Life and Music - Brian Dalton
Note: If you're new to the series, read on (or refer to Post 1).
It's no secret endurance is important to me. As an educator and consultant, it's my core mission. Essentially, endurance plays a pivotal role in various aspects of life, contributing significantly to personal growth, success, and overall well-being. That being said, music (both listening and writing my own songs) are my go-to when the challenging currents of life make themselves known.
Music has a profound impact on our emotions and mental state, making it a powerful tool for enduring this thing called 'life'. Here's how it can help:
Emotional regulation: Music can evoke a wide range of emotions, helping you express and process feelings that may be difficult to articulate. It can provide comfort and a sense of connection, reducing feelings of loneliness or isolation during challenging times.
Distraction and relaxation: Listening to music can divert your attention away from stressors, providing a temporary escape and promoting relaxation. This can help reduce anxiety and lower stress levels.
Motivation and inspiration: Upbeat and energetic music can boost your mood, increase motivation, and inspire you to keep going, even when facing tough challenges. It can help you feel empowered and capable of overcoming obstacles.
Catharsis: Some people find that listening to music allows them to release pent-up emotions and experience a sense of catharsis. This can be especially helpful when dealing with intense or overwhelming feelings.
Connection and community: Music has the ability to bring people together and create a sense of community. Sharing music with others, whether through live performances, playlists, or discussions, can foster connections and provide support during difficult times.
Memory and nostalgia: Certain songs or pieces of music can evoke powerful memories and feelings of nostalgia, providing a sense of comfort and familiarity during challenging times.
Overall, music can be a valuable tool for emotional expression, relaxation, motivation, and connection, making it a powerful ally in navigating life's challenges.
"Closing Fast" was actually inspired by my podcast episode, "No Return to Syndication." Essentially, this life is our one shot. It is not a sitcom where we get an opportunity for a rerun . . . hence, our lifelines can and will close fast. Grab onto life and live it for all its worth! Musically, it's an ambitious track, heavy on the strings (with a healthy dose of guitar layers in the background). Personally, my favorite part is the Coda at the end.
From an inspirational or philosophical standpoint, this life is our one shot. It is not a sitcom where we get an opportunity for a rerun . . . hence, our lifelines can and will close fast. Grab onto life and live it for all its worth! Moreover, this notion also came to pass with a blog post of mine titled "State of the Art". I started to think "As a species, are we still relevant? Are we still state of the art?" We love to pat ourselves on the back (EGO) for all of our advancements in knowledge, technologies, etc.; we're literally consumed with information, but we've lost wisdom in the process, in my humble opinion. Case in point: we're more connected than ever with smart phone technology; but our collective IQ's have dropped since the smart phone's inception. How's that for irony? What good does all this "information/connection" provide if we've forgotten how to be a good human being?
Essentially, throughout these years of advancements, we've seemed to advance ourselves into an inescapable corner. A few (of MANY) examples include:
we're more connected than ever, but we're also more lonely and lost than ever before . . . thanks social media. Mental health statistics validate this notion.
we've created a climate where it's the norm for our children to perform lockdown drills and be fearful of going to school.
through this never-ending connection, we've found ways for our voices to be heard, but we've also forgotten how to communicate and compromise . . . which is a huge problem.
Trust me, this list is much, much longer!
So, to anyone who wishes to truly see, I find it hard to believe that we can honestly say we're in an optimal place within our historical timeline. Hence, our time can and will CLOSE FAST if we don't adjust course soon.
Video - "Closing Fast"
Album
"Closing Fast" can be found on my instrumental album, Processing.
*If you need help bringing mental and physical endurance into your work environment, in a unique and motivational way, feel free to contact us and bring New Horizons Global to help you along the journey!
Be on the lookout for Part 4 in this new blog post series from Teach4Endurance!