A Positive outlook


Has music ever influenced the way you feel? Certain songs tend to make you feel sad, while others tend to have you feeling happy or energized. This is one of the reasons why I love music. Along with it changing the way you feel, music tends to bring people together. It seems to make friends closer during certain activities and groups. Music is an essential component in my life. Music puts the life and excitement into the world. It is a part of my everyday life, from the radio in the morning to choir and band at school. Without music I don’t know what I would do!

I have been surrounded by music my entire life. My mother’s sides of the family are all musicians. My grandfather studied music in college and became a director for 5 different concert bands. My grandmother was a beautiful singer and piano player, and taught music lessons to all ages throughout her life. With a father and mother both very involved in music, they were bound to have a child that would become somewhat musically talented. My mother did end up becoming a musician. She is a singer, guitar player, piano player, clarinet player, and song writer. She performed all over singing at High School and College school events, weddings, and different churches.

On the other hand, my dad’s side of the family doesn’t have as much talent towards music, but there is still some! My grandfather and grandmother didn’t really have the beat in them for music but once they had five children (my dad being one of them) the music started! The two daughters were both wonderful singers and performed for many different churches, funerals and school events. The three boys were all talented with instruments. My dad was a great trumpet player. His brothers were drummers and guitar players who ended up being a part of a band in their younger years.

With all these people in my life that involve themselves with music I have learned to love it. Meditation along with music plays a large role in my life. I enjoy meditation so much because I can incorporate listening to music while meditating. Every night after a long day, I meditate, it doesn’t matter if I had a great or awful day I still find time for separating myself from negativity and wrap myself in positive vibes from the music. Mindfulness meditation is what I do. It is based on moment-to-moment awareness. This form of meditation is part of Buddhist and Indian Yoga traditions. In this you allow yourself to be fully present in the moment and allow thoughts both positive and negative to enter your awareness without the need to judge them or figure them out.

This method seems to really help my outlook on everyday life. People always tend to surround themselves with negativity and what others do. I feel you should not constantly fill your heart and mind with anger, but do the opposite and find time to separate yourself from all negativity. Instead fill your heart and mind with music and meditation and concentrate on the positive things in life. This is one of the reasons I love music, along with changing the way you feel, it always tends to bring people together in positive ways. Music is an essential component for not only people that are musically talented but people who struggle to find the beat too.