A Playlist That Soundtracks My Mental Health Journey Through Life

I create a lot of playlists on Spotify.

Many which contain songs that soundtrack my mental health journey through life.

Both good and bad mental health have dominated most of my life, but it is the good that empowers me to not let the bad events take over.

Much of my life has been overwhelmed by pain, sadness, and loss. I went through community and domestic violence, leading to many losses and repeat admissions to psychiatric wards due to trauma-related mental health problems.

It felt like my recovery was an impossible one. I had relapse after relapse, and every time I got up, I hit rock bottom.

When I started therapy around 2012, I wanted a playlist that soundtracked my journey and life in a positive way. However, it took me a few years to think about it, because I wanted my playlist to represent my life as it was going to be in the future, positive.

I came up with a dance list:

Dancing has always been a big part of my life, and many of the songs on my playlist take you through a journey of recovery to my present.

When you have been through a lot of trauma, it can feel like a never-ending nightmare. However, when you reach that point of recovery, it is good to create a soundtrack that represents you fully in the present; i.e. in your new life as it is now.

So, came along 'My Dedication Dancing List' which features all of the artists who got me through my journey, and help me to continue my journey now.

When I first decided to start my career in writing, I was low in confidence. I had no idea how to break through the barriers that were holding me back, so I featured songs on this list to help me make it.

I probably won't need to tell the reader which songs, as you'll probably figure that out when you listen!

Life for me is a dance and a teacher once told me,

"The best way to get through life, no matter how hard; is to dance your way through it."

Well I love dancing and all kinds of music anyway, so I have no problem with that!"

I also have rock and metal lists that help me work away the anger issues I tend to have.

Music often allows us to express emotions. I create different playlists that express my emotions in different ways, but for me, a dance playlist is the soundtrack to the new positive life that I have built up, and continue to build.

The songs remind me to keep climbing, even when I think that I am falling.

Music can take us through a journey of sadness, pain, love, and happiness. I have enough playlists that have taken me through sad times, and I am past that now, so my soundtrack takes me through the positive times instead such as:

• Healing my broken relationships
• Enjoying a positive relationship with myself and my husband
• Continuing to build my self-esteem
• Reminding myself that there is nothing wrong with being confident
• Feeling good about myself physically and emotionally without feeling guilty
• Remembering my loved ones, both past and present in a good way
• Remembering what strength it took to overcome the bad in order to get where I am today
• Remembering that where there is a bad memory, there is also a good one
• Remembering that not all times were bad
• Continually learning about myself as a person.

Music can make us think about certain events; some of which can be painful, and others that make us smile.

My playlist is a soundtrack to my life because all of the dance songs featured are like my life!

'moving fast, changing furiously, moving forward; often with no brakes!'

For that, you need a beat.

I listen to all kinds of music, even the slow stuff; but every single day since I recovered is a wonderful and positive journey.

I find positivity even in negativity, and I never stop moving, because

For me, music with a beat represents every single beat of my heart, and my music represents the 'beat of my life,' never-ending and always changing.