Music as a Coping Tool

It’s Monday morning, and I am rushing to get the kids out of the house to go to school. Mondays are a time we tend to move a little bit slower, so we’re running late. I jumped in the car with my son and the car stalls. Naturally, I become frustrated since this car has become increasingly unreliable. I jump into problem-solving mode and get the kids to school with the help of my husband.

At this point, I have two choices. One choice is to let the cascade of unexpected tasks overwhelm me. If I “play the tape” on this choice, it usually leads to avoidance, negative emotions, and a bad day. My second option, is that I can take on the day as a challenge. This decision usually leads to feeling uplifted, more realistic, and thinking creatively to solve any roadblocks. Am I irritated that my car isn’t working? Of course, I’m not a robot. However, I can feel tough emotions and choose not to follow them.

This is where music steps in. Music is so powerful. It allows us to shift an emotion, to move deeper into an emotion, to become contemplative, or to figure out our worries. Music can be an impactful tool for us to acknowledge our feeling when things don’t go our way. When using music as a tool, know thyself. If a certain genre or artist makes you feel melancholy or sad, you might be creating more of the same if you listen to that artist.

Taking Action: Create a playlist of songs that are uplifting to you. Try to do so when you are not in a negative mindset. Another option is to find a playlist on Spotify or YouTube that is uplifting to you and save it for when you need it.

Extra Credit: Identify one thing that you’re grateful for. “My car may have stalled out today, but I have a car to stall out. I am grateful for all the places it has brought me.”

Mantra of the day:  I will approach the day one moment at a time, one song at a time.