As a kid, I had a habit of scanning the audience to see if I could catch a glimpse of my mom's reactions to my performance.Generally, she'd be making a frowny sort of face, which didn't feel great then, but I now understand was probably more a look of concern, rather than disapproval.I don't know why I did that, because it didn't help. And how freaky must that have been for the people in the audience? Especially in the vicinity of my mom? Like, what the heck is this kid looking at? Wait...is he looking at me?Anyhow, I mention this because I found a study that reminded me of this old habit. Essentially, a team of researchers found that high and low-anxious folks tend to focus on very different things during a stressful task, and that this difference in attention was associated with either a milder or more severe stress response.With college auditions coming up in the next couple months, this seemed like a particularly relevant tip that could come in pretty handy, whether during the playing bits or interview bits.Get all the nerdy details and this week’s practice hack right here:​How to Keep Anxiety From Spiraling, on Stage and Off--Looking to develop better practice habits in 2023?If you’ve been wanting to experience more joy in the practice room and on stage, but haven’t been quite sure how to make that happen, starting January 22nd, I’ll be teaching a live, online, 5-week class on the most essential mental skills that can make a difference in one's practicing and performing.We’ll meet once a week via Zoom and go through the research in four essential mental skill areas, test out a range of techniques together as a group, and to make sure the ideas don’t just stay in your head, but actually become consistent habits, I'll show you how to gently integrate these new skills into your (or your students’) daily practice through manageable, bite-sized practice challenges.There will also be separate learner and educator tracks, plus private group areas and a forum to make it easier to compare notes and connect with a supportive group of accountability buddies from around the world.Registration is open today through Sunday, Jan. 15th at 11:59pm.Over 1000 musicians, educators, and students and learners of all ages have benefited from the course to date. You can find out what alumni are saying, and sign up to join the new cohort below:Join Performance Psych Essentials...