BY: ALVA POLETTI
There's no denying the profound impact music has on our mood. Creating a soundtrack to turn my life into a movie has been a powerful tool that has helped me countless times in navigating challenging seasons of life and motivating me to persevere.
One fave self-care strategy is a trick I like to call "The Love Song Hack." It's a simple yet incredibly effective hack that has brought about a significant shift in my emotional well-being. The foundation lies in recognizing the dual nature of our self-perception—an angel that loves us and a demon that insists we're never good enough. The key to happiness and self acceptance lies in nurturing the angel through attention and praise, rather than the demon.
Source: 'Pretty Woman' (1990)
In essence, the "Love Song Hack" involves internalizing the song's message. When listening to love songs, immerse yourself in the lyrics and imagine singing them to yourself rather than someone else. This transforms those heart-throbbing melodies into affirmations of self-love, simultaneously silencing the internal demons that criticize.
Consider these snippets of lyrics as examples, envisioning them as anthems to celebrate yourself instead of Prince Charming and silence mental negativity rather than external bullies:
"This is Me" from 'The Greatest Showman':
"When the sharpest words want to cut me down,
I'll send a flood, drown them out.
I am brave, I am bruised,
I am who I'm meant to be; this is me."
"Roar" by Katy Perry
”You held me down, but I got up (hey)
Already brushing off the dust
You hear my voice, you hear that sound
Like thunder, gonna shake the ground
You held me down, but I got up (hey)
Get ready 'cause I've had enough
[...]
Cause I am a champion, and you're gonna hear me roar
Louder, louder than a lion"
"Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars
”When I see your face
There's not a thing that I would change
'Cause you're amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
'Cause girl, you're amazing
Just the way you are”
"It is You I’ve Loved" by Dana Glover (sing this one in the mirror)
”There is something that I see
In the way you look at me
There's a smile, there's a truth in your eyes
But in an unexpected way
On this unexpected day
Could it mean this is where I belong
It is you I have loved all along
It's no more a mystery, it is finally clear to me
You're the home my heart searched for so long
And it is you I have loved all along”
"Kärleksvisan" av Sarah Dawn Finer (for our swedish readers)
"Var inte rädd
Jag går bredvid dig
[...]
För att jag älskar dig så som du är
Och jag vill ge dig allting jag har
Låt mig få bära dig när du är svag
För du betyder allting för mig
[...]
Se på oss nu
Livet är vårt
Ser du den framtid som vi
Vi kommer få"
"Shake it off" by Taylor Swift
”Cause the players gonna play, play, play, play, play
And the haters gonna hate, hate, hate, hate, hate
Baby, I'm just gonna shake, shake, shake, shake, shake
I shake it off, I shake it off”
Now, the beauty of this approach extends beyond just love songs. Try it with various genres, and you'll discover a renewed appreciation not only for the songs you've grown tired of but also for yourself. I would love to hear your experience after giving it a try—I assure you; it's mega transformative. Over n' out, peeps!
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