It’s one thing to simply be polite, and another to feel so submissive to other people that the first thing you think to say is, ‘I’m sorry.’

Life is a gift that’s well worth celebrating. It’s hard to imagine sometimes how to do that with world events swirling around us.

Make sure that you consult your list of strengths often. This will help you with building blocks towards enjoying your speaking events more as you gain experience.

The holidays are supposed to be fun! Right?

Then why do so many people, (dare I say mostly women?), start feeling freaked out around mid-October?

Take a deep breath and let’s take a quick look at what you want the holidays to be about. It might be taking the time to enjoy family and friends, baking some goodies, or decorating your house.

It’s a strange thing, but we often bring negative personal baggage to a job that we have trained for, become experts at, and we actually do know what we’re doing.

A way to address the nerves and negative self-talk is to think carefully about your playing. What’s a positive word that you can put on your music for a visual reminder about your wonderful playing?