Hi, I hope that everyone has been enjoying their summer!
I wanted to write about one of my favourite passions, music, and how it relates to mental health!
I love listening to music. I think of it as a special gift that enhances every experience in my personal life. I find that different songs and compositions can supply and enhance different moods, times of day, and activities that I engage in.
For instance, I enjoy listening to upbeat music in the morning to cheer me up and wake me up (lately, I like listening to Avicii), nostalgic music for drawing (my favourites for this are probably Stromae and Foster the People), electronic dance music for studying, and classical music for some reading at night (lately I like Beethoven, but I also love Vivaldi and Strauss II).
In my perspective, music can tell a story and connect people, and it is something special and unique that I associate with various memories within my life. To elaborate on this notion, some of my favourite songs are linked to important and significant events which I have experienced and they speak to me in a very special way that evokes those events in my mind, allowing me to revisit the emotions and sensations that I perceived or sensed at the time.
On days when I wake up feeling mentally down, an upbeat, familiar song helps me feel a bit more motivated and eager to start my day. Music also helps keep my imagination active and stimulated, which I have found is very important for my mental health (as I do not enjoy monotony or being bored, it often this leads me to rumination). I find that music also provides me with a fun, low-effort way to practice a new language, which helps me feel productive and allows me to engage in some learning without having to invest in coursework. For instance, I personally love listening to French pop music.
Sometimes I will make Spotify playlists to fit a specific mood or activity. This is something that I find really fun and uplifting to do. I have also found that making a playlist for a road trip is a fantastic way to procrastinate packing for said trip… but that’s a whole other story…
To sum up, the main purpose of this blog post is to express my love and gratitude for music and its importance to my life, personal development, and mental health.
I hope that anyone reading this might take some time to reflect on some of their favourite music, and perhaps take some time to listen to beautiful and memorable songs or compositions. Regardless, I wish everyone a fantastic day and fulfilling rest of the summer!
Note: The Free Your Mind Mental Health Society is an independent youth-led organization. The contents of this blog are not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. In the event of a medical emergency, please call your doctor or 911 or other local emergency numbers immediately.
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