as to have music as a really big part of our lives. Anyway, that’s it for now, thanks for reading and I will see you next month. Bye for now! References ABC Catalyst, 'The Power of Music on the Brain - Dementia and Parkinson's' https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnUSNbqtVJI Altenmüller, E. et al, ‘Introduction to The Neurosciences and Music IV: Learning and Memory’ [2012] (1252) Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Barrett, Margaret S. and Bond, Nigel, ‘Connecting through music” The contribution of a music programme to fostering positive youth development’ (2015) 37(1) Research Studies in Music Education Demorest, Steven M. and Morrison, Steven J., ‘Does Music Make You Smarter?’ (2000) 87(2) Music Educators Journal Hodges, Donald A. ‘A Virtual Panel of Expert Researchers’ (2000) 87(2) Music Educators Journal Majno, Maria, ‘From the model of El Sistema in Venezuela to current applications: learning and integration through collective music education’ [2012] (1252) Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Musikkindergarten Berlin (2015) http://www.musikkindergarten-berlin.de/ Schlaug, Gottfried, Norton, Andrea, Overy, Katie and Winner, Ellen, ‘Effects of Music Training on the Child’s Brain and Cognitive Development’ [2005] (1060) Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Sistema Australia (2012) <http://sistemaaustralia.com.au> Spelke, Elizabeth ‘Effects of Music Instruction on Developing Cognitive Systems at the Foundations of Mathematics and Science’ [2008] The Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition Uibel, Stefanie, ‘Education through music – the model of the Musikkindergarten Berlin’ [2012] (1252) Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences Vaughn, Kathryn and Winner, Ellen, ‘SAT Scores of Students Who Study the Arts: What We Can and Cannot Conclude about the Association’ (2000) 34(3/4) Journal of Aesthetic Education Hi everyone and welcome to this month’s blog post. Today I want to have a chat about the importance of community. Whilst that might sound like a no-brainer, Western society tends to be more individualistic rather than collectivistic, and the idea of community is most likely not in the forefront of people’s minds, especially in large cities. In the last 20 - 30 years, members of society seem to have ramped up an entitled “what’s in it for me?” mentality (in Australia, anyway), rather than thinking about how their actions might affect the people around them, or doing something because it’s the right thing to do. People may live in a suburb, a parish, a city, which are all communities, but may not think of themselves as such in these terms unless it’s something specific to them, eg LGBTQI+, film-makers, a school, a sports team etc. But communities can also be online as well as in real life and I want to discuss how they are important, especially to creatives.
Like-minded people who ‘get it’ Not everyone is creative, and not everyone understands what it is like to be creative. I think this is especially noticeable in governments who dismiss the arts at the first sign or budget cuts and don’t provide support, and schools who don’t have dedicated art and music programmes. To be creative means to be sensitive, to want to express yourself in a certain way, to make it your life’s work, not just some hobby. Other creatives get that and understand your passion. They can give you encouragement, or a sympathetic ear when trouble comes your way. Encouragement You can’t create in a vacuum. Well, you probably can but you’re going to feel pretty isolated and it won’t be sustainable. Creating art, and then receiving encouragement and feedback from your community boosts your desire to continue creating, which means you will improve and get better at your craft. Support This is a big one for me. I had a horrible experience over a decade ago, which killed my love of composing stone-dead. I tried to get back on that horse, but my desire to compose didn’t come back for over a decade. Even though I was at uni and surrounded by music students, they didn’t understand what I went through, being (mostly) young and not having a similar frame of reference, or had been through relatable experiences themselves. I am in the process of creating a community that is there to support composers who have been through a really shitty experience, to help them get back on their feet and continue doing what they love. I just wish that I had been part of such a community back then; maybe I would have got that passion back sooner. Friendships and networks When like-minded people come together on a regular basis, friendships can occur. I belong to an online micro-community in a completely different sphere and there is a core group of people that I would consider my friends, even though we have never met in real life. You can also develop networks within your community and paid work may arise from this networking. So you see, community is so important, whether it’s online, or in real life. Thanks for reading. I hope that you found this article useful and I’ll see you next month. Bye for now. Hi everyone and welcome to this month’s blog post. Last month I wrote an article about giving feedback, keeping sensitive artists in mind. This month I’d like to write about being that sensitive artist and receiving feedback. Receiving feedback can feel like an attack, especially when it’s given tactlessly, but even if the feedback is given tactfully, it can still smart a little. I’d like to give you a few tips to think about to take the sting out of being on the receiving end. Like giving, receiving is also a skill that can be learned and requires some practise.
