“To be a musician in the service of music is not a job; it is a way of life.”
–Isaac Stern, violinist
The Musician’s Way, p. 299
I write this amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when music teachers worldwide are surmounting obstacles to provide students with remote instruction.
We educators are committed to being wellsprings of musical inspiration because we know that music fulfills vital needs.
But as we serve our students, we also need to replenish ourselves, and one proven way to support our self-care is to employ affirmations.
What Are Affirmations?
Affirmations are positive self-statements that can be uttered mentally or aloud. They help us generate internal states that boost compassion and creativity.
In fact, the things we say to ourselves have potent effects: “Self-talk can be positive, negative, or neutral, but it almost always has some influence on our behavior,” wrote psychologists Paul Salmon & Robert Meyer in Notes from the Green Room (p. 68).
Similarly, psychologist Barbara Fredrickson has shown that, “Positive emotions open our hearts and minds, making us more receptive and more creative.” (Positivity, p. 21).
I coined the following affirmations to help us nurture positivity, excellence, and compassion.
Recite them individually or as a set before teaching and throughout each day.
12 Affirmations for Music Teachers
- “By teaching music, I serve humanity.”
- “I uplift every student that I teach.”
- “I plant each seed of knowledge with compassion.”
- “I give my best in every lesson and class.”
- “I embody love of music in every word, gesture and phrase.”
- “As I teach, I honor those who taught me.”
- “I devote myself to student success.”
- “I transmit positive energy and encouragement to every student.”
- “Through teaching, I share my best self.”
- “I inspire students to believe in their potential.”
- “I cultivate a growth mindset in all students.”
- “I am grateful to all of the people who nurtured my music making.”
* * *
The most comprehensive music instruction book ever published, The Musician’s Way empowers music educators to equip students with inclusive abilities.
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10 Affirmations that Energize Music Practice
The Centered Performer
The Growth Mindset
Positivity
Ten Tips for Ongoing Creativity
© 2020 Gerald Klickstein
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