How Writing Lyrics & Making Music Helps Foster A Healthy Relationship With Self
I’m a big proponent of individuals having an emotional outlet, especially as adults. Whether it be choreographing, painting, or writing, it’s a good way to process your feelings and still get a dope piece of art in the end. Writing lyrics and poetry has always been an elevated form of expression for me, especially as an introvert. It helped me get through a lot of feelings in breakups, during family drama, and trauma. It has also been a way to chronicle my life, because reading or listening to certain songs or poems, I’m able to know exactly where I was at that point in time.
Writing has always allowed me to communicate my feelings when I was feeling tongue tied. It gave me permission to really examine myself and my thoughts. Writing has always been easier for me than actually speaking in general, and speaking up for myself. I began recording the songs that I wrote as soon as I got my karaoke machine for Christmas when I was 9 years old, and used it for 20 more years until it finally blew out.
However comforting it was for me to write and record songs and poetry, the feeling was magnified when I knew people were being inspired by hearing what I shared and relating to what I felt. No matter how singular a situation may feel to you, someone else can always relate, and you giving a voice to it, empowers others to do the same.
How Poetry & Music Writing Helps Cultivate A Healthy Mindset And Relationship With Self
⦁ It’s a therapeutic practice. The process allows for the release of resentment, sadness, whatever you may be feeling, which provides honesty.
⦁ Making music and/or poetry is a unique experience that combines therapy, creativity, and spirituality. Often you discover that what you’re releasing and working on is greater than you, greater than the moment, and it serves a purpose.
⦁ It’s like journaling, but with creative thinking. Studies show that making music creates enhanced communication between the left and right brain.
⦁ When you write down how an experience, person, situation made you feel, you’re building awareness, which makes you less likely to find yourself in the same place again.
⦁ The end result is something that you can go back to if you’re feeling that emotion again or need to feel that emotion again. Journal entries, you rarely look back on, but with a song, you can. Even if you never record it, it’s in your head. One of my fondest memories was of my little sister walking around the house, singing one of my songs. I didn’t even know that she knew it, but clearly I’d been singing it enough.
⦁ It’s a process that provides an organic workshop. Writing, composing, or finding a beat, recording, editing, etc. It’s a workshop on whatever feeling or moment you’re experiencing. Often, you completely work out the issue you had by the time the project is complete.
⦁ If you share the music, it creates vulnerability, which signifies your strength and courage, and builds self-esteem. For years, I would make songs and never share them. It scared the crap out of me to put myself out there like that, but when I did, it was freeing. Now, I really feel like I can do anything, even as a quiet introvert.
⦁ Repetition is powerful, and builds mindset. Therefore, if you’ve created something out of good emotion, out of positivity, then you can enhance your mindset with your own material. I’ve gone back to many of my songs over the years. More recently, when I’d walk to work, I’d put on my song “Snapshot”, to get in the mood of gratitude.
Now get up, get your pen, and start composing!
If you need any assistance, I lead a writing class through Bloom Healing Arts Academy (free for your first month!)
If you desire to check out some of my expression, head to Mellow Vybes for my music, poetry, and other written works. Also, you can grab a free download of my song “Snapshot”!