Make your shinobue dream come true with these easy practice tips
Don’t just dream; design your life to make your dreams a reality!
We all have our shinobue dreams. And as I said in the last newsletter, practicing every day is the quickest way to improve on shinobue. But you might be thinking:
I don't think I can. That sounds hard and boring.
I don't have time.
I keep forgetting, and before you know it, the day is over.
Don't give up! According to BJ Fogg, a behavioral scientist, behavior occurs when three elements come together at the same moment.
Motivation to do the behavior
Ability to do the behavior
A prompt
When these three things come together, the behavior, whether you want it or not, will happen!!!!
So let's use this formula so you can make the behavior of "Practicing shinobue every day" happen!!
You already have the motivation; I want to practice shinobue every day. So, let's dive into the other two elements: ability and prompt.
Ability - Make it SUPER easy to do!
You might not be able to practice every day for 30 minutes. So make it 1 minute!! I think everyone can practice shinobue for 1 minute every day. That's easy to do!
Now, if you practice for 30 minutes, that's fine too! But 1 minute is also fine!
The point is that you practice every day and try to make it a habit.
Prompt - Use your existing routine.
OK, everyone can practice playing the shinobue for 1 minute (unless they are in the hospital or something), but you still need a reminder (prompt). Instead of just scheduling it or setting an alarm, try to integrate your shinobue practice into your existing routine to make the transition to this new behavior smoother. Here are some ideas (you only need to choose one of them!):
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Put your shinobue on your pillow and practice before going to sleep.
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Put your shinobue near your coffee maker and practice when your coffee is brewing.
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Pack your shinobue with lunch and practice during lunch break.
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Keep your shinobue near TV and pick it up every time a commercial comes on.
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Let your shinobue be your video game buddy. Play it while your game is loading.
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Keep your shinobue by your pet's food bag and serenade your pets with shinobue music while they enjoy their meal.
The possibility is endless!!!
Don't beat yourself up when you don't practice.
So you skipped a day. Don't worry. Just pick it right back up. You skipped a week. Great! Let's start back up again! You skipped like 3 months! NO PROBLEM!! Let's go!! We are all humans and our motivations and interests change. But shinobue is always waiting for you.❤️
Make your practice joyous!!
It doesn't matter if you practice for 1 minute or 1 hour—make it fun! If it makes you feel good, you'll want to do it again and again. Encourage yourself positively after each practice, saying things like, "Wow, that was great!" "It was better than yesterday!" "Every day is a new adventure with shinobue!" "I'm glad I got to play shinobue again!" Remember how much more you wanted to learn when the teacher was enjoyable? Be a good teacher to yourself!
Is practicing for just one minute really going to make a difference?
Yes, it will, because you are creating a new habit and integrating your shinobue into your daily life. You will begin to notice a difference in your tone. Once you hear the improvement, it will spark your interest! Your curiosity will drive you to want to play more. When it's enjoyable, you'll naturally want to continue.
AND, I cannot emphasize enough the importance of practicing at random times. Take the shinobue, find the right spot on the mouth hole (utakuchi), and produce a good sound. This is more challenging than it seems, and it's one of the best practices, especially for beginners.
So, have fun practicing and building a beautiful relationship with your shinobue. Before you know it, your dreams will come true!
***This article was inspired by the podcast, Wisdom from the Top with Guy Raz, episode 165, "Small Habits, Huge Rewards: BJ Fogg".