Reposted from 2009 on my former blog site with help from a friend and former student with one of her blog postings about songs.
It’s amazing that music has a power all its own. Certain songs help us connect back to specific memories and for many of us, those memories become crystal clear when we hear certain songs. I like having music on now when I am working. With all the sources on the Internet, on I-Pods and MP3 players, with the music channels on digital cable, or the music channels that come with our cars today – and don’t forget about regular, good-old radio too – all types of music is available to us all the time.
This morning, in trying to accomplish things for my business and teaching career, I turned on the 80’s music channel (graduating in high school in 1984 and college in 1989 has doomed me forever to love the 80’s music
– at least that is what my two kids have said) and I heard the song by Atlantic Starr – “Always”. Wow… instant
connection with my wedding. My wife and I have been married for 19 years and that song connected with us so
much that we chose it as our first song to dance to at our reception. That song brings back so many vivid
memories, clear pictures in my mind that really help connect me to the thoughts and feelings that were going on that night. Those thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc., help me with what is going on today. It gives me great perspective as to why I got married to my wife. It helps me remember the pieces to the foundation of why I love her so much. In getting back in touch with those thoughts and memories, it helps me to quickly forget little things that might be getting in the way of our relationship. It also helps me to think about ways to get better at being her husband – she deserves it.
Sure, it brings on the tears a little bit, but just like basketball coach Jim Valvano said when he was battling cancer –
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every
day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two
is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you
should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think
about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a
heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something
special”.
If you laugh every day, cry everyday and think every day – that’s a full day, that is, like he said, a heck of a great day. I’ve done those today and I try to do those every day. Have you? When was the last time you did that? Music helps you know. Find those couple of songs that help you remember a time when you felt good about yourself. Think back with the emotions and feelings of the songs on when you had dreams and goals, when you were inspired and fired up about doing something great. My Life and Success coach, Mike Litman said it last night, “We need to stop belittling our gifts and start believing that we are useful to helping others.” Find those songs, listen to them however you can – a lot, every day if you can. Then go out and find more songs that give you the same connection to those positive thoughts and feelings. Here is the kicker, the real big point – then go act upon those thoughts and feelings. After 43 years that action step is finally kicking in for me. All I can say thank God for the music that helped kick me into finally doing something about my goals and dreams.
© Coach John Daly – 2011
- http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com/
It’s amazing that music has a power all its own. Certain songs help us connect back to specific memories and for many of us, those memories become crystal clear when we hear certain songs. I like having music on now when I am working. With all the sources on the Internet, on I-Pods and MP3 players, with the music channels on digital cable, or the music channels that come with our cars today – and don’t forget about regular, good-old radio too – all types of music is available to us all the time.
This morning, in trying to accomplish things for my business and teaching career, I turned on the 80’s music channel (graduating in high school in 1984 and college in 1989 has doomed me forever to love the 80’s music
– at least that is what my two kids have said) and I heard the song by Atlantic Starr – “Always”. Wow… instant
connection with my wedding. My wife and I have been married for 19 years and that song connected with us so
much that we chose it as our first song to dance to at our reception. That song brings back so many vivid
memories, clear pictures in my mind that really help connect me to the thoughts and feelings that were going on that night. Those thoughts, feelings, emotions, etc., help me with what is going on today. It gives me great perspective as to why I got married to my wife. It helps me remember the pieces to the foundation of why I love her so much. In getting back in touch with those thoughts and memories, it helps me to quickly forget little things that might be getting in the way of our relationship. It also helps me to think about ways to get better at being her husband – she deserves it.
Sure, it brings on the tears a little bit, but just like basketball coach Jim Valvano said when he was battling cancer –
“To me, there are three things we all should do every day. We should do this every
day of our lives. Number one is laugh. You should laugh every day. Number two
is think. You should spend some time in thought. And number three is, you
should have your emotions moved to tears, could be happiness or joy. But think
about it. If you laugh, you think, and you cry, that's a full day. That's a
heck of a day. You do that seven days a week, you're going to have something
special”.
If you laugh every day, cry everyday and think every day – that’s a full day, that is, like he said, a heck of a great day. I’ve done those today and I try to do those every day. Have you? When was the last time you did that? Music helps you know. Find those couple of songs that help you remember a time when you felt good about yourself. Think back with the emotions and feelings of the songs on when you had dreams and goals, when you were inspired and fired up about doing something great. My Life and Success coach, Mike Litman said it last night, “We need to stop belittling our gifts and start believing that we are useful to helping others.” Find those songs, listen to them however you can – a lot, every day if you can. Then go out and find more songs that give you the same connection to those positive thoughts and feelings. Here is the kicker, the real big point – then go act upon those thoughts and feelings. After 43 years that action step is finally kicking in for me. All I can say thank God for the music that helped kick me into finally doing something about my goals and dreams.
© Coach John Daly – 2011
- http://coachtoexpectsuccess.weebly.com/
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