Nothing Like Music to Motivate

Written by Kendall Evans

I can write with or without music, but my preference is with…and lots of it. Sometimes, if I’m stuck in a scene, I’ll turn on music, and a song lyric can bump me right out of that rut. It gets me back on track. Someone else’s creativity never ceases to encourage mine. But I use music for so much more than just writing.

If I start to grumble or complain about things not going the exact way I want them to go, I’ll put on some music to distract me. If I feel like eating when I know I shouldn’t, I’ll turn up the tunes. My music library is filled with various genres of music, all of which I use at various times throughout the day. Whether it’s blood pumping music, soul-inspiring music, or just mellow, time to relax music, I love it all.

If you’re feeling down or like you just can’t accomplish everything you want to do in life, turn on some good music, some restoring music. There are many songs that can revitalize you and reignite the hope that lies within you. Here are some of my favorites:

Hero by Mariah Carey

I Believe I Can Fly by R. Kelly

What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong

Live Like You Were Dying by Tim McGraw

We Shall Be Free by Garth Brooks

The Prayer by Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli

Smile by Michael Jackson

How can you possibly feel gloomy when you’ve got music like this coming from your speakers? I know I can’t. Once I fill the room with beautiful lyrics, I soon find myself singing along, and before I know it, whatever was bothering me has taken a backseat to my off-key rendition.

I can get swept away by writing and reading, but music just fills my soul. It can keep me pounding on the keyboard, sweating to those oldies, rocking around the clock, and dancing in the streets. And it’s one of my greatest motivational tools.

I think Billy Joel said it best. “I think music in itself is healing. It's an explosive expression of humanity. It's something we are all touched by. No matter what culture we're from, everyone loves music.”

P.S. I’ve never told anyone this before, but I guess if you’re going to spill a secret, it’s best to do it to hundreds of your closest friends, right? Well, here goes. I used to write songs. No, I’m not talking about the feel-good songs like the ones indicated above.

I wrote the “where has my love gone, why won’t you return to me”, woeful stories of broken hearts, missed chances, and unrequited love. I hand wrote hundreds of sappy tunes (this was long before computers were being used) before I came to the unhappy realization that part of writing music is understanding poetry and being able to craft beautiful, rhythmic prose. Yeah, I can’t do that, but I can write books which still satisfies my muse.

Buy it here.

Blurb:

1951

The Korean War is tearing apart more than just the soil on which it’s fought.

Laura has loved Mark for as long as she can remember. She can’t imagine her life without him. Mark’s feelings for Laura are just as strong, but he has a secret—one that is bound to come between them. He’s shipping out to Korea in a week.