To bring music upfront and into the foreground (the answer for using music intentionally for health), it is important to ensure that your music preferences are accessible and in a form that you can easily retrieve when you need it.
Like me, you may remember when you would go to an elementary friend’s house because they had the better stereo to play records on. Then in middle school it was all the rage to have a portable cassette player. Then in high school, you envied the kids who had a Walkman (a portable CD player). Then after your children were born iPods became the “in” thing!
Today many of us hardly listen to the radio unless it is in the car but regularly access our phone to listen to our favourite playlists.
How do you experience your music? Is it easily accessible? Do you have it when you need it?
It is important to ensure your music is accessible for when you need it most. It is important that you have a medium in which to listen, and a wide selection of music listening for all the different moods you may experience – or want to experience during the course of your day.
In order to ensure you have what you need when you need it here are a few reminders:
- Engage with your friends and ask them what new music they are listening to and what devices (type and brand) that they are using that they would recommend.
- Invest in the medium that works best for you. Don’t sacrifice quality if at all possible. Different earphones/headphones have different qualities. Take time to do online research, inquire at electronics stores, and speak with your friends before making your music medium choice. Quality sound enhances your listening experience.
- Ensure you have everything you prefer to listen to for the different goals in your life. Continue to collect music that captures your attention and heart. Use these apps to help you find new music. As we have discussed previously we typically only add a small percentage of new music to our repertoire post-age 30.
- And of course contact an MTA when you need one. Music Therapists want to work with individuals and groups directly to ensure you find the right tools, the right music, and the right experiences to help you reach your personal goals.
This is one of 10 Strategies written in the book ‘TUNE IN‘.