Songs that feel like a hug for trying days

Some days are just simply tough. You can't function properly or even have the energy to do anything at all. You just sit there and wallow in that feeling. And that's totally okay despite what your mind tells you.

Sometimes, it's important that we sit with our emotions no matter why we do it. But what does "sitting with it" truly mean?

According to Tori Emerick, a professional mental health therapist specializing in trauma and addiction recovery at Restore Balance, sitting with your feelings involves “tearing down the protective walls, allowing yourself to feel the emotions without judgment, and eventually accepting them as they are.”

The certified clinical trauma professional admits, “Sitting with feelings is scary. It comes with uncertainty and oftentimes, dread. But it is also brave, bold, and courageous. Some of us have been running from our emotions for so long that we have no frame of reference as to where they came from or how to face them.”

She means that it's okay to feel things and it's also okay to be scared to face your feelings because it's something not easy to go through. The important thing is to go through it the way you believe is most effective for you.

If you suddenly feel like taking a jog or reading a book or taking a long shower to cope, that is okay. You do you. Because you know what works best for you.

People cope differently. Dr. Caroline Vaile Wright, senior director of healthcare innovation at the American Psychological Association, says that people react differently to stress because, “Resilience to stress isn't something we're born with. It builds up over time.”

She further explains, “For example, we know that older adults report lower stress responses compared to younger adults. t's not because younger adults are weak or incapable, it's just that older adults have had more time to develop coping skills and resilience following their own adverse experiences up to that point.”

And that's why your feelings are valid. And the way you cope and deal with your feelings is valid.

For some people, music therapy works. According to the American Music Therapy Association, music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals. It can promote wellness, manage stress, alleviate pain, express feelings, enhance memory, improve communication, promote physical rehabilitation, and more.

In the book 'Language of Music,' music was even described as a “language of the emotions.” According to a study, emotional expression has been regarded as one of the most important criteria for the aesthetic value of music. Emotional expression refers to the perceived emotional meaning of listeners in music.

And in the study of Patrik N. Juslin entitled "What does music express? Basic emotions and beyond," he mentions, “The fact that people like to use the term 'expression' suggests that music somehow reminds them of the ways humans express their states of mind in real life.”

And it is true. Sometimes, all we need to help us express or face our feelings is to listen to a song. Whatever it may be.

So here are some songs that you can listen to whenever you feel like you need a hug or help to express your emotions.