If you can play a musical instrument, you’ll no doubt already be aware of the benefits. However, if you can’t play, learning can help your emotional, mental, even physical wellbeing, and if that alone hasn’t convinced you, we’re going to reveal our top 5 reasons for learning to play - and why it really is never too late. 

1. Develops your creativity

Creativity is a great thing to possess - it can help in all walks of life – for starters, creativity can teach you how to think outside of the more traditional box. Being able to play a musical instrument gives you the ability to run wild with your imagination. Through it you can experiment with what you play, how you play it, or even take your hand to songwriting. Instruments really can open the floodgates to your creativity. 

2. Makes you a broader individual 

Some of the things that make us so individual are our skills, interests and passions. So, go ahead, and expand your individuality by learning an instrument. It’ll give you a good talking point, a way to meet new networking connections and social relationships, and it will also give you something to work on and enjoy during a chilled Sunday afternoon at home. 

What’s more, learning a new instrument will work on your confidence as, chances are, it will lead to you playing in front of people. Whether this is for a small or a larger crowd, the more you play the more confident you’ll become – which can then trickle down into other areas of life. 

A musical instrument will also improve your patience. There’s no quick way to learn one, the more effort and time you sow, the more you’ll reap. And patience? Well, that’s another welcome addition to your broadening personality. 

3. Gives you a wonderful sense of achievement 

We’re not going to lie to you, learning an instrument is not an easy thing to do. It’s going to require oodles of patience – as aforementioned. However, it will give you a wonderful sense of achievement. You’ll be proud, and quite rightly so. 

Learning an instrument will show you the benefits of persistence in the face of something challenging. From completing a difficult passage you’ve been working on, to performing in front of an audience further down that musical road, you’ll feel a wonderful sense of achievement, time and time again.  

4. Allows you to self-express

Playing a musical instrument, as with any form of creative outlet, allows you to self-express. Self-expression is so important as it helps you to put across your thoughts and feelings through an artistic outlet. It is, in essence, how we interact with the rest of the world. Through regular self-expression you may find yourself becoming freer to be a more authentic you; it can also help you to accept who you are and grow relationships around you. And who knows, your self-expressiveness may even end up inspiring others.

There’re so many positive outcomes to learning a musical instrument, but perhaps the most persuasive is that it’s fun. So, what are you waiting for? Start your musical journey today, it really is never too late. 

Photo by Txus Garcia on Unsplash