The Musings Of A New Year: How To Use Music To Meet Your Goals

New year, new me, new playlist! Can you imagine watching your favorite movie without a soundtrack? No thunderous drums and electric guitar when the hero saves the day, or no soft piano when two characters reconnect? It wouldn't move you the same way or inspire you to start something you have been putting on the back burner. So why not add your own soundtrack to your life, and let it help you reach your goals in the process?

1. Tailor Your Soundtrack To The Way You Want To Feel

   Chelsea Latorre of West Virginia University writes, "Psychology researchers...found that individuals who listened to positive music while being assigned to try and boost their mood reported more positive moods compared to individuals who listened to music without the assignment." So if you want to feel triumphant and like you are already accomplishing everything you have set out to do, make sure to play music that uplifts you and specifically talks about getting what you want. In Ariana Grande's song "7 Rings," she sings "I want it, I got it" repeatedly. You may begin the day feeling unsure, but after a few listens of music that reinforces certainty and abundance, there is a great chance that you will begin to feel those affirmations.

   
   

2. Let Music Help You Move

   A lot of us have goals to move our bodies more. We might want to stretch more, run more, start lifting weights, or simply take more steps throughout the day. Music can motivate you to start moving more and help you move with more ease. Christopher G Ballman writes, "listening to music has been shown to modulate many of these responses (i.e., heart rate, catecholamines, muscle activation) often leading to improved performance...and may positively impact psychological (i.e., mood, motivation) and psychophysiological (i.e., rate of perceived exertion, arousal) changes, which may allow for favorable responses during an exercise challenge." Music can strengthen your body and mind as you exercise, making it a wonderful ally for your fitness goals.

   
   

3. Turn Up The Music While You Study

   Has anyone ever recommended listening to classical music while studying for a test? Maybe classical music isn't your thing, but music can certainly help you study with more ease and effectiveness! A post from Florida National University points to several ways that music-listening enhances the learning experience. Music can help you organize information by stimulating "areas of the brain involved with paying attention, making predictions, and updating the event in memory." The music you choose to listen to can help you study more deeply, as well as retrieve what you have learned more easily. It may be worthwhile to switch the lyrics of a song you love with some information that you are trying to memorize. Neuroscientist Petr Janata wrote, “music serves as a potent trigger for retrieving memories," while conducting studies to show the link between music, memory, and emotion. Next time you are studying for a test or learning a new skill, try listening to some tunes and see if it helps!

   
   

4. Work With A Board-Certified Music Therapist

   Music therapists are trained to help clients meet "SMART" goals. SMART goals stand for "Specific, Measurable, Achievable (or Attainable), Relevant, and Time-bound." Your therapist has the tools to help you meet emotional, cognitive, social, or physical goals through music therapy sessions tailored specifically to you. Here at Healing Waves, we can utilize music to help you become the person that you want to be for this new year and beyond. Reach out for a consultation to see if music therapy services or music lessons are right for your journey. Happy New Year!

Miss K, MT-BC