Do you have a song to amp you up? Get you focussed and in the zone? A war cry? A call to arms?
I’ve previously blogged about my love of music and it’s significance in my life.
I very much use music to enhance or encourage certain moods, particularly to help me focus and get in the zone for a task or to overcome a bit of a block I am having.
At the moment as I face off with my PhD thesis in these final months I have a few songs on high rotation, currently it is Fighter by Christina Aguilera. It reminds me of the things I need to remember to get me through right now. It helps me dig deep and call forth my Inner Mongrel.
I’ve found this song powerful at other times when feeling like I needed to be assertive. Times when life brings you to your knees. Times when I needed stand up and fight hard - definitely at times during my weight loss and fitness adventures as I have transformed myself and my life. Also when I have been dealing with bullying and had to say ENOUGH and STAND MY GROUND.
This song resonates with many and for different reasons – for some people it’s much more than just helping them to focus on an academic task; for some they have overcome abuse and domestic violence so this song is incredibly powerful for them in that sense.
Words are powerful. It is important to surround yourself with the right words because of their power. The words of this song coupled with Christina’s powerful voice and the emotion in it make it a powerful song. I’ve listened to it at times and been reduced to tears but always by the end of the song end up thinking and feeling that “F**k Yeah. Amen to that!” when she sings”
I am a fighter and I
I ain’t gonna stop
There is no turning back
I’ve had enough
That’s me lately. I’VE HAD ENOUGH. It’s the end of a long, difficult though interesting and beneficial phase in so many ways for me in my life…. not just in terms of my PhD thesis. Moving forward requires me to wrap some things up, shake off some old behaviours and be really courageous. The new that is around the corner is so exciting and that is what is giving me the momentum and drive right now. I can see the light and it is so shiny!
During my recent holidays as I stopped to reflect for first time in a while initially I had lots of thoughts come to mind about all the things I’ve had enough of. Lots of things I was fed up with, sick to death of. I made a list and those things are changing. Some fast, some slow. Allowing that to happen naturally. Getting fed up and becoming clear about what I’ve had enough of was the first step.
I have proven to myself that I AM A FIGHTER. I know that there’s no way in hell that I will stop. THERE’S NO TURNING BACK in a number of ways in my life right now. Not only professionally and study-wise but some of the realisations and “personal growth” I am going through really means there is no turning back. I AIN’T GONNA STOP and I’VE HAD ENOUGH.
F**kin’ hell have I had ENOUGH.
Apart from the end of the thesis coming in so many ways, especially internally (spiritually? personally??) I am really at a point where there’s no turning back. I’ve had some realisations and after 6 months of feeling like I’ve been a bit lost and and having an identity crisis as I adjust to ‘the new me’ – eugh! too corny! – perhaps it is more accurate to say as I establish who I am and what I stand for.
IT IS TIME TO STAND – Emazon Red Woman style.
There is so much more for me to share on this… today it’s all about my focus on my thesis: getting it done while maintaining fitness and health. Stay tuned for more posts about about the other elements of this phase I have been going through… the identity crisis, the rebellion, the uncertainty and self sabotage has all been in there. It’s all part of the adventure! F**kin’ rough at times but I wouldn’t have it any other way….
Back to the original questions! Do you use music to get into the zone? For training? For other things? What songs do you use??
xx Ange
