When I was a child and listening to guitar tracks, I had never imagined that I would soon be able to play those same melodies that had looked so alien before. Learning an instrument honestly seemed impossible…yet I am here to tell you otherwise.

Guitar is certainly not for everyone however personally, I owe all my self growth to guitar and I hope you find similar results regardless of what instrument you do choose. I was first introduced to guitar by my friend who had one lying around and so I picked it up. Long story short, I came to really enjoy guitar and through dedicated practice, I have become sort of good at it. In all seriousness, learning an instrument is a never ending process and as you build up your fundamentals, you begin to learn faster and understand more which increases your appreciation of guitar. 

Along with the other benefits I will mention, guitar has been scientifically proven to keep your brain healthy. According to PennMedicine, instruments engage many parts of the brain effectively becoming a workout for your noggin’. This results in greater memory and co-native function and the younger you start the better. 

In my experience, the benefits don’t stop here as once I had discovered that I was able to do something which had previously seemed impossible, I searched for other things that I could do. I joined different clubs, tried new things and generally grew as a person. I also have noticed that my fingers are a little tougher and that I am more flexible with them as well. On top of this, playing music lets you understand it in a new light. Instead of it being random things that sound good, music seems much more calculated and digestible on a deeper level than just simple enjoyment. 

Guitar is not all sunshine and rainbows either. You will definitely find yourself soar if you stick with it but it is a guarantee that you will plateau as well or be hit by a wall entirely. My wall was barre chords which involve placing your index finger across all of the strings while pressing down on strings below it. For the life of me I could not figure this technique out but I trusted myself and kept trying and eventually I was able to do it. This sort of mindset is also great for you as you build up more discipline. 

In the end, it doesn’t matter what instrument you choose, what matters is how hard you believe in yourself, the instrument, and your ability to learn.