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Streaking, Part 2: Re-establishing a Daily Musical Habit

Yesterday marked 20 days of consecutive playing for me on both banjo and fiddle. That's about how long since I've been back from vacation.

That first week was rough in terms of remembering the tunes I know. Little by little, playing has become easier as I've returned each day to try again.

Before my monthlong hiatus, I had embarked on a daily streak that lasted almost three months. Now I'm wondering if I can do it again. Some researchers say it takes 21 days (that's today!) to form a new habit, while others argue it takes more like 66 days (that's not today at all).

Of course, nothing I've read says anything about getting back into a habit.

Regardless of how long it might take, having a lofty benchmark has provided some strong motivation as I seek to re-establish my daily habit. I have my sights set on 90 days and beyond.

I'm also trying to catch up to my hourly goal for fiddle playing time this year. As you might expect, taking most of August off has put me way behind the pace. Luckily, I was already over my August goal for banjo playing time when I left for vacation. However, my fiddle playing goal is much higher than it is for the banjo.

Hopefully, by resuming my daily playing habit, I'll be able whittle away at my deficit by the end of the year.
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