Posted in Music, Uncategorized

Can Music Heal Anxiety?

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

Do you remember the song “American Pie” by Don McLean? As a child of the 70s, it has always been part of the background of my life and the lives of my compatriots. I reference that song because I am a believer in the power of music as a healing force in our lives and it has two very powerful lines in it. We all have “our” music. Many children of the 60s and 70s are into classic rock. The 80s were pop with the emergence of rap and hair metal. The 90s – a plethora of genres including a new sound in rock along with pop, metal, and pop, and so on. Country has always been with us though a new sound emerged in country pop.

When I listen to my music, I am relaxed and happy. Science tells us why. Studies have shown that the sensory pathways along which music travels in the brain compete, for example, with the pain pathways and win. Music can reduce pain. When feeling anxious, studies show that if you listen to music that makes you feel the way you want to feel, it helps you feel that way. So listen to happy music if you want to reduce your anxiety. Music has proven therepeutic in all sorts of clinical settings.

In “American Pie,” there are the lines, “do you believe in rock and roll, can music save your mortal soul.” My answer to both questions is a resounding yes! At the very least, your music can soothe your soul and your anxiety.

 

 

 

 

Posted in Living Life

On Being Careful

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

We live such careful lives these days. We ride our bikes and wear helmets. We drive our cars and wear seat belts. It seems that we strive to not only be politically correct at every turn but to live our lives in a “middle of the road” kind of way. We want to achieve balance between work and home, between the personal and the professional, between the fun stuff and the stuff we think we have to do. Where has the spontaneity gone? The passion? Why don’t we throw caution to the wind anymore? What are we afraid of?

I think it may be all about money and what isn’t about money may be about fear. We are afraid to throw caution to the wind and live spontaneously because what if something unexpected happens? What if we ride our bike with no helmet and get hurt? I see a cascade of money resulting from that decision. Do we have health insurance to take care of that injury? What if we have a head injury and are permanently impaired? Then we can’t work and make money. Who will care for us and how? Money and fear. All because we just jumped on our bike one day and took a ride up the street without a helmet.

In a more innocent time, such fears never occurred to us.

These fears have dulled our passion for life and its joys. We think many frames ahead. We plod along, living the life we think we want or have to live, and we don’t have the fun we want to have because of fear. Live your best life. Don’t be afraid. You only have one.

Posted in Introduction

Analytical or Creative?

Posted on by R.M. Carlson

I have been a writer all of my life, taking time out to be a college professor for most of 30 years. Even then, I wrote about my field for the popular press, usually not cool for the academician, and I also engaged in academic writing as a good a ademician should. Never got around to the creative stuff, though it was always in my head.

Now that I am writing freelance, I am going to do both…..some creative writing for my own pleasure like this essay. Who knows, maybe I can even get a publisher interested.

I have to keep food on the table, so my analysis and reporting of the goings on in business and business finance will continue. It’s fascinating, particularly in this new political climate in which we find ourselves. Big economic implications will arise. I will try to make sense of all of that and more. Here is my latest article on startups. I may even try my hand at a few ebooks.

Please comment and let’s have a conversation. I will enjoy getting to know you. Come back often.

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