Alternate Reality Hour
A Playlist for the Anxious Hipster
Yoga hasn't worked for you. You attended a class last month with the best intentions and felt nothing but discomfort and frustration.
You bought a candle the other day; the scent is labeled 'Stress Relief'. It's still in the bag, and you can't find a lighter. It smells sharp, like fresh-cut grass and eucalyptus; your nose is convinced the label is a misnomer.
You downloaded a meditation app. You couldn't stop laughing when the narrator told you to stretch out your arms and flap away the bad energy.
But still, you endlessly seek relief. The stress is getting to you; you feel pent up, cramped, dissatisfied.
I made this playlist for you, the vagrant Zen-seeker. You've already sampled the standard reliefs to no avail, here's an alternative choice:
Songs that Take the Edge Off
It's been a long day; wind down for a bit. You deserve a break and probably need more than a brief vacation.
Kick back and take a moment to listen to stories. It's relaxing to hear others introspect every once in a while, especially when the narrators are a bit absurd. And, you might just find a couple of relatable lines hiding throughout the lyrics.
Imposter Syndrome - Sidney Gish
Every other day I’m wondering
'What’s a human being gotta be like?
What’s a way to just be competent?'
These sweet instincts ruin my life
One in a million don't mean what it meant
And these millions of gold coins don't gleam when they’re spent
You’re left with none
We tried to go back to the way that it was back then
It is the best thing to do when trouble ends
But then, why did the world make me what I am within?
She's retyped that fourth paragraph four times
Swinging the tone back forth until she's so satisfied
I’m not tough enough, I’m not punk enough
I got too much love, I got too much stuff
---
Songs to Get Edgy With
Maybe your day wasn't perfect. Work is piling up, you've been putting off that oh-so-important task on your list. You spend the entire day counting down until your workday ends, excited to get back to your hobbies, only to find you're too worn out to work on them. You're drained, you're frustrated, you're livid.
Release that energy. Yell lyrics, dance around the house, let loose. As soon as you release the angst from your mind, it will dissipate into the atmosphere.
This concept of going chop chop with the time
Frame your life and then we're supposed to be fine
Face it, this deadline is like very dead, you better start looking for something new instead
I'm having trouble standing still
And when I do my mind starts to reel
Panic Attack - The Glorious Sons
I wanna wake up, and feel loved
Will you look me in the eyes, tell me I’m not dying?
Zen - X Ambassadors, K.Flay, & grandson
Gimme a little bit of piece of your peace of mind
Gimme a piece of yours, you'll get a piece of mine
Songs to Smooth Down Your Edges:
You want respite from the chaos. You're overthinking again; you want something that'll drown out the noise. All you want is peace.
Lay back, close your eyes, and let these tracks carry you:
I'm alright, I'm okay, I'm alright, I'm okay
I'm not a monster, I'm a human
And I've made a few mistakes
If I Was A Folkstar - The Avalanches
When I was a kid, practically no one actually believed men would ever reach the moon
They laughed at the idea
But I believed
---
Music therapy is powerful. When a song vibrates on your frequency, it permeates your soul. With the right melody, chords and lyrics resonate through the frazzled mind, filtering life's chaos into a pattern of beauty.
Vagrant Zen-seeker, it is my greatest hope that you found a pattern amongst this playlist that brought you a bit of peace. If a single song from this list wrapped around your heart, you've narrowed your search. Keep seeking; relief is waiting for you. Wander on. Peace is just a short walk down the road.
“Music is the language of the spirit. It opens the secret of life bringing peace, abolishing strife.”
- Kahlil Gibran
About the Creator
Olivia L. Dobbs
Science Enthusiast, Naturalist, Dreamer, Nerd.
I crosspost my Medium articles here :)
You can find my main account on Medium: https://medium.com/@oliviadobbs13
Check out my science! -> bit.ly/DobbsEtAl
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