Music: Our stories, emotions, affirmations

I have always chosen my favorite songs based on the lyrics. Which is why I cannot personally understand why some people prefer to listen to bands that scream sing unintelligible words no matter how much they try to convince me it’s the guitar or drums that “make it.” To each his own, but I’d like to share how this approach to music has been impactful to me.

For a lot of my life I struggled to communicate my feelings with others. Either because I could not find the words or I did not feel secure enough to share. Sharing the right song helped me to articulate how I was feeling and perhaps using someone else’s words felt less vulnerable. For example, in college when I was struggling in a relationship I discussed the lines
I can’t believe how much it turns me on,
Just to be your man
from Your Man by Josh Turner with my then boyfriend. What I was trying to express was that I wanted to feel accepted, wanted, and loved just for being myself. His response was to scoff and tell me that was just a song and too much to expect in real life. Unfortunately, I believed him for many years.

When I was going through my first pregnancy loss I spent a lot of time on the couch watching the live action Beauty and the Beast. Two songs from the movie became representative of love/loss and hope for me. Listening to How does a moment last forever? and having a good cry helped me to process my grief.

How does a moment last forever?
How can a story never die?
It is love we must hold onto
Never easy, but we try

~

Through the darkest of our troubles
Love is beauty, love is pure
Love pays no mind to desolation
It flows like a river through the soul
Protects, proceeds, and perseveres
And makes us whole

Days in the Sun spoke to me of the before and after of tragedy, dark days of depression, and hope for joy again.

All those days in the sun
What I’d give to relive just one
Undo what’s done
And bring back the light
Oh, I could sing
Of the pain these dark days bring
The spell we’re under
Still it’s the wonder of us I sing of tonight
How in the midst of all this sorrow
Can so much hope and love endure?

And as I previously shared, when I started regaining self confidence and evolving into my abundance mindset I became obsessed with A Million Dreams, performed by Pink.

They can say, they can say it all sounds crazy
They can say, they can say I’ve lost my mind
I don’t care, I don’t care, if they call me crazy
We can live in a world that we design’
Cause every night, I lie in bed
The brightest colors fill my head
A million dreams are keeping me awake
I think of what the world could be
A vision of the one I see

I can remember sitting in the car writing down the lyrics. I was at a point in my journey where I had decided it didn’t matter what other people thought anymore my life was mine to live. Another song I see in a whole different light these days is Defying Gravity from Wicked. For years I spent my life living according to other people’s rules and fears. Shrinking myself into a cage of my own making in order to be accepted.

I’m through accepting limits
‘Cause someone says they’re so
Some things I cannot change
But ’til I try, I’ll never know!
Too long I’ve been afraid of
Losing love I guess I’ve lost
Well, if that’s love
It comes at much too high a cost!

The more I became self-aware and started to mindfully listen to music the more I recognized how universal so many of our struggles are and how songs provide a shared experience of those stories that let us know we aren’t alone. If it wasn’t happening to so many people in the general population it wouldn’t be making these artists millions and topping the music charts, right? I also started to be aware of the messages I was listening to on repeat, examined what I had been gravitating towards as well as old favorites, and became intentional in my selections. When I need to pump myself up or reinforce certain mindsets the right songs come in really handy as affirmations on demand.

My most recent favorite find is India.Arie. Her album SongVersation is really hitting home for me. The below is from Just Do you.

I heard a voice that told me I’m essential
How all my fears are limiting my potential
Said it’s time to step into the light and
Use every bit of the power I have inside and
So what’chu waiting on
Who you waiting for
If you don’t take a chance you’ll never know what’s in store
Just do you (somebody’s got to be your star)
Just do you (somebody’s got to raise the bar)
Just do you (somebody’s got to change the game)
Just do you (today)

I put on music to sing along or dance to every day. Here are some songs you’ll find on my Amazon Prime Music playlists [by story/theme I feel they relate to]:

Self-esteem/worth/love/acceptance:
Try, Colbie Caillat
F**kin’ Perfect, Pink
Scars To Your Beautiful, Alessia Cara
This Is Me (from The Greatest Showman), Keala Settle & cast
Most Girls, Hailee Steinfeld
Me Too, Meghan Trainor
Broken & Beautiful, Kelly Clarkson
I Am Light, India.Arie
Life I Know, India.Arie
Worth It, Danielle Bradbery
Dear Daughter, Halestorm
I Am The Fire, Halestorm
I Believe, Christina Perri
Let It Go (from Frozen), Idina Menzel
Reflection (from Mulan), Christina Aguilera
Show Yourself (from Frozen II), Idina Menzel
Soulmate, Lizzo

Resilience/Come-back:
Champion, Bishop Briggs
Stronger, Kelly Clarkson
Fighter, Christina Aguilera
Dare, Daya
From Now On (from The Greatest Showman), Hugh Jackman & cast
Get Up, Shinedown
Get Back Up Again (from Trolls), Anna Kendrick

Empowerment, Abundance Mindset:
Defying Gravity (from Wicked), Kristen Chenoweth & Idina Menzel
Try Everything, Shakira
A Million Dreams (from The Greatest Showman), Pink
Fight Song, Rachel Platten
Just Do You, India.Arie
Break The Shell, India.Arie
SoulBird Rise, India.Arie
Come Alive (from The Greatest Showman), Hugh Jackman & cast
Good Morning, Max Frost
How Far I’ll Go (from Moana), Auli’i Cravalho
The Other Side (from The Greatest Showman), Hugh Jackman & Zac Efron

Compassion:
One, India.Arie
Relate, for King & Country

Co-dependency:
Bird Set Free, Sia
Begin Again, Taylor Swift
Miss Me More, Kelsea Ballerini
Roar, Katy Perry
Survivor, Destiny’s Child
I Love Me, Demi Lovato
According to You, Orlanthi
I Don’t Think About You, Kelly Clarkson
Praying, Kesha
She Used To Be Mine, Sara Bareilles

Love:
Beautiful Crazy, Luke Combs
Better Place, Rachel Platten
This Love, India.Arie
Nothing That I Love More, India.Arie
Flowers, India.Arie
Cocoa Butter, India.Arie
Moved by You, India.Arie
Everything, Michael Buble’
Hearts Don’t Break Around Here, Ed Sheeran
How Would You Feel, Ed Sheeran
I Get to Love You, Ruelle
Never Stop, SafetySuit

What are some of your favorite songs & why?

What messages or stories pull you in?

Have you examined why that may be the case? If not, I encourage you to use some of your favorite songs for self-exploration journaling prompts.