Steps To My Perfect Soundtrack

Playlists are the soundtracks of our lives. They say who we are as people, what we love, what we hate and what we desire. Music has the ability to take us places we didn’t know we needed to go and allows us the space to express our feelings in ways we didn’t know we needed.

I have a playlist for every occasion and one of my favorites is my breakup/Single Girl soundtrack. The songs showcase the importance of being an individual person and finding love in everyday things instead of in another person. My favorite thing is when I can find songs that explore the love of finding one’s self or celebrating being single.

I have a lot of mixed feeling about Valentine’s Day. What I focus on year after year is celebrating me and the people who are always there to support me. I’ve always seen this holiday as a day to not only love myself, but also my friends. This playlist showcases that and how I personally challenge the definition of the holiday.

1. Shout Out To My Ex- Little Mix

I love a good girl group and the British pop singers just do it right. This song celebrates being single, saying thank you to the heartbreak because it shaped a stronger person. Having a positive, uplifting song to go to after a long day is something I always look forward to. This is one of those songs. Not only that, but the song just makes you feel good. It makes me want to get up and dance and scream at the top of my lungs in my car.

2. The 1- Taylor Swift

Miss Swift is the Queen of break-up and love songs(at least in my opnion). But this song specifically went straight to the top of my playlist because of the lyrics. When you first read the title, you think the song is going to be about one thing; finding that one person who you are meant for. Upon listening to it, you find it’s a different song entirely. Within the song, she focuses on finding new interests after a breakup. She talks about saying yes to new things and learning to go places by herself. It’s one of the reasons the song stood out to me when I first heard it because I think that lesson is so important. I try to find excitement in the monotony that can come with day-to-day life. To me, this song showcases that. She's saying, Go to the movies, say yes to more opportunities, and try something new.

3. Tonight I'm Getting Over You- Carly Rae Jepsen

This has been at the top of my list since 2013. Not only is it a great anthem for people who are getting out of a break up, but also the fun beat of the song makes you believe the words she’s saying. I love music that can match the lyrics in a song and make you image yourself somewhere else whether it’s dancing in a club, shouting in your car, or singing in your kitchen. This song does that for me and always gives me those feel good vibes.

4. Bathroom Floor- Maddie & Tae

This is one of my top ten for this playlist because normally I don’t love country music, but when I happened to hear this on the radio I found myself dancing to it. I love the concept and the lyrics as well. It’s encouraging and light hearted. I’ve needed a song like this for years becuase I’m always looking for a new anthem I can use when I go out with my friends to have some fun.

5. Driver's License- Olivia Rodrigo

Driver’s License takes on a little bit more of a melancholy theme to my otherwise inspiring playlist, but I had to add the song to the list. From its debut, it’s been the number one song I cannot stop playing. Olivia Rodrigo is a brilliant lyricist and the song takes me back to when I was in high school, while also allowing me to find relevance in it now. Even though the song doesn’t celebrate being single, I feel like it still adds to my theme of self love. It showcases the struggles of getting over someone which is a necessary step in learning to love yourself.

6. I'll Still Have Me- Cyn

While focusing on lyrics is what I usually do when listening to music, I love the simplicity of the music in this song. It’s fitting to Cyn’s soft voice and compliments the lyrics in a soothing way. The song always speaks to me on a personal level because at the end of the day all we have is ourselves. And as long as we accept that and who we are, the days aren’t so bad. This is one of my favorites to listen to when the dreaded holiday comes around because it’s a pleasant reminder I always have myself.

7. Love Myself- Hailey Steinfeld

I listen to this song every time I go through any kind of breakup. Its fun rhythm makes me want to sing along in my car. I think the song really speaks for itself. Who better to love on Valentine’s Day than yourself?

8. Ella Henderson- Friends

Talking about a day that celebrates love, I always like to focus on the people who mean the most to me. On top of taking the day to celebrate me, putting some of that energy towards the people who are always there for me is just as important. The song “ Friends” is a fun, upbeat song that celebrates the people who will be there for you no matter what. And I think on a holiday that celebrates love, a great way to spend it is with some of the people who love you most.

9. Castle On The Hill- Ed Sheeran

When I heard this song, it immediately made me think of the friends in my life. The song manages to talk about the hardships that come with growing up, but ultimately focuses on being there for each other. This is another great song to challenge the holiday that says it's is only for romantic relationships.

10. I Hate Love Songs- Kelsea Ballerini

I wanted to close out my playlist with this song because it is one of my favorites. The song takes all the gooey, romantic tropes that people love/hate, while admitting to loving the person you are with, despite all that stuff. I think on the holiday that celebrates loves the perfect way to end it is to admit we all kind of hate some it just a little, but at the same time still have love for the people in our lives. As someone who isn’t very fond of Valentine’s Day I find a strange sense of catharsis in this song and I can't help but love it.

Music is meant to bring us out of our heads and come to understandings we couldn't reach on our own. It's our saftey net, our blanket for when we need to cry, laugh, smile, or prove to an ex we are doing just fine. So whether or not you love or hate Valentine's Day, at the end of the day the most important person to love is yourself.