12 Days of Self-Care | Listen

When Brad and I were still living in Tokyo, I started suffering from panic attacks. They were triggered by the earthquake and tsunami in 2011 and I felt like I was losing my bearings in so many ways. I would have trouble catching my breath, start shaking, and crying uncontrollably. It wasn’t a ton of fun. The only thing that brought me back to solid ground was listening to music. The same thing happened after we had our first son. I was suffering from postpartum depression and our colicky baby refused to let us sleep. The thing that kept us all sane? Music. 

As a life-long musician, I’ve always used music to help me manage various emotions. As I get older, that feeling only grows. I find it to be most effective when I can sit still, my earbuds firmly planted, and focus on the song. This time of year, I go to the album Advent, Vol. 1 by The Brilliance. My sister introduced me to this one 7 years ago and I haven’t spent an advent without it since. That first time playing the album from start to finish helps me set my mind and spirit for the season in a way that isn’t only focused on decorations and shopping and presents. 

What kind of music is filling your soul right now? Share in the comments so we can all update our Spotify playlists ;)