By Often we forget about the power music has, when we watch a movie, the scenes are powerful not just based on the words, but the music behind them is what pulls us into the moment. We can all recognize some types of music that we know are about lead to a scary scene in a movie or the sappy scene right? Music guides our emotions and communicates the emotions of the story to us more than just the actor. When we hear a great song, a power anthem that gives us an unexpected energy, we know that it has done something special right?
I sometimes forget that music has the opposite power as well. It not only can communicate to my soul the feels of what is around me but it can also be used to communicate from my soul the feels that I may not have words for.
Some days I think of all the things I should do and begin to feel overwhelmed and put my self-care tasks on the back burner. You know, its ok if you don’t get any sleep, or who needs to rest right? I don’t know about you but I find myself doing this a little more than I like. This week I decided to add some of these tasks into my tracker in my bullet journal that I am testing out. So far, I am not winning in getting these tasks in each day but I am much more aware of them and I am making an effort to add them in.
This week, my week looks crazy with very little margin for anything. I was thinking about how I was going to do all I need to do. I actually was feeling a little overwhelmed with all that I needed to as tasks and how full my week was scheduled. Then, I made the decision that I was going to play my keyboard which is on my list of things I am tracking. Playing keys is not on my list per se as a self care item, it is actually a habit of practice I am working to develop but sometimes things can surprise you.
I stood in front of my keys after practicing some worship songs, closed my eyes and just let my fingers move along the keyboard and play. In that moment, as my fingers played a melody I had never heard before, I began to feel peace, the overwhelmed feeling began to subside and I knew it would be ok. It may not have sounded amazing or wonderful to anyone that might have heard it but my soul was able to express the feels, from the place I have no words for. Maybe you know what I mean, maybe not, but sometimes there is a need to express emotions and feelings but there are no words to express. But when I come to my keys, my fingers are taken over by that which is deep within me, and a melody comes forth that expresses what is going through my mind and my soul. The thing is my keys are not going to judge what comes out, it is just a way for outlet, for the feels to not be trapped in me.
I am a thinker personality type, I am not much of a feeler and typically in my own life I rarely can put words around feelings (I am great at helping other people do it). It is in those moments, when I turn to music that I am so grateful that my mom instilled music in us at an early age. I am not much of a painter or very good at most other creative endeavors, which I assume serve as an outlet for many. For me, I have music and writing where I can give emotions a place they belong.
How does music speak to you? Do you use it to communicate the feels? Let’s chat!
