Life is hard. It’s a wild and breathtaking roller coaster ride. One second, you’re at your highest peak, and the next minute, you’re crashing toward the bottom of the earth. How will you ever rise again?
We all are fighting our own demons. We are all struggling with something in our life, fighting to get back to the top of that mountain we had just been standing on. And if you don’t believe me, that everybody else is also going through this, that you are not the only person who has crashed, look at Selena Gomez.
And suddenly, we see that Selena Gomez really is like the rest of us. She’s just another young girl fighting through life.
Here’s the thing: Selena has accepted that life has its highs and lows. And through her music, she wants to share with us how she fights those low points and rises back to the top again. Revival.
1. "Revival"
“I’ve been under self-restoration. I’m becoming my own salvation.”
The first track off of Selena’s newest album, "Revival", is all about refocusing. Stop worrying about others and take a moment to worry about yourself. We’re all human, and as humans, we often tend to forget that we matter too. It’s okay to do something for yourself, make yourself happy. If you’re having an issue with a guy, or a best friend, or even family, take a second to step back and re-evaluate yourself. What can you do about your own life to make things better? You’re allowed to be happy, you deserve it. Become your own salvation.
2. "Kill Em With Kindness"
“The world can be a nasty place/You know it, I know it, yeah/We don’t have to fall from grace/Put down the weapons you fight with/And kill em with kindness.”
Don’t try to count the number of times you get mad at something each day, because you’ll probably find it’s more than you think. And really, who wants to be angry all the time? Fighting is not always the answer. Actually, I’ve lived by the saying “kill them with kindness” for a while, and while it’s difficult sometimes, I’ve found that the bullies in the world don’t have a clue what kindness actually is. So when they see it, they don’t know what to do, or how to react, and they’re completely thrown off, because the last thing they’re expecting is for you to treat them with niceties. But at the end of the day, you get to walk away with the knowledge that you were the bigger person. Fighting fire with fire only ends in a bigger fire.
3. "Same Old Love"
“I’m so sick of that same old love, my body’s had enough.”
Sometimes, you have to let go. Why return to someone who continually hurts you, whether it’s intentional or not? It’s probably one of the hardest lessons we have to face in life, because for some weird reason, we seem to be drawn to things that ultimately hurt us. But that’s not right. Let go and see what life will have to offer you now.
4. Camouflage
“But it’s good to see you here again/I don’t want to say goodbye/But it’s about half past ten/And I have to catch my ride.”
People change, for the worst or for the better. That’s okay. It could be you who changed; it could be that person you care most about. People have the potential to become unrecognizable. That doesn’t always fit with what once was. Just like “Same Old Love,” the best thing might be to say goodbye.
5. "Survivors"
“We are survivors of the wild.”
If you think about it, the world is kind of like the wild. Think of "Mean Girls", how Cady saw the world. As funny as it always was, she was kind of right. And now Selena is telling us that it’s survivable. You may end up with scars, but those wounds do heal. In the end, you’ll be okay, and you’ll be a survivor.
6. "Rise"
“You can rise from the rubble like with your mind, you can hover/You can rise like the tide, like the heat in the summer/Yes, I know that there are those who will wanna bring you down/But you can rise with your mind and make your higher power proud/You can rise.”
Personally, this is my favorite song off of this album. Unfortunately, it feels like the universe is fighting against us at times and we’re constantly being dragged down. And yes, there will always be people who want to steal your happiness, who want to push you back and make you feel like you can’t accomplish what you really can. Honestly, they’re probably just jealous… But listen, all it takes is believing in yourself and pushing forward. Ignore the hatred, forget those who do not support you, and trust in yourself. You’ll rise. I promise.
7. "Me and My Girls"
“You don’t understand/I don’t need a man/Me and my girls.”
This song is super catchy and super important to a girl’s life, and even a guy’s. Whether you’re a girl reading this or a guy, take Selena’s advice. You don’t always need the opposite sex in your life. Sometimes, you need a little girl/guy time. It’s healthy and refreshing and it reminds you of who you are and what’s important in your life. Having a relationship does not always make life complete; having those who really care about you around is what matters.
I think that’s a pretty good note to end things on.
Overall, if you take one thing away from reading this, I want you to remember that you do matter and only you can change what’s wrong in your life, just by a matter of outlook. So restore yourself, love yourself, thank the haters and kill them with kindness, sometimes goodbyes are needed, you will rise and become a survivor, and keep those who care around you.
Revival.
