In this reflective episode, Amy shares six things she’s letting go of in 2025, from unrealistic expectations to daily habits that no longer serve her. Join the conversation and consider what you might release this year to create a more balanced studio and personal life.
Items Mentioned and Other Related Content
- Support the podcast
- Subscribe to Amy’e email list
- Organize Your Life With Notion workshop waitlist
- Summer Digital Organization Retreat in Amy’s home
- Episode 103 – Technical Pattern Progressions
- Episode 148 – 6 Non-Musical Performance Skills for Students
- Episode 152 – Audiating “Lavender’s Blue:” No Sheet Music Required!
Transcript
Hello, friends; we are back for the third episode of 2025, number 153 of The Piano Pantry Podcast. I’m Amy Chaplin, a piano teacher who loves podcasts and sharing all things related to living the life of a studio teacher with this community.
Last week, I had a lot of fun putting together an ear-training episode for you. I heard a lot of great feedback and plan on sharing more similar content with you in the coming year.
Now that we’re a solid six weeks into this new year, today’s episode is a bit of self-reflection. While I’ll be sharing a handful of things I’m determined to let go of this year; I invite you to take this time to consider what things in your studio or home life you might need to let go of.
Before we jump in, thanks to all the teacher friends supporting this work on Patreon. At the end of this month, I’ll be sharing a presentation with my Patreon Insiders you might be interested in joining.
It’s called “A New Primer: Audiation-Based Lessons for Young Beginners.”
In this session, we’ll explore a lesson approach based on how our youngest students learn music best—through singing, movement, art, full-piano exploration, patterns, and guided improvisation. You’ll walk away more confidently equipped to utilize Keyboard Games by Marilyn Lowe in your studio.
The session is on Wednesday, February 26 from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm Eastern Time but will be recorded and available for replay.
Visit PianoPantry.com/patreon to join today and get access to this upcoming session for just $7.
Just a quick note on what I mean when I say “letting go of.” I think it can mean more than one thing. In some cases, it might be a complete mentality reset, and sometimes, it might be more literal, like letting go of a pair of old jeans. It might be a one-time, or it might also be a longer process, either physically or mentally. Definitely don’t get too caught up in the meaning. Just consider what feels right. What do you feel like you need to let go of this year.
OK, so the first thing I’m letting go of is one I’ve already shared with you, but only formally once in the last episode of 2024. So, in episode #150, I mentioned I was going to be moving this podcast to an every-other-week format.
So, I’m letting go of my desire for this to be a weekly podcast. If you didn’t hear the first announcement, you might have already noticed that I’ve only been publishing every two weeks. Believe me, it’s not for a lack of ideas. I probably have an entire year of episode ideas mapped out still. It’s about recognizing what’s sustainable and healthy for my life right now. I also wanted more balance in being able to share content and resources on my blog more regularly. It was really hard to do that with a weekly podcast.
For anyone who creates outside of your teaching, I don’t know about you, but I have personally found the best balance in one creation per week. That is – one podcast episode, one blog post, one project – whatever it may be. Now, of course, it’s not cut and dry. Some weeks might allow for more, and some weeks might allow for less – especially when tackling bigger projects. It helps me, though, to keep a rough average of one per week max as I’m planning, creating, and sharing.
OK, so the second thing I’m letting go of in 2025 is keeping my phone with me at all times. ****It’s so crazy how easily these devices can become like a third hand. Here’s the scenario that finally broke the camel’s back for me on this issue.
It was late last fall. I was working out first thing in the morning when a text or email came through. I allowed myself to look, and it totally derailed what I was doing. I honestly can’t even remember what it was exactly. I do remember it certainly wasn’t an emergency, but once I checked it, I had a hard time stepping away, finishing what I was doing, and dealing with it later.
That one instance really hit me, and I realized what I needed to do was just remove the temptation. There was no reason I had to have my phone with me when I worked out, and I’ve left it sitting on the kitchen counter ever since. Guess what? Not one thing has needed my attention since, and I can keep my mind in the present, focused on my workout.
Do you relate to this?
One other thing I’ll share quickly that’s related is that I finally started utilizing my device’s sleep mode, so nothing comes through between 11 pm and 8:45 am. Now, I actually used to not keep my phone beside my bed at all, but my alarm clock is starting to go bad, so I’ve started using my phone.
It is so nice to wake up in the morning and not have tons of notifications glaring at me. It has allowed me to start my morning slowly in the way I want and not by what is demanding my attention. It’s been a game-changer. The nice thing is the setting will allow you to designate contacts that are not included in that. So, if there’s a family emergency or something, I’ll still get texts from those I list.
Next up – the third thing I’m letting go of in 2025 is my fear of talking about teaching to you. Crazy, I know. I’m honestly not sure if it’s actual fear or just that what comes out of me more naturally is all the other stuff: digital organization, studio management, life, cooking, and so forth.
