A Story About the Gift of Sound (Part 2 of More Sound Less Noise)
Sound is the gift that keeps on giving
A story about sound
I decided to create a companion post to my first article on sound. Why?
A lot of folks resonated (pun intended?!?) with it. Someone let me know that with all the intrusive (and sometimes toxic) noise in daily life, it was a relief to know that a touch of good sound could have a positive impact!
So, let me share a story.
Twenty years ago, I found myself at a senior care center with fellow social work students doing an observation for one of our graduate therapy courses.
We visited a resident eager to talk about the aging process with us. One takeaway was that she often felt isolated and had depressed moods.
As we were speaking, a music therapist came in with an autoharp.
Upon seeing her, the resident’s face lit up.
The resident informed us this was her “favorite part of the day.” She loved hearing the music and singing along.
The therapist played for all of us, and the resident tapped her fingers against her knee and joined right in with the song.
The therapist would often take requests and, on this occasion, played something the resident wanted to hear. This formed a beautiful connection and had a clear positive effect on the resident.
A break in the day. A moment of happiness. A link from song to good memory to an elevated mood.
After the song, something shifted. There was…a lightness. In all of us.
Not long after that experience, I borrowed a guitar from a friend and pursued a dream – I taught myself to play.
I spent hours with books and online videos, and was determined to continue until I could play songs I loved to hear.
All these years later, it’s still a pick-me-up when I can grab my guitar and play. It’s freedom. It’s uplifting. It’s a gift I gave myself.
A gift that never stops giving.
Experiment with the gift of sound
Experiment with sound in your own life if you want. See if sound can improve your mood or elevate your day.
To start, try this:
1. Find a sound that’s meaningful to you - either a tone such as 528 hz or a favorite song
2. Pay attention to how you feel before you listen
3. Listen to the sound you chose
4. Notice how you feel after you listen
That’s it. That’s all. A simple exercise that brings positive sound and a touch of mindfulness into your life.
Give yourself the gift each day
Here’s the MtE tip: Give yourself the gift of good sounds through your life
Decades ago, I saw what a powerful gift sound could be.
Now, I give that gift to myself every day.
You can do the same.
To dive deeper into strategies for managing stress and anxiety (including mindfulness and meditation), check out my book, An Audible Silence; or schedule a free 15-minute call to see if coaching might be right for you. For even more, follow me on Instagram or TikTok.
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(NOTE: Mastering the Everyday is not medical or mental health advice or diagnosis, and is solely for informational/entertainment purposes. If you need physical or psychiatric care, please reach out to a trained and licensed medical professional.)
I ukulele for this reason. 🖤