A few years ago Fran and I took Brené Brown’s Daring Greatly online workshop. One of the exercises invited us to select one or more arena anthems: songs “that will inspire you to stay brave when the gremlins start getting to you or when you start to doubt your ability to stay vulnerable through the tough parts.”
I chose Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” the Indigo Girls’ song “Hammer and Nail,” “By Thy Grace” by Snatam Kaur, and Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush singing “Don’t Give Up.”
I was thinking about my anthems the other day and thought it would be interesting to revisit the list. I have added six tracks which in various ways mean a great deal to me. Some of them have personal resonances which will be recognised by certain people in my life. Whether you know me personally or not I hope they move and inspire you too.
Links are to my favourite versions of the songs on Youtube.
1. Lose Yourself
You better lose yourself in the music, the moment
You own it, you better never let it go
You only get one shot, do not miss your chance to blow
This opportunity comes once in a lifetime
2. Hammer and Nail
My life is part of the global life
I’d found myself becoming more immobile
When I’d think a little girl in the world can’t do anything
A distant nation my community
A street person my responsibility
If I have a care in the world I have a gift to bring
Indigo Girls — Hammer and Nail
3. By Thy Grace
It is by thy grace that I sing
4. Don’t Give Up
Don’t give up now
We’re proud of who you are
Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush — Don’t Give Up
5. Let It Go
It’s funny how some distance makes everything seem small
And the fears that once controlled me can’t get to me at all
It’s time to see what I can do
To test the limits and break through
No right, no wrong, no rules for me
I’m free
Frozen — Let It Go — Official Disney UK
6. Wherever You Will Go
If I could, then I would
I’ll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low, I’ll go wherever you will go
The Calling — Wherever You Will Go (Official Video)
7. How to Save a Life
Where did I go wrong? I lost a friend
Somewhere along in the bitterness
And I would have stayed up with you all night
Had I known how to save a life
8. This Is Me
I am brave, I am bruised
I am who I’m meant to be, this is me
The Greatest Showman — “This Is Me” with Keala Settle
9. Take Me Home
Came to you with a broken faith
Gave me more than a hand to hold
Caught before I hit the ground
Tell me I’m safe, you’ve got me now
10. F**kin’ Perfect
Pretty, pretty please, don’t you ever ever feel
Like you’re less than fuckin’ perfect
Pretty pretty please, if you ever, ever feel like you’re nothing
You’re fuckin’ perfect to me!
P!nk — F**kin’ Perfect (Explicit Version)
Do you have favourite tracks that you find helpful and inspiring? We’d love to hear from you!
The Fray, Eminem, Pink and of course Elsa!
ReplyDelete- Peter
I love this. I hadn't heard of some of these songs and I'm going to look them up. My favorite song for hope is religious. It's called Place In This World By Michael W. Smith. But I also like a lot of other modern non religious songs. I like Little Wonders By Rob Thomas (Meet The Robinsons Disney soundtrack) and Frozen's Let It Go. I don't know if you've been reading my blog but there were two songs I mentioned that helped me get out of one of my hard times. I have countless more but it depends on the situation. I like that you included Wherever You Will Go By The Calling. It always makes me feel depressed when I hear it so maybe now I can associate it with you instead of the sad thing. One song I like is a rap/r&b song named after the 1800 national hotline in the US and I can't remember who sang it and another was Wilson Phillips Hold On. The only thing bad about the Wilson Phillips song is it says you can't blame anyone you got yourself in your own mess.
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