Tag: mental health

WE GOTTA TALK…

HELLO MY FRIENDS. It’s been so long…but actually. I think this may be my longest streak of not blogging here. Usually, I’m apologizing after a month of silence, but not today. I’m not apologizing! I’m going to tell you instead where I’ve been. I haven’t strayed too far from the blogging scene, don’t worry. Also, we’re going to dive into some music related things, like usual. However, today, I want to keep it real with you. 2020 IS REALLY HOEING ME LET ME TELL YOU WHY.

As I sit here with my Chai Latte (iced of course), I can’t help but think about the person I was before this pandemic. Even the person I was at the beginning of it all. I was enjoying my isolation bubble, and blogging about new music. Don’t get me wrong I STILL LOVE NEW MUSIC. The isolation bubble? Not so much anymore. Working from home is starting to take a toll on me. Even if I have a full day at the office not talking to anyone, I vibe off other people. Now all I can vibe off is my robot vacuum. He’s a real hoot. However, I’M STILL BLOGGING. If you haven’t seen me on here, you can check me out on Absolute Merch. I’ll link it down below don’t worry. I’ve been causing a ruckus over there. Just me running the media show, and I love it. Some days. 

So, why am I reflecting to you? I’m sure a lot of you are not the same person you were in May. That’s when I last checked in. For me, I’ve seen a serious decline in my mental health. It’s time to get real about it. If you know me, you know that music festivals and concerts aren’t just a quirky aesthetic I like to participate in. It’s my livelihood. There was a point when I had $30 in my bank account, an almost maxed out credit card, and I was still making my way to a festival. The concept of time and money doesn’t matter to me in that world, and I’m not going to lie, I miss it a lot. I know I’m not special. The people I work with, and the artists we represent, miss it just as much if not more. However, for me, it’s hard to find my way without it. Some of you like to go on nature escapes, read books, travel alone, etc. That’s your break from reality. Festivals and concerts are mine. Now I’ll admit, there are things that have happened in the last couple of years, that I have greatly suppressed. I AM THE PROCRASTINATION QUEEN LET ME TELL YA. So, now that I have copious amounts of time, all that dark shit is coming back. It’s not fun, and trust me, I am trying to work on it. We all know, mental health is a struggle. Right now, more than ever, it’s probably a bigger deal than miss Rona. We just don’t hear about it on CNN. 

It’s hard. Let me just say that. Some weeks are amazing, I feel on top of the world and no amount of hate comments on Twitter can get to me. Other days, it greatly affects my personal work performance. I mean who really wants to spend all day excited writing about new music, just to have a customer shit on your post because they’re impatient? NOT ME. PROBABLY NOT YOU EITHER. So, it’s exhausting. However, I ain’t a bitch. I’m not going to quit just because some old man hates me for the day. Not worth it. With the help of some friends, this week I realized there is a lot to look forward to. While the news is making it seem like this pandemic is forever, it’s not. Will things get back to normal? Probably not, but this is our new normal, so we need to adapt. Festivals and concerts WILL come back. Whether it seems like it or not. That’s a HUGE thing to look forward to. Especially working in the industry I am in, the moment those festival gates open is going to be euphoric. 

In brighter news, this pandemic has really brought out a lot of new music. The artists are hurting in their souls, and it’s creating some beautiful sounds. I will say, I have definitely tapped into some of my old bops, it’s amazing. If you are new here, you won’t know that I make an annual birthday playlist for myself. I’m my own muse, c’mon now. I keep it for the whole year, occasionally adding songs. However, I make it to encapsulate what I want my next year on Earth to sound like. For my 25th, I put together all my old Summer bops into one playlist. I mean, hot girl Summer 2020 is pretty much cancelled. So, why not pretend we are in the past. Enjoying late nights, bike rides, and bar hopping. It should remind you of that Summer feeling we all are chasing. It’s universal and nobody really knows what the feeling really is. However, going after it is the most memorable part. 

So, if you ever think of me on a random day, and wonder why I am not present, check on my work page. I will always be there, schemin. I actually am now so comfortable over there that I am calling men wieners and explaining hot girl Summer to my audience. I’m not sure if they love it or hate it yet, but we’re getting somewhere. 

