‘If there’s no music up in heaven, then what’s it for?
When I hear the beat, my spirit’s on me like a live-wire
A thousand horses running wild in a city on fire
But it starts in your feet, then it goes to your head
If you can’t feel it, then the roots are dead
And if you’re the judge, then what is our crime?
Here comes the night time’
Arcade Fire

Everybody has something that makes them feel or come alive. For me, it’s music and dancing; travelling; trying new foods; spending time with positive, inspiring people; reading, learning, and a few other things.

Music and dancing are easy things that can lift my mood quickly. It helps that I’m married to someone who loves music and dancing too. We met 30 years ago in a restaurant/club called Pete & Marty’s in downtown Toronto and have been together ever since, going dancing whenever we can.

Music and dancing puts me in a trance. There are days when you feel like you have no control of things going on around you. You try to stay focused and positive and tell yourself nothing stays the same forever, these situations, people that feel negative at the moment, will all be history soon, in the grand scheme of life.

Those are the days that I need my headphones with some good loud music and trance myself out of all the negativity in my head. I have to remind myself that no one can “make” me feel one way or other.

If I stay in the present moment, not thinking of the past or the future, there’s no way I can focus on the feeling of fear, anger or hurt which either happened or I think may happen in the future. Nothing in life has any meaning except the meaning that I choose to give it.

Music helps a lot and dancing helps me change my emotion by changing my motion and by moving to the rhythm of the music. For some people jogging, working out and hiking are positive outlets that help them to stay positive and active.

For those who find themselves binge watching Netflix or binge eating, drinking, it’s okay to do that every now and then. If however, you feel guilty each time you do that, you may want to try putting on headphones and listening to music and dance or find another positive outlet.

If nothing seems to help then, find someone that you can talk to, write in a journal or get help. Life will pass you by so quickly and, 10 years from now you’ll look back and realize that you’ve wasted your life blaming your partner, your kids, your situation, your work, your life. Life owes you nothing, your only purpose in life is to be yourself and keep growing and learning to become your best self.

If not now then when?

“Yesterday I was clever, so I wanted to change the world. Today I am wise, so I am changing myself.” – Rumi

“We choose our joys and sorrows long before we experience them.” – Khalil Gibran

“I did then what I knew how to do. Now that I know better, I do better.” – Maya Angelou

www.mindvasana.com