Listen to One Song a Day. It's Good for Us.

Summer Camp Week 4: I made a playlist for you. 🎶

It’s Week Four of  R&R Summer Camp for Beauty Hunters. Weekly posts will focus on Reimagining R&R, and Play. Jump in at any time! Summer Camp is for paid subscribers, but free to all subscribers through July 2 (if you want to sample go here). You can upgrade to a monthly subscription and go to camp for $8 a month. We’d love to have you. XO☀️ 

Dear Beautiful Friends & Summer Campers,

This week, let’s LISTEN TO MUSIC! (I made a 7-song playlist for you.)

Is there any quicker route to R&R than listening to your favorite—and newly discovered—music?

According to science, listening to music is good for us. (Duh.) It releases brain chemicals that improve mood; it relieves feelings of anxiety and depression. It makes us want to MOVE rather than slouch. Music creates connection, social bonds, and community; can help with concentration, and boosts a sense of hope. Music increases altruism! It makes us want to DANCE! It helps us forget ourselves and feel part of something larger. (The last few of these are mine, not science’s.)

Recently, I drove to morning swimming and my car’s blue tooth technology quite magically and mysteriously played some songs from an old iTunes playlist. Instead of my regular fare—NPR news or a podcast resuming itself—I spent ten glorious minutes listening to songs by Elvis Costello, Diana Ross & the Supremes, and Stevie Wonder.

If we can believe, for a moment, that a soul is like a little birdie creature (LBC) tucked up inside the ribs, my LBC went from a rolled-up head-tuck position to breast out, wings ruffling, singing away, and trilling with life Just Like That. I felt revived, relaxed, rejuvenated, and ready to recreate my ass off. Best of all—

MUSIC, I REMEMBERED, MUSIC!

This week is partly inspired by

Nick Hornby

’s piece “Writing and Mental Health.” There’s a list of his mental-health positive activities, which includes: