233. Stay Strong, Stay Happy

We all have that song that will force us to dance, sing and belt out the lyrics even on the worst days. Today, a listener named Megan tells us about her favorite songs that help on a bad day. 

You can listen to Megan’s playlist, Stay Strong, Stay Happy 🙂 here. 

Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.

Nora: I’m Nora McInerny and It’s Going To Be Okay. 

Todays okay thing comes from Meagan Naso, who sent us this email: 

I live a great life. There’s no doubt about that. But sometimes, life just sucks! On those terrible, no good days, what gets me through it is a little playlist of my own creation called “Stay Strong. Stay Happy :).” It is a combination of about a hundred songs or so that remind me to, unsurprisingly, stay strong and happy. 

The title was strategically planned. There are three types of songs on this playlist: songs about staying strong, being happy, and the rest to make me smile, hence the smile emoji at the end of the title. 

Some songs featured on the stay strong side of this playlist are “Daisies” by Katy Perry, “Step by Step” by Whitney Houston, and “Try Everything” by Shakira (can you tell I love pop divas?). What all three songs have in common is that they are all sung by women and they are about overcoming challenges. Listening to songs like these tells me that I can overcome any struggles that come my way, even if it doesn’t feel that way. 

Then there are other songs on there to remind me that when everything sucks, I still live a happy life. Songs that do the trick for me are Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World,” “Rainbow Connection” by Kermit the Frog, and “Hand in My Pocket” by Alanis Morissette. I know, weird mix, right? As bizarre as it is, these songs all remind me how great it is to be alive. 

Now onto the third portion of the playlist. There are just some songs that always make me want to dance and sing, which as psychology has told us, will instantly change your mood. Some songs found on this side of the playlist are “Old Time Rock and Roll” by Bob Seger, “I’m Gonna Be (500 Miles)” by The Proclaimers, and “Come On Eileen” by Dexys Midnight Runners. Simply put, you cannot be sad listening to these songs. Even on my worst days, I can listen to these songs, dance and sing my heart out, and I feel a thousand times better. So no matter what I’m going through, no matter what I’m feeling, no matter how good or bad of a mood I’m in, this playlist always reminds me that it’s going to be okay.