Finding Strength in the Music
I listen to music constantly - classical, rock, opera, jazz; you name it. When I'm writing, when I'm thinking, when I'm processing difficult emotions. The playlist shifts with my moods and needs, but the music is always there, providing support through every challenge.
And when I sit down to play music myself, something almost magical happens. The act of creating those sounds becomes both cathartic and energizing, helping me process whatever the day has brought.
When your inbox feels like a collection of rejection letters and election results test your optimism, it's time to turn to music.
As Bruce Springsteen perfectly put it, "The best music is essentially there to provide you something to face the world with."
Need to remember your own resilience? Try Beethoven's Eroica, with its opening chords building towards something greater than present struggles.
Or queue up Tom Petty's "I Won't Back Down." It’s simple, direct, and defiant. "You can stand me up at the gates of hell, but I won't back down." Sometimes you need someone to voice your determination that plainly.
Different moments call for different medicines. When you need perspective, let the Stones remind you "you can't always get what you want, but if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need."
When hope feels distant, there's Journey insisting "don't stop believin'." Yes, it's a cliché, but clichés often hide deep truths.
Let B00ty's "Matter of Time" be your reminder. Its catchy refrain about things being just a matter of time captures that quiet confidence we all need.
Some days require the transcendent beauty of Verdi's "Va Pensiero" or the triumphant determination of "Nessun Dorma" – where Pavarotti's "Vincerò!" ("I will win!") feels like a personal promise.
Other times Norah Jones's "Carry On" offers just the right kind of quiet courage, with its gentle meditation on moving forward and finding peace even when things remain unresolved.
When you need a reminder to stay grounded through all the turbulence, let Mel Tormé's "That's All" be your touchstone. Tormé was nicknamed “The Velvet Fog” and his masterful interpretation speaks volumes about knowing your own worth. "I can only give you love that lasts forever" becomes more than a love song; it's about bringing your best self to every opportunity. When Tormé croons "That's all, that's all," it's a powerful reminder that being genuinely yourself is more than enough.
In a world of endless job requirements and unqualified, amoral leaders, there's profound strength in knowing that who you are right now is worthy.
Music won't write your resume or change election results. But it provides something essential: a spark and spirit to face another day, the rhythm to keep moving forward, and the hope to believe in better days.
So find your own power playlist. The important thing is to let the music remind you that you're not alone in these struggles, and somewhere in those notes lies the strength to try again tomorrow.
What will you listen to first?