(Update: My timezone was incorrect This article was published late Tuesday night around 10:50 p.m. [UTC-6])

 

Is there any community better than the bloggers’? Everyone is so full of talent and support, and the best part is it’s actually genuine! This is made clear on days like today where tags like the ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ are created (thanks to Laura Spoonie) and shared for World Mental Health Day (WMHD). I am lucky enough to have been tagged by the lovely Amanda over at Walk a Mylein* My Shoes.

This post was super unexpected since I’m working on another for Mental Health Awareness Week, and have also been tagged in the Sunshine Blogger Award. But I did not want to pass up the opportunity especially on such an important day like WMHD.

 

Rules:

1. Link back to ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ creator – Laura Spoonie – https://lauraspoonie.blog/2018/10/10/pick-me-up-playlist-tag/
2. Tag the blogger who nominated you
3. Mention how music helps your Mental Health
4. List 10 songs that you would consider to be a part of your ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ (optional: mention a little bit why each song is on your list)
5. Tag 10 other bloggers to join in with the ‘Pick Me Up Playlist’ Challenge

 

Music & My Mentality

There’s a quote that I find a lot of truth in:

 

“All the best stories in the world are but one story in reality, the story of escape.”(**Image is mine. Main image of Red Bubble sticker is not, I do not own sticker design.)

 

I think I have always been looking for an escape.  I’m so full of wanderlust (it’s probably all the Pisces in me). Luckily, I discovered my escape and cure to mental vagabond-ness early on-music.

Music is the backdrop of my life. For every year of my life, from 6 to 22 years old, there are specific songs that highlight each year. The songs that are embedded with the movies they were featured in are my childhood. The songs that I discovered by pretending they were already my faves are my preteens. The songs that kept me distracted from my own bad company are my teens. The songs that lull me sleep, that remind me of specific times, that pump me up, that make me cry, that make me delusionally feel like Stevie Nicks are my 20s, my reality. Through the best and, most importantly, the worst times of my life music has always been ready to sweep me away to Anywhere But Here.

Here is my list of 10 songs that instantly pick me up:

1. Let It Be- The Beatles

I had to put this as number one for three reasons, 1) I mean, it’s The Beatles c’mon, plus I grew up on all their music. 2) This song never fails to help me find my zen. 3) Paul McCartney recently talked about this song in his Wired Autocomplete Interview and it made me love it 10 times more. Did you know it’s written about a dream he had of his mom??

 

    2. Shake It Out- Florence and the Machine

Not to be mistaken with Shake It Off by Taylor Swift, no offense to that song, but this one is so much better. This is the perfect song to listen to when you’re feeling overwhelmed or emotionally blocked. It starts out kind of slow but by the chorus you’ll be singing along with Florence Welch, reminding yourself to “Shake it out, shake it out!!!  Shake it out, shake it out!!!”

 

   3. Can’t Help Falling In Love- Elvis/ Ingrid Michaelson

Much like The Beatles, I also grew up listening to Elvis (can you tell I lived with my grandma?). This was always like a lullaby to me, especially after my grandma’s passing. The soft drawl of Elvis’ voice and the light sound of the piano. . .*sigh* it’s like a dream. And while nothing will ever beat the original, Ingrid Michaelson’s cover is probably my all-time favorite cover of any song. I highly recommend you give it a chance.

 

   4. Good Day- Nappy Roots

This song, while it may not be everyone’s cup of tea, is one of the most upbeat, uplifting songs I have heard. Right away it starts out with a beat that will make you bop your head and shoulders. And with lyrics like,

“ You know, instead of waitin’ on a good day

Waitin’ around, through ups and downs, waitin’ on somethin’ to happen I just said…

We’re gonna have a good day

And all my homies gonna ride today. . .

And ain’t nobody gotta cry today

Cause ain’t nobody gonna die today

You can save that drama for another day

Heyyy

We’re gonna have a good day”

how can you not get inspired to have a good day?

 

    5. How To Save A Life- The Fray

Now this song is not your stereotypical pick me up song, but for me, it’ll always provide great comfort. When I’m at my lowest points with my mental illness this song has always helped me feel less alone. . .perhaps it’s my highest-self staying up with me all night, helping me save our life.

 

      6. Rhiannon- Fleetwood Mac

If my soul had a voice (aside from my own) it would be Stevie Nicks’. They say we have a light self and a shadow self, and she definitely speaks to the both of mine. If I am in the mood to feel like the bad a** woman I am this is my go-to song.

 

7. Ride- Lana del Rey

If I am in need of an instant escape, this is the song I listen to. Lana has a way of transporting you to her own universe she has created, a universe of love, dreams, and darkness. It is this song when I have a “war on my mind”  that reminds me to “just ride”.

 

    8. When Doves Cry- Prince

As “Let It Be” and “Can’t Help Falling In Love” do, this song reminds me of childhood. There are so many memories of me and my mom cruising around town listening to the radio and singing/jamming our hearts out whenever this song came on. Not only does it take me back to simpler times, but it is such a good song to belt out when I’m feeling angry or upset.

 

       9. On the Brightside- NeverShoutNever

NeverShoutNever or Christofer Drew Ingle will forever be the only guy I ever want to marry. All of his music is the definition of my taste-a perfect mix of emo rock and acoustic melodies. This song is the perfect example of that. It is the story of a guy who finds “some piece of mind” after meeting a hopeful 3-foot tall man, and a dreadful 12-foot tall man. The moral is ultimately,

 

“You’re only as tall

As your heart will let you be

And you’re only as small

As the world will make you seem

And when the going gets rough

And you feel like you may fall

Just look on the bright side

You’re roughly six feet tall”

 

      10. Up!- Shania Twain

I want to end this list on an unmistakably positive song, plus I think it’s the perfect one to end this Pick Me *Up* Playlist (see what I did there?).

This song will never not help me get out of a momentary funk. It is so upbeat and has so many cheeky lines like,

“Even something as simple as

Forgettin’ to fill up on gas

There ain’t no explanation why

Things like that can make you cry

Just gotta learn to have a laugh”

 

it is the perfect song to listen to for a  laugh and a quick distraction.

 

What songs are on your guys’ Pick Me Up Playlist??

 

My Nominations:

So. . .I know: 1) I am super late 2) It isn’t quite 10 bloggers 3) I don’t talk to any of you amazing bloggers. . .but hoping to change that!

Elysia- https://becomingelysia.wordpress.com/2018/09/23/a-letter-to-those-who-dont-understand/

MrAnythingGoes- https://mranythinggoes.com/2018/09/13/how-blogging-affects-my-mental-health/

Nicole- https://www.navigatingdarkness.com/what-depression-is-really-like/

Osinachi-  https://awkwardfordays.com/how-to-be-confident-with-scoliosis/

Puala- https://www.thevalueofamoment.com/soothing-self-care-for-when-anxiety-hits/

Taylor- http://talkswithtay.org/mental-health-during-pregnancy/

Tranisha- https://christiancurve.org/2018/10/05/its-just-a-job/

Unbreakable Queen- https://unbreakableyetfragile.com/2018/09/30/rough-waters/

A billion thanks, again, to Amanda and Laura!

 

Hopefully, this tag will continue on regardless of it being World Mental Health Day, so we can further spread awareness about and cure stigma surrounding mental illness!

***

Featured image is from tag creator Laura Spoonie.

**Other image is mine. Main image is of a sticker from Red Bubble-not spons nor affiliated with myself or this blog in any way.