The Power of Music

I love music – although I have to admit that I do not have a love of all kinds of music – I tend to stick to one type of genre but I do try to be accepting and willing to receive all types.

Why do I bring this up – I do so because there is POWER in music. Have you ever felt it – have you ever used it to give you that POWER? I know, you are thinking – “Toni has been hitting that eggnog a little too hard”; but, I haven’t - - hear me out. Last Sunday I left for Zumba at 8:45 and class begins at 9:15; I have to admit that I am not always motivated to get up, get ready, eat breakfast and all the other things I do before leaving the house for class in the morning. There are times when I just want to lay in – but, I don’t.

The first 5 to 10 minutes of class can be a bear; BUT, then the music kicks in and the beat challenges me to start moving, doing jumping jacks and TRXing. All of a sudden I am soaking wet and waiting for the next song that will have my heart pumping and me jumping. That is what I mean about the POWER of music – the ability for it to transform your mood, to get you moving and to transport you as a being to a time when you are capable of anything.

A couple of weeks ago there was an article in my local newspaper discussing ways to navigate through the mall while doing your holiday shopping. It gives all the rationale information like:
1. Have protein and fiber for breakfast
2. Dress in layers
3. Take cash, not credit cards and make it large bills (you hate breaking that $50 or $100 bill)
4. Shop for the lower priced items on your list first because once you buy that big ticket item the rest of the dollar signs have no significance

And the one that surprised me the most:
5. Listen to your own iPod and not the mall music.

Why you wonder? Well accordingly your iPod probably has very upbeat music that you probably use when you workout. The Mall is circulating Christmas Carols or Holiday Music which actually happens to be a little depressing – as it said, listen to the lyrics: (1) “I’ll be home for Christmas if only in your dreams” or (2) “All I want for Christmas is you”. And, as you listen to them you become melancholy, depressed and tend to spend more money while you shop. Now there are a few songs that are upbeat like, “Jingle Bell Rock” or “Here Comes Santa Claus”; but, they are somewhat the exception.

I use music to get me through things – I listen to the radio each morning as I drive to work; I like a local station Fresh 102.7 because there is nice banter between the two DJs, there is a trivia game (you know I am nuts about useless information) and they will talk about their everyday lives while playing the current hits. Currently on the way home I am listening to Holly Music on Sirius XM – yes, the music is a bit mellow; but, it enables me to relax and not get on my road rage as I drive home sometimes in traffic.

It is true Holiday music can evoke some melancholy feelings and it has you think of people you are missing or hard times that others are going through. There is one song that absolutely always has me sobbing when I hear it “The Red Shoes”, this is not just a song, but, it is also a book and a movie with Rob Lowe. The story revolves around a little boy whose mother is dying and he wants to buy her these red shoes for Christmas so that she wears them when she meets Jesus. My heart always breaks (as it is now) because I can remember my Mother during her last Christmas with us all of us knew that there would not be any other celebrations with her. So no matter how happy or angry I am when that song comes on tears are streaming down my face and I am hoping that the drivers near me can’t see.

At other times I like to listen to Broadway, Motown or Frank Sinatra era music all of it to ramp down my day and to have me enter my time at home – my haven. What do you do to help you re-enter your other life away from work? I know when I rode the train home from the city some folks would read the newspaper, book or fall asleep – each took them away from work; and, hopefully placed them in a calming mood. There is a need for us to transition from one aspect of our lives to another.

The key is what tricks or habits do we use to take us from our work persona to our home persona, or put you in a mood to face the world or to give you that bit of confidence – nothing like “I am Woman” to make you feel superhuman.

Use music to transport you, transform you and empower you.


1 I’ll Be Home for Christmas – Kim Gannon, Walter Kent and Buck Ram
2 All I Want for Christmas is You – Mariah Carey