Have you ever listened to a song and really had it unlock something in you? Like, all of the sudden…
? you find yourself dancing to the beat when you were feeling tired just a few minutes prior. Or
? your nerves are calming down when you had been feeling anxious. Or
? you started spitting lyrics like you haven’t since ‘99, and you’re filled with nostalgia? Or,
? for my married couples out there, you’re suddenly “in the mood” when a little Marvin Gaye starts playin’.
Music is so powerful (all parts of it, from instruments, to the beat, the notes, the lyrics, etc.) and if we are not aware, it can really drive our mood. That can be a great thing, or it can honestly be detrimental!
I have different playlists for different scenarios. When it’s summertime and my windows are down and I’m jammin’ out on the highway, that’s a very different playlist than when it’s cold and rainy out and I need to get some work done. If I’m going to go for a walk around the bay, I’ll have a different playlist going than if I’m at home painting. What I listen to when I worship God is different than what I listen to when I’m working out.
Music can have such an impact on us, and I remember hearing a quote one time that really summed it up: “If you’re happy, you listen to the beat, but if you’re sad, you listen to the lyrics.”
Isn’t that so true? It can be easy to dismiss the lyrics when we’re rockin’ out to a killer beat, but if we’re in an emotionally tender state, the lyrics just hit different.
A few notes about music:
? Whether you want to admit it or not, lyrics are being ingrained into your subconscious, and they are forming belief systems within you – so choose the ones you listen to carefully!
? If you need a little mood boost, music is a great way to elicit change in emotions – use it wisely, because that can go both ways!
? There’s absolutely no reason you need to blast your music and have your base to the point that I can feel it across the neighborhood. Keep it to yourself (please + thank you)!
There’s literally music for every kind of mood, and I’ve found that the better mood I’m in, the less I want angsty-vibe music around me. If you want to be in a different emotional state, that’s one of the first things to look at (what audio input is coming into your life – anything from podcasts, to music, to who’s speaking into your life).
Here are a few of my favorites types of music:
? Painting + Art? Classical
? Bible reading + Devotional? Piano hymns
☔ Raining + Work? Jazz
? Driving + Windows down? 90s country
? Worship + Praise? Live worship
? Relaxing + Nap? Harp
I’ve experienced each of these types of music bringing me to a place where it’s just me, fully present in the experience, not being drawn in multiple directions by the world. And it’s never a plain answer when someone asks “What’s your favorite kind of music?” because it 100% depends on the activity and the mood.
My favorite kind of music varies, moment to moment, day to day, and I’m grateful to have such an incredible selection to choose from!
