Whether or not you've made any resolutions, we could all use a little extra motivation when the new year strikes. Here are 18 of my favorite pump-up songs, complete with lyrics that can take you from your newly started morning run routine to your latest night class. Get out there and create your best life!
1. "I Wanna Get Better" - Bleachers
I love the energy in this song. It captures the desire to make a drastic change in your life and all the emotions that come with that.
Lyrics: "I didn't know I was broken 'till I wanted to change."
2. "Beautiful Day" - U2
Lyrics: "I know I'm not a hopeless case. What you don't have, you don't need it now."
3. "Play My Music" (from Camp Rock) - Jonas Brothers
Relive Disney Channel’s glory days with this classic.
Lyrics: "Say goodbye to all my fears...nothing in the world can bring me down.”
4. "New Rules" - Dua Lipa
Sure, this is a kickass breakup song. But it also reminds me that I have the ability to make important goals and stick to them. For an extra boost, watch the official music video and surround yourself with supportive friends that give you strength!
Lyrics: "But, my love- he doesn't love me so I tell myself...I do, I do, I do."
5. "Something Good Can Work" - Two Door Cinema Club
This song is full of summertime vibes and the optimism of things finally coming together. Instead of waiting for things to go your way, the lyrics promise that you can make it work.
Lyrics: "Let's get this started girl, we're movin' up, we're movin' up."
6. "Marchin' On" - OneRepublic
Lyrics: "There ain't no other step than one foot right in front of the other."
7. "Go the Distance" (from Disney's "Hercules") - Michael Bolton
Lyrics: "And I won't look back...And I'll stay on track, no I won't accept defeat."
8. "Almost There" (from Disney's The Princess and the Frog) - Anika Noni Rose
Disney gave Princess Tiana an empowering dose of realism when they wrote this song. Her dream is to own her own restaurant, but even walking to class is a little easier when you have these lyrics telling you you're "almost there".
Lyrics: "Fairy tales can come true. You gotta make 'em happen, it all depends on you.
9. "Carry On" - fun.
Lyrics: "May your past be the sound of your feet upon the ground. Carry on."
10. "We Are the Kids" - WALK THE MOON
I love the message in this song because it makes me feel like society isn't a prison. No matter what the world thinks, you are the future and you have the power to shape it.
Lyrics: "We are the kids that you never can kill...you know that we will keep on."
11. "Road Less Traveled" - Lauren Alaina
Lyrics: "You won't make yourself a name if you follow the rules."
12. "Unwritten" - Natasha Bedingfield
Lyrics: "No one else, no else can speak the words on your lips."
13. "Keep Your Head Up" - Andy Grammer
Lyrics: "This is just a journey, drop your worries. You are gonna turn out fine."
14. "HAPPINESS" - NEEDTOBREATHE
Try listening to this and imagining it as someone talking to themselves. It becomes a powerful story about self-love and the realization that you deserve to forgive yourself for past mistakes. The acoustic version is also beautiful.
Lyrics: "I got dreams that keep me up....telling me I wasn't made for the simple life."
15. "On My Way" (from Disney's "Brother Bear") - Phil Collins
Lyrics: "Tell everybody I'm on my way, and I'm lovin' every step I take."
16. "Maybe IDK" - Jon Bellion
For someone like me who loves to know exactly what's going on at all times, and hates uncertainty, this song is a powerful reminder that it's okay not to have all the answers.
Lyrics: "I guess if I knew tomorrow, I guess I wouldn't need faith."
17. "Whisper" - The Dear Hunter
Lyrics: "Don't let the world beat you down...cast your voice into the crowd."
18. "Bet On It" (from "High School Musical 2") - Zac Efron
Honestly, every line in this song is a nostalgic, brilliant call to action. It's most effective when passionately lip-synced, especially if you can match Efron's moves!