Not everyone has to like your piece. Everyone’s tastes are different and your style of music just may not be your critics’ taste. That isn’t to say that it’s not good, or doesn’t have potential, only that it didn’t resonate with that person. Remember, it’s just their opinion and it’s subjective. You can’t please all of the people all of the time, and nor would you want to. Take note of what is being said. If someone is giving you genuine feedback, there’s a good chance they will tell you something that can improve your composition. Listen to what they have to say and feel good that this is an opportunity to improve, don’t think of it as someone picking holes in your creativity. If the person is a very experienced composer, be excited that they are taking the time to help you improve your skills. There’s always room for improvement, although if your critic is yourself, there’s going to be a point where you need to stop. There’s a saying in the music industry; albums don’t get finished, they’re abandoned. Tactless feedback is not your problem. If someone is being tactless with their feedback, they have the problem, not you. They obviously have not had enough experience receiving tactless criticism of their own and thought about how they would like to receive suggestions. Listen to see if there is actually a nugget of helpful information buried deep within the train-wreck that is the badly-delivered feedback. If not, try to brush it off and hope that karma catches up with them eventually. Accepting the feedback isn’t mandatory. You don’t have to accept it, the composition is your creation. If you don’t like the feedback, don’t take it personally. They may suggest changing a part that you personally love, you don’t have to accept that suggestion. Some of the feedback may be technical issues that would result in your composition sounding better, but creative suggestions are subjective, which you may or may not agree with. It’s up to you whether you accept it or not, but if it’s tactful and genuine, take it in the spirit in which it’s given. Thanks for reading. I hope that you will join me next month, bye for now. Hi everyone and welcome to this month’s blog post. We artists are all thin-skinned, sensitive people, which is what helps us to be so creative. The down-side to that is that we get offended easily and are not good at receiving criticism, so this month’s article is about tips on giving feedback.
Start with something positive. There is always something nice you can say about anything. Even if the piece of music that you are critiquing just isn’t your cup of tea, there is always something you can highlight in a positive manner. If it’s a song, you could comment on the narrative in the lyrics. If it’s instrumental, maybe you like the unusual chord progression, or combination of instruments. If it’s a film score, maybe the sync points were skilfully met. Make sure you lead with this, the goodwill will allow the recipient to be more open to suggestions. In my last year of uni, we had to make a proposal presentation about our major project. One of the lecturers was especially keen that people start with some positive feedback about the proposal, before making suggestions or asking questions. She understood how artists feel about contrary opinions to a work they are creating and how it is better received when you begin on a positive note. Be respectful This should be a no-brainer; if you are blunt and abrasive, your comments will not be well-received. Yet it happens all the time; the giver of feedback is not showing any empathy towards the other person. Think about how you would like someone to give you feedback on one of your compositions and frame your responses accordingly. Be tactful This goes hand-in-hand with being respectful. It always stings a little when someone thinks the composition you’ve put your heart and soul into isn’t necessarily a work of genius (but you know it is, why can’t they see it?! 😫), so again, think how you would like to be approached with suggestions when you are the one giving feedback. There is so much hate on the internet and social media, it’s mind-boggling. Some people are hateful because they think it’s funny, or it’s their way of making themselves feel better. Other people are just thoughtless and have given no thought to how their comments are received. I heard a Triple J Hack podcast episode a few years ago, where one of the breakfast presenters was talking about how much online hate he got and how it was affecting his mental health. A member of the public rang in and said she was one of those people who had left a negative comment. She said she was sorry and felt bad that she had written it; she hadn’t given any thought to what it would be like to receive a comment like that. So always keep in mind; ‘how would I feel if I received this feedback?’ In Australia, we have this bizarre ‘tall poppy syndrome’; where once you get really successful at something (and if it happens quickly) you can become the subject of online (and print media) hate (Tones and I being the perfect example). Again, I think that people forget that their target is an actual person with real feelings and they don’t stop to think what it would be like to be in their shoes. So be kind and show some empathy. Be patient You may think that the piece of music you are critiquing has absolutely no redeeming features whatsoever (and that’s always a possibility!) That’s ok! You can’t please all of the people all of the time. It’s also not necessary to share that little tidbit with the composer; you want to help build them up, not tear them down (see the above paragraph). Each piece of music that they write is an opportunity to learn and improve. Giving feedback is a skill and like every skill, requires some practice. Thanks for reading and I hope you’ll join me next month when I talk about how to receive feedback. Hello and welcome to my first blog post! We artists are an anxious bunch and often allow anxiety to hinder our creativity, which exacerbates our uncertainties. So this month's blog article is about anxiety and what we can do to move past it. Anxiety can stop people from doing the thing that they want to do and love Anxiety has been described as a state where there are physiological changes such as increased blood pressure, worried thoughts and tense feelings (American Psychological Association, n.d.). The term ‘writer’s anxiety’ has been coined by researchers Huerta et al (2017, p 4) when referring to university graduate students experiencing writers’ block and tension when faced with academic writing tasks. I think this perfectly describes the anxiety that composers feel, whether or not they are scoring to picture. Feelings of inadequacy, the misnomer that you’ve already written your best music, and of course writers’ block can dry up the creative process and stop you from doing the thing that you love. It’s such a common thing amongst composers. This is normal but there are some tools you can use to overcome this
You can find some simple tools to overcome anxiety in everyday life, here are some things that I do Yoga - I love my yoga classes; I really like the moments of total relaxation in between the stretching and strength work. I find I feel so good after a class, relaxed and ready to face new challenges. Walking meditation - this one surprised me; I once signed up for meditation classes at the local Buddhist temple. The session consisted of walking meditation, Tai Chi and then an hour or so of sitting meditation. For my first session, I walked for 40 minutes around in a rectangle with other people whilst the sun set. After 20 minutes, I felt this relaxation descend upon me, I had never felt so good walking! I have used this technique outside of the meditation course when I was feeling anxious, unsettled and having trouble sleeping. Don't listen to music or podcasts whilst you're doing this; you won't achieve the relaxed state. Just walk and wait for it to happen. Floatation therapy - I’m not claustrophobic so I love my sessions in a sensory deprivation tank. I feel the more time you can be relaxed, it helps to balance out the acute stress anxiety can make you feel. Exercise - always a good stress reliever. Find an exercise that you like and fits in with your routine. If you find that you experience anxiety that gets in the way of your creativity, hopefully there are some tips here that will help you overcome this. I'd love to hear of you tried any of these and they worked, or if you've got your own coping strategies! Thanks for reading, I'll have a new topic next month. References American Psychological Association (n.d.). Anxiety. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/topics/anxiety/ Margarita Huerta, Patricia Goodson, Mina Beigi & Dominique Chlup (2017) Graduate students as academic writers: writing anxiety, self-efficacy and emotional intelligence, Higher Education Research & Development, 36:4, 716-729, DOI: 10.1080/07294360.2016.1238881 |
Lauren MercovichI have been a composer for over 20 years and my passion is film scoring. I love passing that passion on to new composers. Archives
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