Music continues to make a positive difference in my life—lifting me up, spurring me on, and helping me move through different situations with a pep in my step and a boogie in my…well, you get the idea!
Here are three more songs that I rely on time and again. Give them a listen and let me know whether they make your playlist!
When I Need to Keep Going When I Don’t Think I Can
“Rise Up,” by Andra Day, 4:14
We all have days when we feel like throwing in the towel, when we think that our best efforts will never be good enough and that whatever is before us is beyond our abilities. When I'm feeling like this, I let the soaring voice of Andra Day lift me up until my strength, courage, and motivation return.
In "Rise Up," Andra Day’s amazing voice somehow reaches into my heart and helps me believe that yes, I can do what is called for, that there isn't anything I can't handle, and that all I need to do is look up, get up, and yes, rise up to whatever is before me.
I also love this song because she shifts from the singular person rising up to a community of people rising up together. It reminds me that I’m never alone, even when I'm at my lowest, and that if I'm in need of hope, I need only look to the people in my life.
When I Need to Remember How to Live
“Let It Go,” by Zac Brown Band, 4:37
Zac Brown Band’s “Let It Go” might sound like it has its main message in its title, but it also reminds me, in its toe-tappin’, fiddle-playin’ way, to take my shot at life and pay attention to what my heart is telling me.
I’m not sure if it’s the music or the lyrics, but this song also evokes the knowing that life is short and fleeting and that it’s up to us to appreciate what is before we let it go.
When I Need to Remember the Odds Actually Are in My Favor
“Odds Are,” by Barenaked Ladies
I have several songs that remind me that everything is going to be okay, but none are as silly as “Odds Are,” by Barenaked Ladies. When I feel anxious about an outcome or worried about the future, this peppy tune reminds me to relax about whatever disasters I might be imagining. The odds really are that everything is going to be all right, and this song reminds me of this truth.
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