As a piano and voice teacher and piano-playing singer…I’ve developed the skill of continually inspiring myself. 

But what inspires me, might not inspire you! You might find something else that reminds you why you love making music. 

For my current students you can use this list when your typical way of inspiration…doesn’t happen to be working for you today. 

For instance, what often inspires me to play and sing is lifting others up. But sometimes, from a little too much social interaction,  I’m a Grump-asaures Rex (cue Jurassic Park theme). Then I remember…music also helps me relax and connect with myself…and, knowing I can escape into my own musical world, I’m now aligned again with what inspires me to play and sing! 

So on my Jurassic Park days, what inspires me to sing and play  is actually the polar opposite of what normally does it for me: from connecting with others to connecting with myself. 

 Inspiration can be a practiced skill. You can get better at forcing yourself to practice, or get better at inspiring yourself and find yourself practicing…which sounds better to you? Which is truly more sustainable long term? 

So I got curious…what inspires my students to play and sing? Here’s what they said: 

To Lift Others Up (that was me) 

Emotional Release and Fun

The Music (ha! Simple enough!) 

A Positive Outlet 

Singing with Others 

To Express How I Feel When I Don’t Have the Words 

A Place for Emotion to Flow 

The Beauty of Music Makes Me Dissolve Into the Oneness of Life 

Connecting with Myself and Others 

To Relax 

To Find New and Better Ways to Express Myself 

If I Can, I will 

A Sense of Accomplishment and Sharing Joy