Energy shift, right this way...

“I can’t believe that worked!”

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That’s what Michael said after he played "Mary Had a Little Lamb" straight through—without a single mistake—after struggling for what felt like forever.

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Michael is learning to play the piano. He's working through a self-study book and I'm in a cheerleader/support role.

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I love watching him learn:

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✔️ How years of playing cello translates so easily to the piano

✔️ How he notices patterns and connections between songs

✔️ How committed he is to playing a song all the way through before moving on to the next one

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But I feel a little twinge in my heart when I see his shoulders tense and his elbows clench toward his body once he’s hit the wrong note a few too many times.

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I’ve always got plenty of suggestions to help him bring more ease and flexibility into his arms - sit further away, wiggle your elbows, take a deep breath…

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But this time, I decided to try something new:

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💡 I suggested he run a lap through the kitchen and back around to the living room, then run up the stairs and back down.

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He laughed and then he did it, and then, in true 11-year-old fashion, he flopped down on the floor and shook out the extra energy before sitting back down at the piano.

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And that's when he played "Mary Had A Little Lamb" straight through. No mistakes.

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He was as delighted as he was surprised that it worked.

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I was equally delighted, but less surprised.

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Sometimes you just need a good reset.

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When he was feeling stuck, he didn’t need to try harder. He needed to do something completely different: a pattern interrupt to break the cycle of frustration; a physical shift to help his nervous system reset; a little silliness to take the pressure off and make it fun again.

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We all get stuck in ruts - repeating the same actions, making the same mistakes, digging our wheels deeper into the mud.

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This is your friendly reminder for the next time you feel that way: give yourself a few moments to shake it off, shift your energy, and release the pressure valve.

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Here are some of my quick and easy go-tos:

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Move your energy - yell, sing, dance, run, follow Michael’s lead and roll around on the floor - anything that creates an energy output.

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Change your environment - sit on the floor (have I ever told you about my sitting desk??), go outside, visit a book store or a coffee shop. Even a tiny location shift can make a big energetic difference.

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Ask a “what if?” question* - “What if this is simpler than it seems?” “What if the answer is right in front of me?” “What if the best path forward is to go back?” Just entertaining possibilities can spark new energy and ideas.

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Those might work for you, and if so, great! You can also reflect on how you've shifted energy in the past and use that for a more personalized approach.

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And, if you need a daily reminder to shift energy, you are not alone. I’m constantly forgetting how effective shifting energy is, but always so grateful for the reset when I do it 😀.

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