(Published 2023 January)
Self-care and music therapy are partners, as music has also been proved to provide similar benefits, including relaxation, reduced anxiety, and mindfulness. Since our individual playlists are as unique as our fingerprints, music can be a personalized form of therapy.
Here's how to get started: Create a playlist of five to 10 songs that soothe you; choose songs that help you feel peaceful, nostalgic, and hopeful. Listen to the entire playlist for a long self-care session or play one or two as a midday meditation. Put your feet up, close your eyes, and let the sounds carry you away. While listening, focus on your breathing. Match your breathing to the rhythm of the music (inhale for four beats, hold for four beats, and exhale for four beats exhale).
Listen to the layers of the instrumentation; the way the parts blend and mold together into the complete piece you are hearing. Listen to the words, if applicable, and ponder their relation to your current state of mind.
Once your playlist is complete, reflect on these questions:
- How do I relate to the song(s) I listened to?
- What memories or thoughts did I have while listening?
- How did the lyrics make me feel?
Replay the songs as needed throughout the day as a reminder to practice mindfulness, gratitude, and joy.
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