The restorative power of music

The soundtrack of my life

At 58, looking back on the soundtrack of my life, I’ve come to appreciate just how deeply music has shaped, supported, and healed me. I would like to share how I’ve found, and continue to find, strength through music.

A few years ago, around the age of 50, my marriage ended. The life I had built was shifting beneath me. I was starting over with nothing but experience. I am not here to cry the blues. In fact, I’ve done my best to move forward and take away the lessons. I’ve done my best to adjust my sails.

In my song Crossroads, there’s a line that says, “If he had the choice, he’d be back again someday.”

This is my someday.

A change in direction

For 17 years, I worked as a supervisor in the automotive manufacturing industry. When the financial crisis hit in 2008, a couple of jobs disappeared. I decided to pivot. I chose a new path and became a Correctional Officer because I believed the job would offer stability. I thought it would be recession-proof or at least more reliable than the uncertainty I had just experienced.

At first, it was. The early years were exciting. But over time, the job began to wear on me. The environment was tough, and bad habits crept in. I drank too much and had been a lifelong smoker. Eventually, when it felt like the tail was wagging the dog, I knew I needed to make a change.

In 2018, I quit drinking and smoking.

What I learned is that when you remove addictions, you need to replace them with something positive. Otherwise, you risk slipping back. For me, that positive thing was music. Picking up the guitar to play a favorite tune or learn something new became my daily reward. I even started collecting guitars as a way to celebrate my sobriety.

Healing through music

Despite those changes, the stress of working in a negative environment for more than a decade took a toll. I didn’t feel like myself anymore. So I asked for help and started therapy. During one session, I mentioned that I hadn’t picked up my guitar in weeks. My therapist encouraged me to start playing again.

When I did, something shifted. My outlook began to improve.

I reconnected with music in a way that felt completely my own. I played in my own space and at my own pace. It became part of my healing. I created a song list based on the music I truly cared about, rather than what was popular. Telling stories through songs brought me back to life.

I broke each song down and rebuilt it in my own style. I taught myself as I went. I tried new things and found joy in finishing a song. I set a goal to record and post one song per week on social media. I kept it up for 20 weeks.

The value of starting anyway

Each of us has inner strengths we can draw from. If you find yourself feeling stuck, try setting a goal that is just for you. Break it into small steps. It might help you look in the mirror and smile. That quiet sense of accomplishment might be just enough to push you forward.

Today, I’m back at work. I can say with complete certainty that music, and the process of creating something from nothing, has had a profound impact on my mental well-being. It has helped me become more open-minded and has made room for a shift in perspective. I try to approach life now with more curiosity, less judgment, and a deeper understanding of what truly motivates me.

Music is a powerful part of the human experience. I believe it can help us heal.

I know the songs I post are not perfect. They have their flaws and rough edges. But they represent the best I could do on the day I recorded them. Accepting that was not easy. Like many people, I have been my own harshest critic. I now understand the value of starting anyway.

Sometimes you just have to begin, even if it feels a little messy.