Habit 3

HABIT 3 - MOOD CONTROL

“6 Habits of Music Medicine for Highly Empowered People”

HABIT 3 – MOOD CONTROL

Extended Activities

Habit 3

Extended Activity 1

There is intensifying violent conflict and conflicted voices (being inconsistent, confused or indecisive) in the USA alone, involving what defines being an American and what defines America. Music has found a widening pathway as a recruiter for hate groups with a surge of hate crimes. It seems easier to argue, behave violently, or numb and detach. A review of music used world-wide reports the COVID pandemic has generated desires to listen to sadder music.

If you respond yes to these questions, you may be breeding negativity.

Do you easily engage in heated arguments?
Do you get agitated when others change your music?
Do you find yourself numbing and detaching when you disagree with others or experience different conditions?
Do your music preferences attract disdain and disturbance?

If you respond yes to these questions, you may be projecting tolerance and collaboration.

Is it easy to understand and empathize with others’ perspectives or situations?
Do you calmly share information respectfully?
Do you assert that your music works best for you because you are able to maintain a positive mood and attitude?
Do you listen to others’ music even though it may not be your preference to learn more about them?
Does your music build friendships based on love, peace, or happiness?

Depending on your answers, you may find yourself grappling in constant quandary with how to proceed in friendship. Consider applying music as medicine to support a healthier view of yourself and others, dedicating playlists to practicing the tenets of Music4Life’s Music Medicine Protocol in upcoming Empowerment Habits.

Habit 3

Extended Activity 2

After being exposed to negative news (watching “live” news or videos, listening to talk radio or reading stories), play soothing or energizing (the happy kind) music, to counteract distress caused by too much negative exposure.

Why? When we constantly read about negative news and then experience a crisis, it can have a damaging impact on our brain because our fight or flight response activates the sympathetic nervous system and releases cortisol and adrenaline and other stress hormones. When levels of these stress hormones significantly increase relentlessly, physical symptoms may result.

Do you experience any of these eight symptoms?

fatigue
anxiety
irritability
sleeping problems
heart disease
memory and concentration difficulties
depression
weight challenges

Shift your experience of symptoms or potential problems by engaging in two practices today.

Practice Mindfulness by bringing your attention to the present moment, thereby exerting better control over yourself. Observe your thoughts, emotions, and scan your body for sensations.
Then, choose music you have used for greater relaxation or that anchors happy energy. This pre-conditioned relaxation or energy response to the music can help counteract the influx of stress hormones caused by persistent negative news.

Practice mindfulness observing your music listening habits, staying present with active listening (learned from Habit 2, Activity 3). Note your realizations about recurring life experiences and become aware of the impact music has in perpetuating life themes, which are ideas or issues recycling through your life experiences. Ask yourself these questions.

Does your favored music represent any life themes?

What are the lyrics (if there are words)? Examine how they connect to your life in more than one instance.

What are the music instruments? How are they played? Do they relate to your experience or someone you know? How do you feel about yourself or your connection to someone else that influences your mood when you hear the instruments?

Habit 3

Extended Activity 3

Does your favored music represent any life themes? Review the lyric – if there are words – and examine how they connect to your life in more than one instance. Name the music instruments, how they’re played, and whether they relate to you or someone you know, and how you feel about yourself or your connection to someone else.
Does the music keep you rethinking past problems or good memories?
How does the music drive your mood?
How often do you listen to it?
How often do you feel that mood?
What is the mood it triggers, and is it the same mood every time you listen to it?

When you become aware of your answers to these questions, you create the opportunity to exert greater control over your moods. Discerning life themes empowers you to make conscious choices about music’s supportive role creating the life you desire, or possibly becoming more aware of music’s power to keep you stuck in undesirable conditions.

Habit 3

Extended Activity 4

Notice music that is stuck in your head, which is referred to as an earworm. Usually it is there with a message for you to decode. And, it usually stays stuck in your head until its connection to your life is resolved, or you decipher its meaning.

Or, an earworm could be a simple result of recently hearing your child’s music on repeat. It plays in your head when you think of your child or the associated mood overcomes you and opens that music associated with that mood. Then again, you could be missing the presence of your child and the music starts playing in your head connected to your child.

Earworms also connect to other life experiences. Ask these questions to become more consciously aware of interconnectedness between the earworm and your present moment.

How do the lyric relate to your life now?
Does it elicit a vivid memory that you desire, or don’t want to remember?
Does it keep you stuck in past unresolved problems or celebrate current wins?
What mood(s) does it trigger?
How do you relate to the instruments or singer?
Does the music describe positive or negative experiences? You may unconsciously match music to your current unresolved mood.
Is the earworm supporting your attitude of expectant gratitude, or distracting you from thinking about undesirable conditions (past, current or future)?
Does the earworm describe your future and related anxiety about what you expect to happen?

Answering these questions will bring about conscious awareness that may end the earworm’s repeated presence as a subconscious influence.

A more complicated earworm drives deeper understanding about implementing a prescriptive music listening habit (reference Empowerment Habits #4 & #5). For example, the music may represent memories that may never happen again, and therefore the earworm makes you sad about a happy memory. And because of these conflicting emotions, and their relationship to current circumstances, you may stay stuck in confusion. Then, a deeper process utilizing a Music Medicine Pill^™ may be advised (reference Empowerment Habit 5).

Habit 3

Extended Activity 5

NOTE: Please check the GOAL on this card as it should read: “Intentionally choose music to control your moods.”

Write ideas in your Music Habits Journal (Habit 3, Activity #5) to create new, positive music playlists. Purposefully create music solutions to transform life themes or earworms that may confuse you or bring you into a downer mood. Sadness, anger, anxiety or depression work against you feeling great about life.

Follow this 5-step process to create purposeful playlists that may control your moods.

Begin populating new mood music playlists with past and present ideas that are soothing and energizing (the happy kind). Brainstorm with family and friends about music possibilities with instruments (vocals if desired), artists and genres to your liking.
Remember past memories when you received positive reinforcement. Think of those memories you want to relive that strengthen a positive perspective of what you want to remember. For instance, find music that centers on loving things your mother told you about how to live life.
Recall present times of life-affirming events. Look for the good and be grateful it is happening in your life right now. For instance, find positive, uplifting music that confirms you have an excellent job with great co-workers.
When you settle on music ideas, populate mp3s (found in smart phone apps like iTunes and Spotify) into two new playlists labelled as “S” for Soothing (if the music is relaxing) and “E” for Energizing (if the music makes you move happily).
Listen to them in the morning to jumpstart your day and in the evening to stimulate positive dreams.

What a positive way to control your moods with purposeful playlists! If you notice this does not always work, look for deeper ways to address pervasive problems with the next Empowerment Habit.