Having you ever considered what grounds you?

How often do we feel overwhelmed and just continue to push through?

Last weekend the talented Jessica Zuch shared a video on Instagram the ways to get out of a slump through music.  A little history, I met Jessica in 2014 when she was teaching Intro to Jazz Piano at Capilano University in North Vancouver.  She is a talented musician and a therapist.

This video reminded me of the ways that we can use music in so many different ways.

This thought by Mary Webb struck a chord

Nature’s music is never over, her silences are pauses, not conclusions.

A few years ago I had the true joy to take a course through Coursera, that was delivered by Berkeley “Music for Wellness“.

Part of this course was to create several Play Lists with different themes.

At different times we need different things.

Honestly as I started looking at creating the Playlists I had a few ideas in mind and returned to some of the music I had sung in several choirs, Higher Ground and the Vancouver Port Carolers (yes I was part of a Corporate Caroling Choir for close to a decade).

The beauty of music is it grounds us.  The memories.  The music and the words, often return with ease.

I then went to YouTube.  When was the last time you were lost in YouTube?  For me creating these Play Lists, the time just vanished.

As I listened, I then started to find those beautiful ways to focus.

The gorgeous pauses of silence, created space for more possibilities.

I had also recently read the book Two Beats Ahead – What Musical Minds Teach us about Innovation, written by Panos A. Panay and R. Michael.   I loved this thought from Two Beats Ahead:

Listen, notice, feel.  Anticipate the possibilities that come from silence.

These are the selection of Playlists I created.  Each list served a different purpose.

As I listened to the music, and often sang along, I felt so relaxed.

This is a beautiful way to help ground yourself, as we know singing and humming are beautiful ways to help to ground you as this activates your Vagus Nerve.

For each of these playlists I tried to include links to the music, that represented to me the memories I had of each of these songs.  Some I could not find.  Some I did.

Some of the selections below I often use to warm up my voice before a Zoom meeting.

Attention Focusing

• Lead with your Heart, performed by The Tenors
• Not too Much to Ask, performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter and Joe Diffie
• One Note Samba, performed by LJ Mounteney
• Landslide, performed by Fleetwood Mac
• At Last, performed by Etta James (our dear friend LJ Mounteney sang this at our wedding)
• Sunny, performed by Bobbie Hebb
• Having a Bad Day, performed by Daniel Powter
• You Raise me Up, performed by Josh Groban

Energizing

• I Will Survive, performed by Gloria Gaynor
• Mack the Knife, performed by Ella Fitzgerald
• I am Woman, performed by Helen Reddy
• Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, performed by Elton John and Kikki Dee
• Sunny, performed by Bobbie Hebb (and yes I use this one in two different playlists)
• Somebody to Love, performed by Queen
• Haven’t Met you Yet, performed by Michael Buble
• Rock-A-Bye-Baby, arranged by Michelle Weir, performed Higher Ground

Relaxing

• And So it Goes, performed by the Stay at Home Choir with King’s Singers and written by Billy Joel (so beautiful and a true joy to sing)
• Perfect, performed by Andrea Matteo Bocelli
• Hallelujah, performed by The Canadian Tenors
• Find a Way to my Heart, performed by Phil Collins
• Sailing, performed by Rod Stewart
• Carolina in my Mind, performed by Allison Krauss and Jerry Douglas
• Frobisher Bay, performed by University of Michigan Women’s Glee Club

Sleep Inducing

• When you say Nothing at All, performed by Allison Krauss
• My Favourite Things, sung by Julie Andrews in The Sound of Music
• Wanting Memories, performed by Northern Lights Chorale
• Reason to Believe, performed by Rod Stewart
• Why Walk when you can Fly, performed by Mary Chapin Carpenter
• Shenandoah, performed by Peter Hollens (A Cappella) – simply exquisite
• Forever Young, performed by The Tenors

Spiritual

• Amazing Grace, sung to The House of the Rising Sun, sung by Marcus Mosely
• Walk in the Light, performed by Marcus Mosely
• How Great Thou Art, performed by Elvis Presley
• Mansion on the Hilltop, performed by Paul Overstreet
• On the Jericho Road, performed by New Freedom Quartet
• Have a Little Talk with Jesus, performed by the Oakridge Boys

Christmas and Festive Selections

• Have a very Merry Christmas, written by Don Besig.
• In the Bleak Mid Winter, performed by the Vancouver Men’s Chorus
• A Holly Jolly Christmas, where my husband and I volunteered as part of the Kettle Drive for the Salvation Army.
• Go Tell it on the Mountain, performed by the Golden Gospel Singers
• Baby it’s cold Outside, performed by Van Django with Keith Bennett and LJ Mounteney
• Count your Blessings, performed by Rosemary Clooney and Bing Crosby in the movie White Christmas

As you look at your day and your upcoming commitments, in what ways can the music you choose to listen to help you feel more grounded?

It is amazing by making different shifts and finding those gorgeous ways to nourish our wellbeing from a walk in nature, listening to a podcast or a recent Playlist, our world can feel a little lighter.

What choices will you consider?

Be kind.

Be patient.

Be nourished in all you do.

Photography by Sharon K. Summerfield in the River District in Vancouver, BC Canada

At The Nourished Executive we partner with business professionals and share strategies to invest in wellbeing, manage Stress and prevent Burnout.

Our founder, Sharon K. Summerfield,  is a Wellbeing Coach and a Holistic Nutritionist, with demonstrated success in nurturing healthy employees and high performing organizations. 

We have a strong commitment to giving back, Investing in local community creating space for all students to consider careers in construction, science, Technology, engineering and math.

Originally Published on https://www.nourishedexecutive.ca/

Sharon Summerfield Wellbeing Coach | Holistic Nutritionist

I am a Wellbeing Coach and a Holistic Nutritionist with demonstrated success in nurturing healthy employees and high performing organizations. In December 2017 I founded The Nourished Executive where we partner with our clients to invest in their wellbeing and share strategies to manage stress and prevent burnout.

Prior to launching The Nourished Executive, I worked primarily as a Project Manager/Executive Assistant.

I feel so blessed to have been involved in leading, creating and building unique community partnerships, delivering client and community focused events and meetings and working with many talented executives.

For me it continues to be a top priority to find those ways to partner and nourish the wellbeing of myself and others. This begins by fostering psychological safety and creating boundaries in alignment with our values and purpose.

I believe we can find ways to harmonize life, where work does not come at the cost of life.