Cozy practicing!

Have you heard of cozy cardio? One evening, while scrolling on my phone, I stumbled upon a video of a woman who set out to make cardio as pleasant as possible. She lit candles, put on comfortable clothes, watched her favorite TV show, and walked on a treadmill in her living room. Her goal? To eliminate the resistance she felt toward cardio. Instead of forcing herself to jog in all kinds of weather, she created a warm, inviting environment that made exercising a positive experience. Now, #cozycardio has become a social media movement, with the creator amassing over a million TikTok followers. Clearly, she struck a chord.

I thought about cozy cardio recently and realized the same principles could apply to practice sessions. By lowering my expectations, creating a cozy environment, and embracing the idea that practicing could be an enjoyable experience, I found it much easier to actually sit down and do it. So, I ignored all the preconceived notions of what a “proper” practice session should look like, curled up on the couch with a blanket, and practiced more effectively than I had in ages. And just like that, the concept of cozy practice was born!

The threshold for starting a cozy practice session is remarkably low. Find a comfortable chair (standing is allowed, but since I live in an old, drafty house, I prefer blankets, and blankets are best when you’re seated), make your surroundings inviting, and get started. The only other requirement for cozy practice is this: speak to yourself the way you would speak to someone else.

Now think about the things you say to yourself during a practice session. Would you ever dream of saying those things to another person? If the answer is yes —CONGRATULATIONS! You’re either a genuinely wise and insightful person with a positive and supportive inner voice, or a completely unfiltered individual who really needs to think before speaking. Hopefully, it’s the first. (To be clear, I’m not saying you shouldn’t be thorough, precise, or critically evaluate your playing. But I am saying you should consider how you speak to yourself while doing it.)

So, light a candle, settle onto the couch or floor, grab something warm to drink—whatever you