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How To Blast Through the Monday Blues

It’s Monday morning.

It’s gray and cloudy.

It’s cold.

You wouldn’t believe it, but I actually had a good morning. The kids got up on time and there was NO YELLING this morning. No pleading, begging, cajoling…It did not take two hours for the girls to eat their breakfast. They got dressed with no fuss. It was a CALM Monday-morning. (No, I am not describing a dream, this actually happened today.)

So, why, in all that is good and holy, did I get home from the school run, sit down in front of my computer to start writing, and feel like the weight of the world was on my shoulders and that I might burst into tears at any second?

I don’t have an answer. But I think we all have days like this. You just feel ‘blah’ for no apparent reason. I have to confess, times like this irritate the stuff out of me. I am the kind of person who naturally analyzes situations and automatically tries to find solutions. It’s just the way I’m hard-wired. I don’t work at it, it just happens. So when I’m in the predicament of feeling something (especially something unpleasant) and not being able to figure out why, you can imagine how vexed it makes me.

What I have learned over the years is that when things like this happen, it’s usually not worth expending the energy to try to figure out ‘WHY?’ I used to do that when I was younger and drove myself crazy. It was a bad cycle of feeling down, trying to figure out why, not finding any answers and feeling even more down at not being able to figure it out. Eventually I learned that all you can do is find a way to move through and move on.

One of the best ways that I’ve found to change my mood is through music. Hearing your favourite song can totally turn things around. I have various playlists that help me with things like exercise, or doing the housework. I’ll confess, I like singing at the top of my lungs when no one is listening. It just gives me a boost of energy and helps to pass the time much faster. When I was in high school and college, I had music playing constantly. In my room, in my car, when I was in the shower…everywhere… Of course, in those years I was an angst-ridden, Cure-loving, black-wearing Goth bag of emotions and I wallowed in earnest to the tones and lyrics of Morissey, Dave Gahan, and the king of angst- Robert Smith. What I didn’t realize until many years later was that, it was probably the worst thing to do. I know it resonates to listen to lyrics that speak to exactly how you are feeling. There is a time and place for that; but it can also be dangerous, keeping you in those feelings instead of helping to move you through.

Now that I’m older (and hopefully wiser), when I’m feeling low I find tunes that have a driving beat and get me moving, (or that I can sing like a banshee to ). And sometimes, (very sometimes), a little dose of cheesy pop helps too. (Do NOT tell my ‘King of Cheese’ husband this…my reputation will be irreversibly splattered.)

Today, here are 10 songs that did the trick for me:

1. All Fired Up- Pat Benatar
2. Jump- Van Halen
3. The Spirit of Radio- Rush
4. Mysterious Ways- U2
5. St. Elmo’s Fire (Man in Motion)- John Parr
6. Basket Case- Green Day
7. Everyday is a Winding Road- Sheryl Crow
8. Mmm Bop- Hanson (Don’t judge…I dare you to listen to it and not tap your toe)
9. Footloose- Kenny Loggins
10. Love Shack- B52′s

So, how about you? Do you grab your ipod or turn up the radio when you’re feeling blah?

Share your favourite feel-good songs in the comments below, I’m always looking for music to add to my playlists.