When I was 10, I spent hours in my room with my table-top record player – remember the kind that came in a portable case and you had to place the needle on the record for it to start? My album of choice in those days was Michael Jackson’s Thriller. I spent hours in front of the mirror choreographing dance moves and learning the lyrics. As I look back, it’s tempting to think of that time as wasted, but when I’m truthful, I realize that listening to that album (and a bunch of others) made me completely and utterly happy.

I’m sure we could all chronicle our lives in songs . . . the one we fast danced to with our girlfriends, the one that consoled us through our first break-up, the one that became an anthem of college independence, the one that we picked for our wedding, the one that we sang to our babies . . . the list goes on and on.

Now that life is so busy, I have to remind myself how important music is in my life. Perusing itunes or spending a half an hour in the CD section of Barnes and Noble (where you can listen to any CD in the store through headphones) might seem like a waste of time, but after doing it recently, I realize that taking time to discover music truly enhances my life. It’s been great to unearth some long forgotten songs and discover some new ones. As I once read, “Great music should interrupt your life” and that’s just what some songs do for me. This week consider how music helps bring you to life!

EXTRA-Ordinary Ideas:

Read It: This NY Times article highlights some new artists for the new year.

Do It: Making a mix is way easier now than it was in the 80’s. Use your computer savvy to make a mix that lifts you up and gets you dancing.

Think It: “Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” ~ Berthold Auerbach?

Admit it. You blast the radio and sing out loud when no one else is in the car. You have that one song you know every word to, and you’ve even made up hand motions to go along. Ok, maybe you haven’t gone that far, but there’s no denying that a good song makes all of us want to move; it gets us energized; and it can change our attitude in 3 minutes or less.

Do you remember the television show Ally McBeal (skinny lawyer girl, early nineties)? Ally always had a soundtrack in her head. She had a “theme song” that would pump her up and get her through the day. This week your job is to find that song. It may take some research, but time invested in YOU always pays back tenfold.

Once you find your song (or you may already know what it is) then your job is to listen to it throughout the week. Be aware of how your mood changes after you listen to it. Think about ways you can use music to your advantage in other areas of your life. Start a collection of songs that make you feel good. If nothing else, let the exercise remind you that you have your own personal likes and dislikes, separate from your spouse and the rest of your family. Relish in the fact that it is “your song” (or songs) chosen by you! A great place to start is on itunes where you can hear snippets of thousands of songs, see celebrity playlists, and search by genre.
We’ll do more with music later, but for now turn it up, rock out and enjoy your theme song!

EXTRA-Ordinary Suggestions:

Read It: Stanford University News Release on Benefits of Music

Do It: Find Your Theme Song Download an Idea List Download themesongs.pdf

Think It: “Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons. You will find it is to the soul what a water bath is to the body.” Oliver Wendell Holmes?