I teach happiness in the form of piano lessons

Happiness, I am moving my company in the direction of happiness. Care to join me? Happiness is playing music, teaching music, playing with others, and helping my students find the same sense of delight I get when I play.

Over the holidays my reading list was filled with Brené Brown (Strong Ground), Arthur Brooks (The Happiness Files), Simon Sinek (Start with Why), Donella H. Meadows (Thinking in Systems), Charles Mackesy (Always Remember), and Robin Ha (Cook Korean!).

These brilliant people and many others helped me quantify what I do. This year I’ll be explaining it so you can join me in moving in the direction of happiness.

Wouldn’t it be great if every lesson was delightful? I haven’t had a cruddy lesson in years.  I’m seeing things in lessons in the last 3 years that I wouldn’t have believed possible 5 years ago.

Separating out pedagogy from subject matter, understanding systems thinking, reciprocating loops, noticing and being present in every lesson has made a huge difference.

According to Arthur Brooks, from his podcast, Office Hours, it’s difficult to be happy, it’s a fleeting state. But it is possible to become happier. He calls this Happier-ness.

It has 3 components:

1. Enjoyment, which is:

   1. Doing something pleasurable

   2. With others

   3. Creating memories

2. Satisfaction

   1. what comes from doing hard things and managing negative emotions

3. Meaning

   1. For me, teaching music is meaningful because I feel connected to my students, and my general goal is happiness.

I think playing, learning, and teaching music is pleasurable, and to be able to share it with others creates memories; Brooks’ definition of Enjoyment. Because learning is difficult, it’s satisfying.

Simon Sinek’s book, Start with Why, made me think. Seriously, who goes into teaching for the money?! Why do you teach, why do you play? What gets you excited? What do you look forward to?

I'm on a mission to add delight and joy and happiness in every lesson I teach. Care to join me?