While I am not the biggest music fanatic out there, I do enjoy a pretty wide range of music. I've noticed a lot of songs are about love - whether it be about emotional or physical love. Many are also about heartbreak. Some just don't make sense. Some are mysterious. Some are also inspirational, encouraging, make you feel like you can take on the world. I think we could all use a little more of those. So here some songs that I believe everyone should know about in case we need that extra motivational-shot-of-espresso type of kick.
This song is actually a fight song. This song is a "I'm just one person but I can still do a lot" type of song.
This song says I'm all by myself but that's okay. I can handle it, I can thrive.
This song is the song that makes you want to be who you know you can be despite the obstacles.
I know, I know what you're thinking. That I wasn't going to mention love songs. Well, this song isn't about being heart broken or moving on, or about how much someone loves someone else. This song defines love. This song explains what is exactly love, how is it defined in our actions.
I don't know about you, but after this song, I feel like I can run a marathon. In the Olympics. And win the gold. (I actually really can't. I honestly have no chance with anything that involves running anywhere whatsoever. But this song makes me FEEL like I can, and that's what counts).
This song is about never giving up, about having to keep fighting no matter what. This song says you've been through a lot, and it's hard, but this struggle is how you learn to soar, and you'll be your own kind of hero, or the hero your spouse or children or friend needs.
I'm sure you've all heard this song by now. But in case you haven't: it's a song simply saying that this will be a good life
8. First Things First: Neon Trees
This song is about priorities. We all know life is hard - life can be AWFUL. And this song tells us that we will probably never get everything we want, but we can get what we know what we deserve.
9. It's Not Right For You: The Script
I don't think I've ever heard a song about choosing jobs, but I think it's extremely relevant to our generation. It's about choosing something we love to do, that's it not even a question about whether it's right for us.
10. The Vision of Love: Kris Allen
I know, another one about love. But this one, once again, isn't talking about loving someone or heartbreak or moving on. This song is about love for everyone around you. For people, for our emotional vulnerability. It's about making sure someone knows that someone else cares, and that they should love themselves. It's about having this perfect vision of what love and asking what would we do to make that vision a reality.
11. Live Like We're Dying: Kris Allen
This song says what the title does, we only have so much time, so use it well.
12. Hail, Rain, or Sunshine: The Script
Life is about valuing the small stuff. Maybe out lives aren't as glamorous as we want them to be, maybe our life is even a little rough around the edges, or has so many tears in its fabric, people can't see what it's worth, but we can. We know the small bits of happiness - a night with friends, a laugh at a snarky comment, witnessing an act of kindness. No matter what, you find a way to have fun, not because you have plenty of sunshine, but because you have learned to see past the hail and rain you have, too.
This song is admittedly a type of love song. But I'm putting here because it's less about a partner and more about your brother. Your friends. The people you care about that you will do almost anything to help them. It's the people that when it comes down the to wire, you'll help them, and they will help you. And I think this is an important message. You might not be struggling now, but someone you know might be, and this song isn't telling you that you can do it and you're awesome, or you'll get through it even though you're alone, this song is you being there for someone you care about, telling this person that you'll be there for them. No matter what.
I hope that when you're having a rough day, you can listen to any one of these songs and feel better about whatever might be going on. Art in any of its forms can be a source of comfort for a lot of people, and I think music is a source of comfort and enjoyment for everyone. Each time I discover a song like this, it makes life seem a little brighter, and I hope it does for you too.
