Briefly introduce yourself and share a bit about your background.
My name is Rob Alley. I am a musician, improvisor, and educator. (I play the trumpet.) I’ve been playing music for over 40 years now. Through the course of recovering from some traumatic events, I fell in love with improvisation and mindfulness practice and started to see the connection to both in everyday life, not just for arts and music folks. (We’re all improvisors and can find stability and balance in life through these practices.) In the mid-2000s I began to formulate a way to share this info with people outside the traditional arts and music realms. And in 2013 I was asked to teach this formally in the Honors College here at UA. It’s been incredibly gratifying. I look forward to each day, and many years to come teaching inside and outside the traditional classroom.
Describe the starting point of your journey and the factors that led to this decision.
Meditation was recommended as a practice to increase mental fitness in recovery from drug and alcohol abuse. It took a while to develop a regular practice (mental fitness is just like physical fitness—consistency is the key, even in small doses). But once I did, I really began to notice how I saw life differently, and how my responses to stimuli were more measured and helpful in each situation. At the same time, I began to become aware of how improvisation in everyday life (just moving through the world with confidence and ease) and the mindfulness practice complement one another, and I’ve never looked back. I learned that this mindset is a skill that can be cultivated. And when I practice it, it becomes easier to see every day as an enjoyable adventure, even the super stressful ones.
What were some challenges or obstacles you encountered during your wellness journey?
Developing a regular mindfulness practice was definitely a challenge. But what I’ve learned is that taking it easy on myself was the best path. Two things yield amazing results: 1) a curiosity to know what comes on the other side a consistent practice, and 2) a commitment to 5 minutes a day most days each week. Combine those with an approach that doesn’t focus too much on results gained, and, paradoxically, immense benefits tend to appear in everyday life quite effortlessly.
How has your wellness journey influenced your daily life, including work, relationships, and overall well-being?
As stated above, we’re all improvisors, moving through life each day responding to a multitude of encounters and stimuli. (Everyday conversation is the most common form of improvisation.) We improvise with what we know and trust about ourselves. So, the more intimate I became with myself in an honest way (which is where the mindfulness practice comes in handy), I became a better improvisor and became more comfortable moving through life on its own terms, without trying to change everything just to make myself feel comfortable. I learned to respond and act through my own set of values and principles, and with a clear understanding of how my individual contribution can be most helpful in each situation. (The Serenity Prayer, in a nutshell.) Obviously, this has a positive impact on people I encounter casually during the day as well as in my more intimate relationships.
What changes have you noticed in energy levels, focus, or other aspects of your daily routine?
After about a year of a regular practice, I noticed that I was needing less sleep. I would wake up on my own before the alarm, feeling rested and energized. That energy feels like a steady burn throughout most days. I typically get between 4-6 hours of sleep each night. That’s less than is commonly recommended these days. But I did some research and found that it’s consistent with thousands of years of meditation practitioners. Most importantly, it’s worked for me for years now. I’m going to stick with it.
What advice would you give to someone who is just starting their wellness journey?
I’ll give some of the advice that’s been given to me over the years: Mind wandering in meditation is actually completely normal. In fact, it’s helpful. Knowing what it’s like to be present in the moment is impossible if we’ve never experienced being lost. How can we be found if we’ve never been lost? Also, be kind to yourself when you “fail” or forget. Take it easy. Stay curious. Simply practice “Easy does it…but do it” and see what you notice. Just aim for ease and comfort. A regular practice has a way of yielding results without our spending too much effort.
What was the last random act of kindness you did? (i.e. left a kind note, volunteered time, gave a compliment, shared homemade treats, etc.)
I have a daily gratitude practice on Facebook. I simply post one thing I’m grateful for most days. Those algorithms are responsive to positive data as well as negative.
Read more inspiring wellness stories, tips for maintaining a healthy routine, and meet all the UA Spotlight on Wellness employees from this year.