As always, remember mental health is so important. Please take care of yourself and take as many breaks as you need. The world needs you here and needs all of you! Don’t worry, I’ll be back very soon to talk about the new bops that have come out. Also, just because we can’t leave the house, doesn’t mean hot girl Summer is cancelled. WE’RE GUNA TALK ABOUT THAT TOO LADIES AND WIENERS.

‘Til next timeeeeeeeeeeee

Find me on my work page here:

https://absolutemerch.com/blogs/news

My 25 Cent Crisis Playlist here:

$5 Therapy

It is no secret that mental health is important. It is probably one of the most important things for us human beings to maintain. Lately, I’ve been seeing more and more people posting mantras about self-care. Which led me to thinking about how I personally take care of my own mental health. While some people find that going to a therapist soothes their mind and overall well-being, I never felt as though that approach was the one for me. To be completely honest, my way of easing my mind and taking care of myself is probably more expensive than sitting down with a professional.

When I have just about HAD IT with thinking for the day, I tend to go on a nice lengthy drive and blast music. Whether it is the middle of the day and I can roll down the windows, or late at night and I am enveloped in the sound, driving is my therapy. I guess you could also say good music is a form of therapy for me as well. What many people don’t know about me is, I tend to overthink everything. This can be extremely stressful for me, whether I decide to show it or not. I could treat myself to an extra cup of coffee and then proceed to overthink about how that $3.50 is going to affect my bank account in 6 years. While my brain is constantly in overdrive, I have a hard time putting my thoughts into actual words when I am feeling overwhelmed. Most likely because I don’t even know where I would begin. That is part of the reason I never felt the need to sit down with a therapist and talk about all the things bothering me. I know how to alleviate the stress and I also know my brain loves to make a bigger deal of things than necessary.

Now, you might be thinking, isn’t driving and listening to music just a temporary fix? To which I would say, yes. However, for myself, if I can settle my mind and space out for even just thirty minutes, then I can come back to reality with more clarity. When I get a chance to relax, that is when I can decipher between what is an actual pressing issue in my head, and what is just being dramaticized.

I titled this $5 Therapy, thinking I was being super clever because of the fact that Spotify for students is only $5. However, if you’re including mileage of my relaxation drives……I don’t want to talk about it. I think it’s good to find what works for you when it comes to mental health. Some people can swear by going to a therapist, but still leave the session feeling as if something was left unsaid. Now I know late night/mid-day drives may not be for everyone. I just thought I would shine a little light on what i do for self-care. Essentially, taking care of your mental health is the base work of self-care days. If your brain isn’t in a good state of mind, your whole body will be out of line. I wish I could say that this was going to be another post in which I include a playlist I made for my therapy drives. However, every music streaming service I know of has sections of playlists that are made specifically to wind down. If you’re into that kind of thing. Personally, I always will be listening to something upbeat. I’ve only mentioned that about nine HUNDRED times here.

Whenever I head to my local bookstore, I always like to read a little bit about music and the mind. I always used to think I was crazy for believing in the power of a good playlist more than the next person. When reading, I always find little facts that differ from book to book. However, the most common fact they always state is, to listen to your body. Every person’s mind and body reacts differently to certain types of music. Apparently, those goosebumps you get during your favorite song, is a wave of adrenaline washing over you. Which in a scientists perspective, is a really good sign. So, they basically say to strive for that feeling whenever listening to something that you intend to make you feel better. I know this blog is starting to look like an anti-sad music kind of page, but I have never gotten goosebumps from a sad anthem. The artist could win best vocals at the Grammys for a sad song and I still would be thinking, “Can we change this to something else?”

What was the moral of this story? Ummmm that music is the cure for everything?? The moral of all my stories on here?? The moral is, therapy isn’t always black and white like some people make it out to be. When people talk about taking care of mental health, you always read about therapists and going to see one. For the people that find that method helpful, I say keep at it! However, for people who do not see that as something they think would be the best self-care method, try something else! I also say, while venting to your friends can be super helpful, essentially the only person who knows your situation is you. Friends can offer some great advice, but at the end of the day they still may not have the full picture. Nobody can feel what you’re feeling, so make sure you are getting the right care your brain needs. For me, that care is blasting music and taking a break for a little. Find what works for you and keep at it!