Exploring the sense of hearing

Singing out loud and dancing are two of the top things on my Joy List (a list of activities that are certain to bring me pleasure). When I hear certain types of music, like old-time or bluegrass, I feel a powerful urge to get up and dance, which brings me so much joy! My body has always responded this way to music. Dancing also releases stress and anxiety. For this reason, my favorite thing to do right before a big presentation is to turn up the music to one of my favorite songs and spend five minutes moving my body.

I also sing to bring me pleasure, often when I’m happy, but I’ve realized that singing is also a positive coping strategy for me — one that I regularly use and one that I’m teaching my kids. Whenever I am feeling down or angry, I pull up a playlist and start singing — whether I’m in my car, in the shower, or in the living room. This is such a simple strategy, yet sometimes it can be hard to remember when we are feeling such strong emotions in our bodies. How would your day feel different if you turned on one of your favorite songs and spent the next five minutes singing out loud? You can move your body, too — whatever feels good to you in that moment! Check out one of our current favorites: "Better When I'm Dancin'" by Meghan Trainor.

Can you spare five minutes to sing today?