Day 7
Happy Sunday! ☕️
As we come to the end of our first week together, I want to share something that I do religiously (no pun intended!) — weekly reflection.
You’ve probably heard me mention practice diaries before. I’m a huge advocate for them — but not just as a place to scribble “practised for 30 minutes.”
A practice diary should be your training log, your place to celebrate wins, identify challenges, and map out your progress. 🎵
Sundays are perfect for this because most of us have a little more breathing room in our schedules. Even if you’re busy with family or preparing for the week ahead, taking 10 minutes to reflect on your musical week can make an enormous difference to your progress.
I’ll be honest — when I was at music college, I got caught up in the “hours game.” ⏰
Everyone talked about how many hours they’d practised, and I constantly felt like I wasn’t doing enough.
Looking back, I realise the problem wasn’t the amount of time I was putting in.
It was that I wasn’t reflecting on what I was actually learning.
Once I started keeping a detailed practice diary, everything changed. 📘
I could see patterns. I could identify what worked and what didn’t.
I stopped repeating the same mistakes and started making real, measurable progress.
✏️ Today’s Task (10 minutes)
Grab your practice diary (or start one today — a simple notebook works perfectly).
Find a quiet spot, maybe with a cup of tea or coffee ☕️, and reflect on this past week.
Ask yourself:
🎵 What did you practise this week? Be specific about pieces and sections.
🌟 What went well? Write down at least three successes, no matter how small.
⚡️ What was challenging? Don’t judge — just note what was difficult.
💡 What did you learn? This could be technical, musical, or even personal.
🎯 What’s one thing you want to focus on this coming week?
🎻 For advanced players:
Add these deeper reflection questions:
🧠 How was your mental approach this week — mindful or mindless?
🔍 Which practice method worked best, and why?
🎓 If you were teaching someone the most important thing you learned this week, what would it be?
📈 What specific, measurable goal can you set for next week?
Bonus tip: ✨
At the end of each practice session this week, write down just one sentence about your achievement.
By next Sunday, you’ll have seven short reflections documenting your progress — and when you read them, you’ll be amazed at how much you’ve accomplished. 💫
Remember, progress isn’t always linear. 📆
Some weeks you’ll make huge leaps forward. Other weeks — especially in December! — you might feel like you’re simply maintaining. Both are valuable. Both deserve to be celebrated. 🎶
Enjoy your Sunday, and I’ll see you tomorrow for Week 2!
Fiona 💛
P.S. Looking at your reflection, what’s one thing that surprised you? I’d love to know! 🌟