Dear world, being an adult is hard! There’s so much pressure to do all the things and do them without mistakes. So many of us fall under the perfectionist stigma and I am no exception! I recently read this Wallstreet Journal article, and was super inspired by it. It goes into detail about the demand of perfectionism in today's society, both from ourselves as well as external sources. It's very rare that we do something just for the fun of it. No expectations, just joy. The benefits of approaching a hobby with this intention are quite beneficial for our mental health. So, I decided to take a chance and start something I knew I wouldn’t be good at, but something I thought would be fun. No pressure for it to be perfect. Introducing the Mediocre Hobby!
For my Mediocre Hobby, I decided to pick up the accordion! Why the accordion? Two main reasons. First, I’ve seen it featured in several newer musicals including Once, Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812, and Hadestown. It does a really great job of adding to the specialness of the music and I really love it. Second, the new Weird Al Yankovic movie is coming out and Harry Pot- I mean Daniel Radcliffe is playing Weird Al! (#accio-rdion anyone?) I’m pretty sure the instrument is going to get some well-deserved popularity in the near future. Might as well start before the trend hits.
On top of starting this Mediocre Hobby, I’ve decided to share my adventure on TikTok for the whole world to see. Am I crazy? Probably. But I wanted something that would hold me accountable while also inspiring other people. I have several students that are absolutely wonderful, but many of them fall under the perfectionist mindset, primarily my adult students. I want to show them, and other students, that everyone struggles, even their “perfect” teacher, and it’s okay! Not to mention, learning a new instrument is an opportunity to put me in the student mindset and will help me be more understanding and patient in my professional teaching career.
I’m incredibly excited about this journey. Do you have a hobby you’ve thought of pursuing but have been afraid to? Try going for it with the intention of having fun and NOT being perfect. Let us know how it goes!
Christina Gentzsch is a co-owner of Dynamic Music Studios.