Listen To The Music

What's your favorite song?  I have many.  Some bring back good times and some bring back difficult times.  A favorite song should not be one that sounds great or has a great beat.  A favorite song should be one that stirs an emotion deep inside you.  A favorite song should be one that brings back a strong memory.  A favorite song should be one that states your feelings for someone else.  A favorite song should be one that when you are sad, hearing it played makes you happy.


One of my favorite songs is "The Rose" by Bette Middler.  It brings back strong emotions of a time when I was at my lowest point.  It gave me hope that the future would be brighter.  I could be that "rose" in the song.  Once I started believing in my future, I had the strength to take the actions necessary to make a better life for myself.  Here I am now because I took those actions and because I was lucky to listen to the words and the music of "The Rose."


Other favorite songs of mine is music from the fifties.  When I hear the Spinners, Temptations, Four Tops, The Cadillacs, The Coasters, The Delfonics, The Del-Vikings, The Flamingos, Frankie Lymon, Kool & The Gang, Lloyd Price, The O'Jays, Otis Redding, The Platters, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett, they all bring back a time in my life when things were more simple, less stressful and a whole lot of fun.


At Ten, I was poor, but I didn't know it - I was having fun.  That's a line in my first book "Never Buy A Hat If Your Feet Are Cold - Taking Charge Of Your Career And Your Life."  Everybody in my neighborhood were in the same financial boat.  We grew up together, played together, laughed together and when we were sixteen, sang together until I was nineteen.  The songs we sang were from the artists listed above.  Until I met my Ellen (at forty), they were the best years of my life and when I hear those songs it reminds me of those good times. 


I love the song, "You Are So Beautiful" by Joe Cocker.  It's a simple song and the one I gave to my Ellen:


"You are so beautiful to me - you are so beautiful to me - you're everything I hope for - you're everything I need - you are so beautiful to me."


Years after I met Ellen we were in Japan on business.  Our guests took us to a karaoke bar after our meetings.  Everyone was singing songs from the music box.  I decided to sing "You Are So Beautiful" to Ellen a cappella.  It was a big hit with my hosts and I could see the love in Ellen's eyes - that made me very happy.  Finding a simple song with limited words with or without background music can make you happy.  Sooo, what's stopping you?


The brain retains music and pictures better than events.  The brain does not remember physical pain. It knows you had pain, but you can't feel that pain after it's over.  Think about a time when you were in physical pain and got over it.  You can talk about that pain to others, but you don't "feel" that pain again.  The same thing is true about times when you were happy and laughing.  You can tell people about the good times, but you don't relive it physically.


However, when you hear music or see a picture that happened when you were happy and laughing you can physically have a smile on your face and laugh again.  Make music part of your life.  Every day, play the music that made and makes you happy.  Music can bring you positive energy.  Positive energy brings you happiness.

Music - happiness - positive energy - more happiness - more positive energy - more music.