Have you ever noticed the influence music has on you? On your feelings? The way it makes your body move, your fingers tap, your hips sway? Have you ever been revved up by a song, an anthem that propelled you to action? What was that song?
There was a time in my life a couple of years ago where I felt defeated. I felt overwhelmed and powerless and it left me feeling hollow in a lot of ways. One day in the middle of this difficult time, I was listening to music and this song came on that changed everything. That sounds pretty dramatic doesn't it? But truly, that's what it did. It gave me a fight song. It gave me words to say, loudly and passionately, that fueled my ability to get up off the ground, and brush the dust off and continue to fight on.
What was it about this song that caused such an immediate change? Was it the catchy lyrics or the melody? Perhaps it was both. In that moment, it was a lifeline to me. One that propelled me to action. Even still, several years later, when I hear that song, my soul rises up within me, poised and ready, even if it just until the end of the song.
The music we listen to has power. It has influence, it has the ability to shift our mood, our thoughts and our actions. This is no small thing. In fact, this is a pretty big deal. How often do you give thought to how the music you listen to is influencing you? I have to say that I rarely stop and think about this, or even ask myself any questions about the songs I play. Instinctually, I turn on one type of music when I want to be hyped up, another when I want to study and read, and another when I am getting ready for a date night.
My instincts tell me to listen to certain playlists to cultivate certain feelings and thoughts. Breakup songs, love songs, sad songs, dance songs, angry songs, revenge songs, fight songs. The list goes on and on, and endless supply of fuel to feed the emotional rollercoaster we live on. Are we at the mercy of our radio or Spotify playlist, never knowing what song is coming next. Honestly, given how much power and influence music can have, I'm not sure I want to give that control over to to Spotify.
Last night I was in a room with 2,000 people all singing in harmony, the various parts clearly heard and felt all around me. It was a beautiful moment. But again, the singing I was surrounded by had influence over how I felt in that moment.
Have you been in a store and suddenly a song comes on that you recognize and you begin to hum along, occasionally singing a word or two aloud before you notice the other shoppers around you? Stores are onto it. They too recognize the power of music, and its influence on us. They know that when we are happy, carefree and reminiscing - we are more likely to spend more money.
So what is the music you listen to? Are you aware of its influence over you? Should we be more cautious about what we listen to? It's something to think about at the very least. What are your thoughts on it?
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