Your Inner Soundtrack: How Values and Music can Harmonise Your Life

As a coach, I spend a lot of time exploring values. Our values are the invisible compass points that drive our decisions, shape our beliefs, as well as defining our sense of fulfilment. An often overlooked partner in aligning with your values and amplifying your well-being, is music.

How often does a particular song lift your spirits, bring a tear to your eye or ignite a surge of motivation? This is not a coincidence, this is music connecting with your values and emotions.

I find myself reflecting on my own deep connection to music, after the death of Ozzy Osbourne this week. Ozzy's lyrics were diverse, and showcased his values, such as anti-war sentiments and strong connection to loved ones.

Music has been a constant in my life from a young age. I've always appreciated a wide range of genres, and I've come to rely on different types of music to match various moods and emotions. I've found that certain bands resonate with my own core values - those that highlight injustices, call out oppression, and courageously speak truth. Ozzy was one of these.

Values: your Inner Compass

When you are clear on your values - whether its connection, compassion, truth, or something else entirely - you have a framework for living authentically and with purpose. When we act in alignment with our values we feel content, less stressed, and have a greater sense of self. When we are out of alignment, we can feel uninspired or 'lost'.

How Music Amplifies your Values

Music can strengthen your connection to your values in many ways:

1) Motivation and Action: Values aren't just concepts; they are meant to inspire action. Music can help you to tap into the energy needed to pursue value-aligned goals, helping you to feel grounded and true to yourself.

2) Stress Reduction and Re-alignment: Life is full of challenges, contributing to a feeling of overwhelm, or being out of sync with your values. Music is a powerful way of grounding yourself. Spending 5 minutes listening to calming music, can help you to feel more balanced, supporting your wellbeing.

3) Self Reflection and Clarity: It is sometimes hard to articulate what is important to us. Listening to music, and paying attention to how different genres make you feel, can often offer up clues about your underlying values.

Step to Harmonise Your Life with music:

• Integrate music into your daily routines, listening to energising music to find motivation, or calming music to reflect on your day.

• Pay attention to your musical choices, be mindful of how these impact on your mood or energy. Does it align to the person you aspire to be, or keep you 'stuck' in familiar patterns?

• Create value-based playlists, tailored to your core values. Have a 'creativity' playlist, or a 'connection' playlist, to deepen the connection to your core values.

Exploring your core values is a powerful exercise. It can help you to understand why you feel disconnected, frustrated, or even deeply content with your life and work. A coach can be an invaluable guide on this journey, as you discover a stronger sense of self.

As you embark on this journey to uncover your own core values, remember the profound role music can play. Just as Ozzy channelled his values into his music, you too can use music to connect with what truly matters to you.