The Power of Music

Posted: December 21st, 2022

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Assignment 6 – The Power of Music

People encounter ups and downs in their lives some of which generate positive outcomes while others result in inappropriate effects. Personally, I have encountered many incidences, both bad and good that show me life is intricate and may not unfold as one desires all the time. One moment I will never forget in life was during the peak of COVID-19, specifically 2020 when the health crisis was increasingly becoming fierce in the way it claimed the lives of many people while leaving survivors in intense fear and dread.  The curfews and lockdowns imposed by the federal and state governments intensified the fear of COVID-19 with many people develop mild to serious social and psychological problems. The period reminds me of all my dark days when I would resort to listening music to seek consolation. I listen to music extensively when troubled, especially if the main theme in the song revolves around restoring hope and confidence even when things are difficult. However, I use other approaches to take care of myself knowing very well that failure to care for myself could have disturbing implications.  

Describing my “Hip-Hop”

My “hip-hop” or what helps me to suppress tension and fears that could affect my well-being and aspirations is listening to music. Even though I habitually listen to music, I become more attached to inspiring songs when troubled by my problems or those of others. I particularly became more attached to a wide genre of music during the period when the health crisis confined people to their homes and led many businesses to halt their operations. I gained the desire to listen to music as a young child after learning the behavior from adults who could become happier despite a troubling situation after listening to music. I find music to be an avenue for understanding how life impacts on people and how individuals perceive different things and their possible reactions to them. I have discovered that spending more time listening to music presents me with a broad view of the problems people face as a society, community, and individual. I also get to know that I am not the only one who faces difficulty in life, especially through the compelling stories artists narrate in their songs. Thus, music provided the needed company, courage, and inspiration at the time of the pandemic and continues to provide me with many valuable teachings about life. More fundamentally, the information I gain from songs help me to stay away from inappropriate conduct that could land me in problem or affect my relationship with others.

What holds me to Listening to Music

Various factors lead me to believe that music provides consolation during difficult times and could be a source of information and knowledge about various things that humans face in life. I developed and nurtured the habit upon realizing that listening to inspiring songs help me to reduce stress, thus allowing me to cope with difficult situations. Furthermore, I have realized that listening to the sound of nature in songs significantly improves my concentration, thereby allowing me to come up with appropriate remedies to my problems or one that affects others or the community at large. I have realized that each time I listen to music after encountering an unpleasant encountering, including my own and that of others enable to calm and to perceive the disturbing incident as part of life. The effect music has on the way I regulate my feelings and thoughts about myself and others affirm the argument that listening to music activates the discharge of dopamine in the brain to act as a neurotransmitter that fosters feelings of pleasure and happiness. Another reason why I consider music to be a possible form for taking care of myself is that artists sing about different topics, including friendship, heartbreak, death, love, poverty, discrimination, and prosperity among other critical aspects of society. Hence, I perceive music to be a critical source of inspiration that would help me to take care of myself.

Realizations of not Taking Care of Myself

I have realized that failure to take a path that would lead me in the most appropriate way towards taking care of myself could have far-reaching implications. I would get into trouble and offend myself and others. For instance, failure to learn from music during the height of COVID-19 could expose me to significant threats that could possibly expose me to the virus. However, because I listened to the advice of the various songs that address the issue of COVID-19 I was able to stay away from actions that could make me vulnerable. Hence, the most suitable way to take care of myself would follow these five key steps – knowing the threat, learning about the threat, identifying suitable remedies, implementing the best remedy, assessing the effects of the adopted intervention aimed at keeping me safe.

Plans to take Care of Others

People are dependent on each other and doing well to others is the same as doing good to oneself. Hence, I would take care of others by encouraging them to embrace the habit of listening to music every time they feel that something is not working as expected. Songs will give them an opportunity to gain valuable insight into how to address issues that threaten their well-being or mental state. Thus, people can make the world better by producing more songs that offer helpful tips on how to understand social problems and know how to respond to them. The plan to help others will follow this five-phase model – knowing their problem, identifying possible remedies, emphasizing the significance of music, taking time to listen to music while exploring other possible interventions, and assessing the effects of the intervention on dealing with societal problems.

Lessons

I have gained valuable lessons that would help me to improve how I relate with others. I have learned the need to embrace a method that would help me to take care of myself while staying away from acts and behaviors that could be termed as inappropriate. I now know that what guides one to take care of themselves can be anything that provides them with the teachings and inspirations that they need to put up with the difficulties in life. I now understand that everyone needs their autonomy to choose what suit them regardless of their race. I have learned the significance of viewing the world as a big place and space where what one considers to be a suitable way to responding to societal issues may not be the same to how others I am optimistic that continuing with this could will introduce me to more appropriate forms for caring for myself. The epiphany that I have had as a result of teachings passed by the guests is that inspiration is vital for people to achieve what they want.