A few years back, I hosted a rock show from 3-6 AM. Occasionally people would call in. Have you ever talked to someone at 4 in the morning? I have.
Sometimes the person is up because they work the third shift or do something noble like volunteer at a suicide helpline.
Other times the caller is a lonely insomniac. Or very drunk. Or a combination of the two. And they all have strong opinions about what they want to hear on the radio.
Have you ever had someone yell at you for playing Sid Vicious? Have you felt their hatred of him was so raw it seemed he personally wronged them that very day? I have.
Music influences mood.
Services like Spotify let you create playlists (for free, if you’re willing to endure the interruption by commercials) to suit any mood. They have pre-made playlists, but I would instead recommend that you begin to make your own and then let the technology algorithms help you figure out similar artists and songs from there.
It’s not that music magically makes everything better, but starting the day by listening to uptempo, positive tunes is something you can control and it can really shift your tone.
Think of how you feel when you wake up to talk radio on a weekday. Could you postpone consuming that content for a few hours, opting to begin instead with something more pleasant?
It’s not being in denial about what’s happening in the world. It’s giving yourself a fighting chance at feeling something besides rage and exhaustion — at least for a couple hours each day.
What does this have to do with Thanksgiving and being comfortable spending time alone?
If you’re still trying to get into spending time alone, creating an appropriate soundtrack for yourself can help, and if you need to feel connected to others, start listening to lyrics.
Also, start having dance parties (by yourself, for now) in your kitchen. Your food will taste better and the drudgery of washing dishes will become bearable.
At a loss for where to start because you haven’t explored music quite on this level yet? Click here. It’s not my finest playlist, but maybe that’ll get you feeling funky instead of being in a funk.
Choose Your Mood
A few years back, I hosted a rock show from 3-6 AM. Occasionally people would call in. Have you ever talked to someone at 4 in the morning? I have.
Sometimes the person is up because they work the third shift or do something noble like volunteer at a suicide helpline.
Other times the caller is a lonely insomniac. Or very drunk. Or a combination of the two. And they all have strong opinions about what they want to hear on the radio.
Have you ever had someone yell at you for playing Sid Vicious? Have you felt their hatred of him was so raw it seemed he personally wronged them that very day? I have.
Music influences mood.
Services like Spotify let you create playlists (for free, if you’re willing to endure the interruption by commercials) to suit any mood. They have pre-made playlists, but I would instead recommend that you begin to make your own and then let the technology algorithms help you figure out similar artists and songs from there.
It’s not that music magically makes everything better, but starting the day by listening to uptempo, positive tunes is something you can control and it can really shift your tone.
Think of how you feel when you wake up to talk radio on a weekday. Could you postpone consuming that content for a few hours, opting to begin instead with something more pleasant?
It’s not being in denial about what’s happening in the world. It’s giving yourself a fighting chance at feeling something besides rage and exhaustion — at least for a couple hours each day.
What does this have to do with Thanksgiving and being comfortable spending time alone?
If you’re still trying to get into spending time alone, creating an appropriate soundtrack for yourself can help, and if you need to feel connected to others, start listening to lyrics.
Also, start having dance parties (by yourself, for now) in your kitchen. Your food will taste better and the drudgery of washing dishes will become bearable.
At a loss for where to start because you haven’t explored music quite on this level yet? Click here. It’s not my finest playlist, but maybe that’ll get you feeling funky instead of being in a funk.
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