I’ve always found that music changes me. If I’m in a bit of a funk I’ll listen to something upbeat and it will immediately change my mood. If I’m feeling sad and need to just sit with that, I’ll listen to something that matches my feelings and that helps me too. Not by cheering me up, but by allowing me to feel what I’m feeling.
I used to be quite the party animal and went clubbing at least once a week for the best part of 10 years when I was in my teens/20s. These days I’d rather stick a fork in my eye than go clubbing, but I’ll often have me a kitchen rave at home on a Saturday night - just me and some dance tunes. Again, this gives me a lot of joy and more often than not strange looks from my husband when he comes into the kitchen and catches me cutting shapes amongst the bread maker and the slow cooker…
I discovered six years ago the utter joy of singing in a choir, and this for me is the ultimate mood-enhancer. Singing in unison with a group of like minded people is an absolute tonic and I can’t recommend it highly enough.
When my dad died, for a few months I couldn’t bring myself to sing. It felt wrong somehow to do something that gave me joy. Thankfully a good friend knew I was struggling and gave me the encouragement I needed to bring me back out from within my shell, and I was soon singing again. I can’t tell you how good that felt.
Music is a magical thing. I would be lost without it.