Greetings and welcome to 2024,
Week 47,
Music and Mindfulness.
If you're new to the podcast,
Welcome,
And if you listen regularly,
Thank you.
This is an episode about how to use music as a mindfulness practice.
Over the next five weeks,
I'll be sharing five mindful ways to struggle less and enjoy life more.
I know,
That's a mouthful.
Each week,
I will share one of the five Ms.
Music,
Mouth,
Meditation Mindfulness,
Memories,
And Movement.
The intention is for you to have immediate tools to recognize when you're struggling and how to relax and choose something different.
I'm a believer that life is practice.
Using these tools in life is practice.
The simple tools can easily be a part of your day to help you incorporate new strategies to release struggling with life.
Let's start with the first mindful practice,
Music.
Did you know that music changes your brain chemistry?
That's right,
Music changes your brain chemistry.
Let's take a little trip,
Shall we?
Join me now as we go down memory lane.
Take a moment to close your eyes.
Get comfortable where you're seated.
Just take a few breaths in and out through your nose and feel your body settling in.
Take a moment to think of how you felt at your first live concert,
The first live concert you attended.
Begin to remember the band,
The environment,
And how you felt when you were there.
Keep breathing and be in that memory.
Feel it in your body.
Take a few breaths.
Now open your eyes.
How did that feel?
Even though you weren't there,
Your brain connected enough to make you feel like you were there.
To give you a live example of how music can shift your brain chemistry and make you feel better in your body,
I was on my way to the dentist to get a teeth cleaning and I knew I was in a funky space because I just woke up.
I wasn't feeling my best and I put on some salsa.
I love salsa dancing and I listened to salsa for about 20 minutes on my drive in and by the time I got to the parking deck,
I was in such a better space.
I went to the appointment with no issues and feeling really comfortable and confident that I would have no issues and I didn't.
Just a regular cleaning and my teeth now look nice and sparkly.
So that's an example of how music can change your brain chemistry when you make a conscious choice to struggle less and enjoy life more.
What was your first concert?
Mine was a group called Tavares.
One of their songs I loved was Heaven Must Be Missing an Angel.
What came up for you when you were thinking about your first live concert?
Leave a comment,
Observation,
Or reflection where you're listening to this podcast.
