The One Song That Puts Me in a Good Mood

When a favorite song becomes a trigger

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My favorite singer is Sade — who can forget Smooth Operator? I love how she incorporates elements of soft rock, R&B, and a relaxed, jazzy groove.

But nowadays, songs that once comforted me make me sad.

It’s anxiety, associating familiar sights and sounds with grief, loss, and change.

I think human beings naturally form associations with things, places, scents, and especially songs. It’s surprising how the sympathetic nervous system becomes activated in response to an emotionally charged reminder.

Has this happened to you?

In the past, Nina Simone’s deep soulful voice or Anita Baker’s velvety jazz-inflected vocals had the power to pull me out of my mood swings and set me right without resorting to medication.

But now, I can’t listen to any music from my past without tears coursing down my face.

I try to stay away from music, but it inevitably finds me.

My kids play their songs, which I’ve grown accustomed to hearing. An unexpected blast from the past plays while I’m walking in the mall, which again brings on a deep sense of sadness, and of all places, a familiar song piped through the speakers just as I was deplaning.

The effect was instant and visceral.

This doesn’t mean I have given up on listening to music. Just not the ones with autobiographical histories attached.

I am listening to music I’ve never heard before because I find that it doesn’t trigger me.

One of the songs I am playing loudly today is a high-energy dance track composed by AR Rahman from the upcoming Telugu movie Peddi.

I may not understand the language, but the rhythm is definitely catchy.

Today, I have this song to thank for putting me in a better mood.

Do you have a song that always puts you in a good mood?

More from Yana:

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🎈The Truth Behind Happy Looking Relationships

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