Most days, and every weekend, my girls take over the Spotify account. We (and they) spend hours dancing round the room, my smallest “mini me” trying to mouth the words, whilst they both air guitar to their hearts’ content.
Later on, whenever one of their favourite songs plays on the radio, usually when I’m stuck, annoyed, in traffic, I can’t help but smile. Visions of their choreographed routines dance through my head and I’m filled with a rush of contentment. Funnily enough, all thoughts of frustration evaporate as quickly as you can sing “Uptown Funk”.
Positive memories, and the sights, sounds and smells that trigger them, are an immediate mood lifter. But you can also use your senses to motivate! I always ask my clients to picture what they want from their goal; to descibe when they have achieved it, how they will feel, what they will see, and what people will say.
Taking a few moments to visualise your goals, even closing your eyes to day dream, starts building a future reality to draw on and reach for. For those who picture their future, they can literally cut out their vision (be it a new career, a holiday or an abstract mood board) and put it somewhere they can see. For me, my goal is to continue feeling content, purposeful and connected; feelings which are triggered by music. Which means having “Uptown Funk” on repeat!
Clara Wilcox is a straight talking, practical and experienced coach helping clients navigate the tricky waters of returning to work, career changes and professional development. The Balance Collective is a social enterprise focused on improving the lives of parents, by working together to build inner confidence and promote a healthy work/life balance.
