In life, we are destined to feel a full spectrum of emotions. Some emotions we may feel are: sad, happy, angry, frustrated, in love, and so much more. This is what makes us complex beings who navigate our lives as we see fit. The thing with emotions is, they are not permanent. It is important to remember this because, although some may seem strong and you may think they will last forever, they are just visitors passing by between moments.
One would like emotions such as happiness to last and stay with us as long as possible, but this will also pass in order to experience what is to happen next. While we cannot control what we feel and for how long we feel it, we can control how we feel it. There are many techniques for managing emotions, and my favorite one is listening to music.
Music is an art; it is a means to express feelings and thoughts along with melodies and harmonies. Therefore, because I do not know how to play any instrument, I cannot experience music firsthand. However, I can experience it secondhand by listening to my favorite artists and songs. My ritual begins with identifying how I feel and why I feel that way. Identifying how we feel helps us understand how to handle situations that arise for the best benefit. Also, identifying how we feel helps us to be responsible and accountable with the things we say and do during that feeling period. This process makes us emotionally smarter and much more in control.
Once I know how I feel, I choose the type of music that matches my feelings. If I feel happy, I opt for dance music that I know the lyrics of in order to sing and dance to the fullest. If I feel nervous, I look for the opposite, i.e. music without lyrics, usually lo-fi music to be able to clear my mind and distract myself. If I’m excited about something, I look for fast, loud music and lyrics that inspire me with more hyped emotions. If I want to cry, I look for songs to do exactly that because my purpose is to use music as a means to let out all my emotions, and thus treat them as guests and not as residents (although sometimes I wish they would stay). It’s about being aware that not everything is going to be as we want in this life, and that adversities come and go. We may not always have control, but we can learn how we handle them.
So, the next time you feel full of feelings that you want to express, try using music to do it. You can even prepare playlists for it, and categorize them for every occasion. This way, you will always have your favorite songs available so you can go back to them. Being responsible with your emotions is important. Whatever you do, don’t ignore how you feel. Instead, opt to identify the feeling and work it out. Everything is going to pass at some point, so keep in mind that nothing is permanent, and that is what makes this life so interesting.