I love learning how to be a better teacher but shy away from conversations about it. While I’m in teacher Facebook groups, I don’t interact much. I think some of it is I’m not a debater, and so often sharing online comes with the possibility of having to verbally support your reason for doing something; I don’t know. It’s just a thing I’m trying to get over because I do belive I have good things to share directly related to teaching from my own learning and teaching life experiences.
This is why you finally saw an ear-training episode last week. Do you want a chuckle? So, in complete transparency, I told myself this same thing in January last year when I did episode #103 on Technical Pattern Progressions. Guess how many pedagogical episodes I did last year after that? I guess it depends on what I consider pedagogical episodes – but in my mind 0. I did do one on 6 non-musical performance skills for students – that was episode 148, and one on running a note-naming challenge – that was episode #107, but other than that, I’m all about the business.
Anyway, I vow to try harder to talk more about teaching to you in 2025.
The fourth thing I’m letting go of in 2025 is kicking myself when I see someone create something I think I should have thought of – that is sooo me and what I do.
There are two versions to this one, really. It frustrates me when I see someone create and get something out there that I saw a huge need for and was already working on creating myself, but they got theirs published before me. I’m a slow creator, so I guess that’s what I get.
I know the answer is that yes, I absolutely should still share what I am working on even if it’s a similar product. Please don’t get me wrong, I’m totally happy for whoever publishes that thing, but gosh darn it, I struggle to not to kick myself for not getting there first.
Actually, a lot of this is just the Enneagram 3 in me. I’m a total achiever, and while I’m not competitive in a sports sense, in the least, not even a little, it’s things like this where my competitiveness seeps through. But it’s not a competition, I know! LOL
The second part of this is when I see someone create something that fits my vibe and what I do for teachers. I kick myself for not thinking of something like that myself.
This probably all feels so silly, and I’m starting to sound like I’m in a self-counseling session or something. LOL. Just being real and human here, people. LOL.
I vow to let go of all the “should haves” this year and be OK with who I am and what comes out of me to share with you and I will ALWAYS be happy for others who share and create as well.
Alright, friends, I have to say at first I thought I was only going to have 3 or 4 of these, and here I am with six. Yep, two more.
The fifth thing I’m letting go of this year is using skinny tab markers for page markers in my students books. They just get destroyed so quickly and easily or they get folded over and not seen or they get torn off easily.
It doesn’t help that I accidently purchased a huge pack of generic post-its a few years ago and their stickyness was non-existent. I spent $60 (again by accident) on this massive pack. I should have sent them back but I didn’t know they were horrible until I started using them and at that point I was like, oh whatever… that was a decision I regret.
This week, I decided to try using the 1.5” x 2” ones to mark their pieces. I like the paper Post-its because we frequently write on them, as opposed to the transparent plastic type.
The sixth and final thing I’m letting go of is basing my self-worth on what I make financially. I know! I’m getting a little deep and personal today! It all goes back to the whole Enneagram 3 thing. I’ve always put this unnecessary feeling on myself that whatever my income number was for the year reflected on how good I was at what I did or how hard I had worked. I realized I have got to let that go. There is absolutely zero pressure about this coming from anyone but myself.
Yes, we all have financial needs for living life and doing what we have to do, but tying it to my personal values was not helping my feelings of self-worth. Because I’m not one to expound on things in too deep of a manner, I’m just going to leave it at that but you all know me really well now! LOL.
Why does all of this matter? Why is it important for us to take time to consider what we need to let go of in life? It’s all about taking the time to step back and look at the one life we have to live. It’s looking back and looking forward.
I’m looking back and saying I’m happy I did a weekly podcast for 3 years; it’s what I needed and wanted. But now I’m looking forward and saying, “This is what this season of life needs.”
I’m looking back and saying that just because I used skinny Post-it tabs to mark pages for 14 years doesn’t mean I have to keep using the same ones this year.
None of these reflections that I shared with you today took time or effort; they were just manifestations in my mind that I took time to acknowledge and recognize.
I know the podcast format doesn’t allow for direct interaction like a YouTube video or blog post might, but I am on social media, and I would LOVE to hear what you guys are letting go of in 2025. Let me know!
Quick note: Joy Morin and I will be running our fourth round of the “Organize Your Life With Notion” workshop in May. We’ve always done it on Fridays but are going to change days to make it available to those who can’t do Fridays. Mark your calendar for Wednesdays, May 7, 14, and 21, from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Eastern Time. The bonus follow-up session will be on Wednesday, June 4, at the same time. Visit pianopantry.com/notionwait to join the waitlist.
Also, dates are coming soon for the digital organization retreat I hold in my home each summer. If you would like to join that waitlist, visit pianopantry.com/digitalwait
See you in two weeks!
