Any figurative language fanatics out there, or is that just me? The prevalence of common literary devices in everyday living is eye-opening. From allusions, metaphors, similes, to allegories and symbols, there are several methods in literature that create resonance.
Resonance is the way in which we connect—to people, places and ideas. Has it ever crossed your mind that a connection builds the foundation on what we seek most in life? The tendency to crave reassurance from someone who can empathize, or relate to us, is not unnatural. It's rather heartwarming to feel as though we count— as though we are unforgotten.
As a journalist, I use writing as a form of expression, oftentimes a way to cope with fluctuating moods. Personally, I view writing as a "quick fix," an instant release of all my emotions onto a page. In contrast, listening to music is more of an extended form of coping. I can allow myself to let go and become fully consumed with the lyrics and rhythm.
One of my favorite go-to ice breakers upon getting to know someone new is finding out what genre of music sparks their fancy. Simply knowing such information about a person, can tell you a lot about how they tick. Discussing music gets people talking about themselves and enhances comfort, which in turn can open up an avenue of topics from there on out. Better yet, you might even discover a few hidden gems about yourself.
After all, music is a metaphor for life. Much like we create our own journeys, we are the music-makers, we can choose to walk, skip, or run through life, to any beat that we wish. We can choose to amplify the volume of our lives, as well as, mellow and slow down.
It's undeniable how easy it is to take for granted the elements that are so intrinsically complied together to create the wonder of a song. There is such versatility of what music can do for our mental and physical health— to unwind, boost disposition and vitality, feel understood and to understand—we are literally lucky to hear sound.
It’s been said that when you’re happy, you enjoy the music. Whereas, when you’re sad, you understand the lyrics. I’ve always viewed this as an intriguing concept— it’s as if we love the thing we wish most had not happened. We rejoice in sad songs, when we are already down in the dumps, because for some reason, it helps us feel not as isolated when we connect with music. During rough patches, I’ve turned to music, and I’ve come to the realization that there’s utility in suffering and how it can be converted into strength, not something to escape.
Believe it or not, according to research in the Behavioral and Brain Sciences (BBS), there is a distinction between an emotion and a feeling. Though music doesn’t affect the way you feel, it does trigger brain specific movements that prompt specific emotions. In other words, the six senses—stress, pressure, motion, or pleasure—determine what you feel through your responses. Emotions are temporary and are the meaning of your feelings. Though short lived, emotions—happiness, fear, sadness, and anger—are far more powerful than feelings, which can be a great source for motivation.
Remember when you heard that babies will grow to become more intelligent if exposed to Mozart early-on in development? Classical music causes brain activity to increase tremendously as the cells begin moving in cadence to the sound of the music, through the right hemisphere of the brain. As the control center for imagination and intuition, stimulating the right hemisphere with classical music while studying will improve concentration. You might even come up with new techniques to logically understand the topic you’re studying with this music boost. Trust me; I’m among those people who need complete silence to study. Though, research proves that depending on your current brain activity, you will find sonatas that will improve your brain function. It can be challenging to find the right tunes to crank up for increased productivity and creativity, but a good rule of thumb is less lyrics, less distractions.
The neatest aspect of the music industry is that it is never-ending. If classical music isn’t your preference, I can guarantee you there’s a song that hits the nail on the head for any particular mood you might be vibing. How great is that? As if you needed another reason to obsess over music. Surfing my Spotify app, I’ve discovered playlist for summer, partying, workouts, romance, sleep, brain food, and even a mood booster. I promise I’m not getting paid to advertise for Spotify, but there’s honestly so many trendy finds, I’d highly recommend checking the app out. Music has helped manifest ideas when dealing with writer's block, which is something I've commonly encountered. Oftentimes in the journalism world, I feel as if "all the good topics have already been covered", so it's nice to have music as writing motivation, when necessary.
Yet another cool aspect of music is that there’s always something new—it’s dynamic and diverse. If you’re anything like me, I get pretty bored with the same songs quickly, so I embrace changing it up. Taking on my peers’ far-fetched music suggestions has taught me to be more open-minded with my own tastes, and come to realize that I enjoy more than just the mainstream radio hits. Lately I’ve really become encompassed with acoustics, as well as cover songs.
It’s definitely admiring and not to mention, refreshing to hear music in its most pure, raw form. I feel like a lot of popular tunes in today’s society are very recording studio based. Without the amplification of such songs with sound engineering, the listener is able to fully grasp the talent produced. It feels easier to connect with music without so much background noise, in my opinion, it seems more sincere, as if the writer is speaking directly to you.
Don’t get wrong me, I love the whole grand scheme of music genres, there’s just something about acoustic music that has had a lasting impact on my thoughts. I suppose the major difference between acoustic and mainstream music would be the distinguishable story told with acoustics. On the other hand, cover music is neat in the way that the artist has the reins to take their own twist on a familiar song, and portray it in their own voice and personality. It’s quite eye-opening how immensely one song can transform when re-produced in a different fashion.
All in all, it can become difficult to fully configure your thoughts into words, or to feel as if you’re the only one with such emotions. Fortunately, music is and always will be there, for each and every one of us, through the highs and the lows of this rollercoaster called life.
