I wonder if you knew that the tiniest difference in head positions can completely change the ease with which you stand or sit. Most of us don’t think to make tiny little movements because we’ve been taught that bigger is better. So we never find out just how little we have to do to experience a change.
We’re designed to be supported by the miraculous architecture of our skeleton. Instead we often hold ourselves up with muscles meant for movement, not support. If you are paying careful attention to yourself as you move your head over different places above your spine, you might be able to discover the place where your head seems to balance rather than require being held up.
It’s the tiny size of the shift that gets me. Often we think big changes require big efforts. Because of the smallness of the actual shift we need, we may overlook it or discount its importance.
One point difference is a won or lost game. The right word at the right time can solidify an agreement between two major corporations that changes the economies of nations. While the build up to the one thing may be huge, you can’t deny that it really is one tiny thing that ends up making the difference.
Many of us are familiar with the concept of “the tipping point.” That’s when something is moving towards change, but appears static for a long time. There is a point at which everything shifts, and changes start happening rapidly.
The only difficulty I have with the tipping point is that it’s irreversible. Once you’re past the tipping point, everything falls into a new alignment. The little change I’m talking about may be a place rather than a event, and you can come into it and out of it again.
It’s the size of the place that makes the change so difficult. Often tiny, seemingly insignificant, it remains absolutely essential because the branches from it expand to everything else. Seeking the place of change becomes an interesting discipline for those with the sensitivity.
If you’re new at this, it’s important to remember when going through the long night of practicing a piece of music or working on a project that you may actually be close to your goal, but because the tiniest difference isn’t there, it will feel far away. It’s important to learn to recognize when you are close in spite of appearances, and what that tiniest difference is.
Not an easy task. Experience helps. Having someone that’s been there, knows the spot, and can recognize it in your work is invaluable.
You can use this way of thinking for writing songs, practicing the piano, and, of course, standing with ease. Do you have any examples in your life of that very small difference, in a relationship maybe, or a life choice? I’d love to hear about it, no matter how small.
Adam Cole is an author, educator and performer who teaches music as a martial art, and blogs weekly on the subject of listening, creativity and artistry. He is the director of Innovative Approaches to Music, a comprehensive look at the benefits of music learning. To take a quiz on what kind of music warrior you are, please visit www.mymusicfriend.net