Teenage me from the 90s would have loved to have an iPod. As someone who bought c.d.’s for just one song, it would have been amazing to build playlists based on different themes and emotions. Mix tapes, and later, burned c.d.’s with a variety of music were definitely in my wheelhouse. Granted, middle-aged me has never owned an iPod, but I do have an iPhone and a subscription to Apple Music. As a result, I have a handful of playlists that I have enjoyed cultivating over the years. Over the past several weeks, anytime that I listen to music (mostly in the car), I have my playlist labeled “Inspirational” on shuffle. While there are some religious songs on there, the songs housed on this list are songs whose lyrics speak to me and make me feel inspired, hence the title. With so much life happening recently, there have been a small selection of songs from this playlist that I have listened to on repeat because they touch my soul in a way that sometimes even makes me shed tears while driving. Of the 23 songs on the list, the following six have been the most meaningful to me. They are not ranked in any particular order.
#1– “Brave” by Sara Bareilles: This entire song has been an anthem to me over the years because I am not good at speaking my opinion, especially when that opinion might not be popular or simply, may be met with disagreement. As a result, I don’t say what’s really on my mind very often. So while every word of this song feels like a pep talk, these particular lyrics stand out the most to me:
“Your history of silence won’t do you any good.”
“Say what you wanna say and let the words fall out.”
#2– “Fight Song” by Rachel Platten: I used to use this song as motivation for running because of the line about taking my life back. I applied that to me by thinking I was taking charge of my life, meaning my physical health. Recently though, these lines are more about my mental health:
“And all those things I didn’t say were wrecking balls inside my brain, I will scream them loud tonight. Can you hear my voice this time?” Again, it’s lyrics about using my voice that resonate with me now because I finally used my voice to speak my mind and get out of a job that was crushing my soul. There’s a lot more that I want to “scream loud tonight” and I have been encouraged to say it, but what I have said so far is enough.
“And it’s been two years, I miss my home.” Grad school took two years, just sayin’.
#3–“About Damn Time” by Lizzo: After my first semester of grad school, this line spoke to me in particular:
“I’ve been so down and under pressure, I’m way too fine to be this stressed, I’m not the girl I was or used to be.”
And also, “I give a fuck way too much.” This is so the truth!
#4–“Firework” by Katy Perry: Really, this whole song, but especially:
“Maybe a reason why all the doors are closed so you could open one that leads you to the perfect road.” Finding a new job is hard and is taking a lot longer than I thought it would!
Also, “Do you know that there’s still a chance for you?” Yes! There is! Even now that I’m older and changing the entire path of my life, there is a chance, and I’m taking it!
#5–“Roar” by Katy Perry: This song echoed deep in my heart when I decided to stand up for myself and leave my job, but before I had actually done it. This line makes me slap my chest and feel pride in what I did:
“I went from zero, to my own hero”.
This line also, “Get ready ‘cause I’ve had enough. I see it all, I see it now.”
#6–“Hand in My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette: Lots of great lines that I can identify with, but ultimately, these lines:
“And what it all comes down to is that everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine/quite alright/no one’s got it figured out just yet.”
Because really, I have left my job, or, will when my contract ends on June 30th, and I don’t have another job lined up, I don’t know what I’m going to do next, but, it’s o.k. It really is. And these songs help me to continually feel that I did the right thing and that my life is so much better now than it was. Because it is.
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