Getting in my friends car, she is tapping on the steering wheel to the beat of her favorite 70’s music. I am always inspired by her, 70’s is not my thing and I admire how much she loves it. Then there is my husband who listens to nothing else but Classic Rock. Don’t get me wrong, I love Classic Rock but it is always the same old tunes and I have to be in the mood for that rhythm. What is your favorite genre of music? Most individuals usually have an array of types of music that they enjoy. I want you to think for a moment, “Why do you choose a particular song or genre when you listen to music.”? I have a motto that is, “Music is Life”.
Today, I am going to give you insight into the ways that you can manipulate Music to suit your emotions and feelings. Music Therapy is a form of Therapy in which a Certified Music Therapist utilizes music and instruments as a means of self-expression in a Therapeutic Setting. In my Professional life, I would often provide Co-therapy groups with a Music Therapist for our clients. The impact Music had in this setting was impressive. I have transposed this process into my daily life and have encouraged others to do as well. “Music is Life”.
Music stimulates the Endorphins in our brain when we listen to happy or uplifting Music. The opposite happens when we listen to sad Music, we tend to feel down or it evokes a sad memory. This is exactly where we begin with the process of using Music as a coping mechanism, in our lives. I want you start to think about the Music you listen to when you feel happy and sad. Close your eyes for a moment and think about how these songs affect you. “Music is Life”.
In the past month I was fortunate enough to see my favorite male and female artists in concert. Each of these artists are completely different, with their own styles and ways they put on a concert. I was mesmerized by both of them. These two artists both evoke different emotions deep down inside of me and their lyrics mean many different things to me personally. P!NK and Ed Sheeran both bring out my inner voice and emotions. Do you have any favorite artists that provide this for you? Of course you do and I imagine this evolves as you move through your life. “Music is Life”.
I have to be honest, I ugly cried at P!NK’s concert when she sang the song, “When I get there”. Her dad passed away during Covid and my dad did as well. This song was for her dad and it became my song for my dad. Listening to this particular song makes me take a moment to express that I miss my dad. I know he is watching me from above. If you are experiencing grief take a listen to her song and see the impact it has on you. “Music is Life”.
I like to have a Theme Song that represents who I am in the current place I am in my life. I have had this song for a few years as my Theme Song, “All I know so far”, by P!NK(Remember I said she is my favorite Female Artist). The lyrics of this song talk about how we go through life as if it is a lesson on how we should cope with the ups and downs. Life can be hard and we must use all of our own personal powers to guide us through the good and bad times that life brings us. I listen to this song everyday to give me the strength to conquer the day that is ahead of me. “Music is Life”.
All I Know So Far by P!NK
(Chorus)
Let the walls crack, ’cause it let’s the light in
Let ’em drag you through hell
They can’t tell you to change who you are
That’s all I know so far
And when the storms out, you can run in the rain
Put your sword down, dive right into the pain
Stay unfiltered and loud, you’ll be proud of that skin full of scars
That’s all i know so far
How I love this song. I relate to it so much. I hope by now you are starting to think of a song that maybe you can call your own Theme Song. When I am feeling defeated or down about the world or my life, this song helps me to put things into perspective. Have you ever listened to Ed Sheeran’s new song “Spring”? His song can have two meanings. This time of year in the US we are just about to have winter season. In the colder months many people who live in areas where they have a lot of snow, experience a mental health term called Seasonal Depression or more commonly known as “Cabin Fever”. Being stuck in with little to no outside time may cause a depressive episode. This song strikes a different cord for me personally. Though we are no longer in the depths of Covid and Quarantine, we all have distinct, sad, frustrating and upsetting memories of this time in the world. The song “Spring” for me, makes me look back at this time and how altered all of our lives really were. “Spring” speaks to me, highlighting that we all learned many things and evolved during this tragic time in our lives. I love that this song reminds me of how far we all have come. I realize that we now appreciate the smaller things in life, that were unavailable to us then. “Music is Life”.
Spring by Ed Sheeran
Homework and cancelled holidays
The blame gets passed to save
The smell of last night’s takeaway
Just tells me I’m a mess
Still watchin’ shows they recommend
That don’t get good until the end
I could be unwell, but then again
Maybe I’m just depressed
Let’s go a little deeper into how you can manipulate music to serve as a coping mechanism in your life. Create a repertoire of songs and lyrics that represent many of the emotions you may go through or struggle with. Do a little research of your favorite artists or maybe some new ones and find songs that strike a cord deep inside you. Music as a form of therapy is a constructive and creative way to cope with the ups and downs of life’s challenges. “Music is Life”.
Poetry has always been acknowledged as way of self-expression. Lyrics to a song for all intense purposes is Poetry. Try taking the music away and just read the words, like a poem. The song may take on a whole new perspective for you. Evolving in life, getting through the tough times, finding new challenging ways to maintain your Mental Health and emotions can be accomplished. Sometimes it’s fun just to listen to a song that makes you smile. Let’s have a happy moment here with Neil Diamond.
SWEET CAROLINE by NEIL DIAMOND
Warm, touchin’ warm
Reachin’ out touchin’ me touchin’ you
Sweet Caroline
Good times never seemed so good
I’ve been inclined
To believe they never would
and the crowd yells- So Good, So Good, So Good
I hope you have a big smile on your face and if you do then my point has been supported. Music and song lyrics can be manipulated in a way that we can use for our mental health and emotional stability. Make a commitment to yourself, try this technique and incorporate it into your daily life. When you deconstruct a song from the musical sound, the song takes on a whole different aura. Maybe, get a group of your friends together and sing Sweet Caroline, Good times never seemed so good, so good, so good, so good!!!! “Music is Life”.
POSITIVE THOUGHTS CREATE POSITIVE ENERGY
GO OUT AND EXPLORE ALL OF THE WIDE OPEN SPACES IN YOUR WORLD
CIAO,
ILISE
