Music can be a powerful mood influencer and can help to move us away from emotions we don’t want to feel and towards emotions that we do want to feel.
Feeling down in the dumps? Put on some upbeat music and bust a move.
Feeling anxious? Hit the play button on some peaceful and calming compositions.
Need to have a cathartic cry? Listen to soppy heartbreak ballads or an ode to hard times.
As a fun little post, I thought I’d make a list of songs that I find moving and helped me throughout my journey from depression to happiness. These songs definitely helped to make me feel happier and I hope they do the same for you!
If you need further inspiration, I’ve always found soundtracks to be a good place to look as they have often been picked to help evoke emotions relevant to the movie’s storyline. So if there’s a movie that makes you happy to watch it, chances are the songs they used for the soundtrack will also make you happy.
Inspiring:
Proud by Heather Small – this was totally my anthem when I was focusing on living a life I could be proud of.
Shake It Off by Taylor Swift – love the lyrics to remind me to shake off any negativity coming in from others (and to have a bogie!). Funny video clip too!
I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly – an oldie, but a real goodie!
Dreams by Gabrielle – dreams (aka goals) and believing in them are important and can be very powerful motivators in moving forwards.
Get Along by Guy Sebastian – reminds us that if we work together we can make a happier place for all.
Hold Back the River by James Bay – when James sings ‘hold back the river, so I can stop for a minute and see where you hide’, I initially thought those last words were ‘stop for a minute and look with new eyes’ and it reminded me to keep a positive perspective.
Just Hold On by Steve Aoki & Louis Tomlinson – reminds us that the sun will come up on a new day and you can choose how you want to go from there.
Hero by Nickelback – don’t wait for a hero, take action yourself.
All Or Nothing by Athena Cage – live your dreams.
Brave by Sara Bareilles – be brave and show yourself to the world 🙂
Help build you up:
Fireworks by Katy Perry – to remind you that you are unique and have brightness inside of you (you might just need to find it!)
True Colours by Cyndi Lauper OR Shining Through by Fredro Starr & Jill Scott for a modern remix version – you are beautiful, just as you are.
Wings by Little Mix – don’t let others get you down, you can fly!
Just The Way You Are by Bruno Mars – you may not always be able to see it yourself but you ARE amazing just the way you are (and you CAN do incredible things).
Heaven by Emeli Sande – this one makes me feel like I’m not the only one who doesn’t always carry through with my best intentions and I don’t feel like verbally beating myself up so much.
You are not alone:
Iris by The Goo Goo Dolls – this one brings the tears so make sure you listen to something happier afterwards!
Lullaby by Nickelback – so many touching lyrics in this one. There are people out there who can understand and do care.
Just Feel Better by Santana featuring Steven Tyler – get rid of that depression haze and get help 🙂
Here Without You by Three Doors Down – when you’re feeling lonely.
Breakeven by The Script – sometimes things hurt us more than others, but that doesn’t mean that there can’t be good times ahead for us.
Instrumental:
Theme from Spiderman by Danny Elfman
Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness by Smashing Pumpkins
Glassworks Opening by Philip Glass
Claire de Lune by Debussy
Buckbeak’s Flight from Harry Potter and The Prisoner of Azkaban – there’s lots of good instrumental music to be found on the Harry Potter soundtracks if you’re a fan 🙂
Do you already listen to any of these songs? What are your favourite songs to listen to when you are feeling down?
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