We all have our off days.
While some of us may have enough self-esteem to last us lives more than one, there are always days when we may feel a little less fabulous than we really are. It’s only human to sometimes want a little push to sail us through waves of doubt ﹘ and what better way to achieve it than through the reprieve that is music.
Here are some songs that keep us going and inspire us to love ourselves.
Firework
You just gotta ignite the light
And let it shine
Just own the night
Like the Fourth of July
‘Cause baby you’re a firework
Come on show ’em what you’re worth
Katy Perry really makes self-motivation skyrocket with this one. From an overweight girl sitting fully clothed at a pool party, to a gay guy apprehensive about approaching his crush, ‘Firework’ dwells into insecurities founded by populist standards of what’s ‘right’ or ‘wrong’. With them conquering their demons and creating sparks, the lyrics and imagery capture the true essence of being confident, loving ourselves, and embracing who we are.
Big Girl You Are Beautiful
You take your skinny girl
I feel like I’m gonna die
‘Cause a real woman
Needs a real man, here’s why
You take your girl
And multiply her by four
Now a whole lot of woman
Needs a whole lot more
This 2009 song by Mika kicks beauty standards out the ball park, making ‘big’ women everywhere feel good about themselves. The video itself features stunning, overweight women, flaunting outfits they’re usually expected to stay away from. What adds real meaning and genuinity to this video, is the fact that Mika parades these women through masses of people as opposed to keeping them in the confined boundaries of a studio – making the shooting of the video itself a wonderfully empowering act.
Unwritten
Feel the rain on your skin
No one else can feel it for you
Only you can let it in
No one else, no one else
Can speak the words on your lips
Drench yourself in words unspoken
Live your life with arms wide open
Today is where your book begins
The rest is still unwritten
Natasha Bedingfield very effectively hits the self-love spot with this song from her hit debut album Unwritten. The hard-hitting lyrics really get us thinking ﹘ about how we’re moving too fast, how we don’t spend enough time on ourselves, and are not unleashing our true potential. With award-winning pop vocals, the song is a constant reminder to love ourselves before expecting others to do it for us.
Pretty hurts
Perfection is the disease of a nation
Pretty hurts
Shine the light on whatever’s worse
Tryna fix something
But you can’t fix what you can’t see
It’s the soul that needs the surgery
Like any other song by the phenomenal Beyonce, this one’s a real eye-opener. With thought-provoking lyrics and a powerful video, it makes us question the very foundation of ‘beauty’. As the title suggests, the song shows us how much of a struggle living up to the dictated notions of beauty is, by taking us behind the scenes of a pageant. Beyonce inspires by staying true to herself and being blunt throughout, even if it meant losing the crown.
While music in general has the power to heal the mind, the right kind at the right time can weave magic. Whatever be the setback, more often than not, music is your answer. So sit back, tune in, and indulge your senses in what they need.
We all have our off days. While some of us may have enough self-esteem to last us lives more than one, there are always days when we may feel a little less fabulous than we really are. It’s only human
