By Rob Siebert
Editor, Fanboy Wonder

I’ve never been a morning person. Back when I was working 9-5 jobs, my anxiety made them downright terrible. I’d wake up with a 50 lb weight in my gut, unable to eat. On bad days, I’d have to fight back tears during my commute. You’d think I was going to the gallows.

Low and behold, I still have my head. While it’s not nearly as bad as it was, part of having anxiety is living with that kind of fear on a day to day basis. So yeah, I still have bad mornings sometimes.

Music has always helped. Especially during the drive to work. I usually like something that has a good beat or is generally motivational. Ideally both. When you’re scared to greet the day, that’s what you need. Something to get your blood pumping, inspire confidence, and remind you the world isn’t so bad after all.

What follows are five songs that have worked well for me during bad mornings, whether they happened a day or a decade ago. They sit on my iPod in a playlist called “Anti-Anxiety.” When the fear has taken hold, these songs have helped me find the courage to put one foot in front of the other and keep going.

I don’t want to say, “I hope they work for you too!” or anything, because everyone’s mind is different. Consider it a nudge toward making music a part of your daily coping routine, if it isn’t already.

My reference point for these songs is going to be YouTube. But as you might imagine, YouTube is finicky with copywritten material. So I invite you to click the link and check the videos out for yourself. On the plus side, chances are you’ll know the majority of these…

1. Sara Bareilles – “Brave”

Obvious? Yes. A bit on the nose? Yes. But it’s still a great song.

“Brave” has been described as a civil rights anthem. Bareilles has said the inspiration for it came from seeing a close friend struggle to come out. But the song is really about being comfortable in your own skin, and having the courage to be who you really are.

In reading about “Brave,” I saw it referred to as a “power ballad.” As I’m not nearly as fluent in music as I am in other things, I’d never heard that term before. But it’s apt as hell. “Brave” acknowledges that you feel weak, while reminding you that you’re strong. Not a bad message to start the day with.

2. The Score – “Unstoppable”

This is my most recent addition to the playlist. You might remember it if you saw Power Rangers. There’ve been days where I’ve repeated “Unstoppable” a multiple times on the way into work.

The first line of the chorus is, “We can be heroes!” That’s what put it over the top for me. Obviously I’m a big superhero nut, so it works on that level. But one of the reasons so many of us love superheroes so much is because they can stay strong and brave while facing the unimaginable. Typically, people with anxiety aren’t facing the unimaginable. But it feels like we are. So we need to be reminded that we too can be strong and brave. We can be our own superheroes, despite what our mind tells us.

3. Johnny Cash – “I Won’t Back Down”

Yes, I know it’s a Tom Petty song. Maybe my favorite Tom Petty song. But Johnny gives it a more intimate touch that somehow hits home for me. Something about a man, his voice, and a guitar.

The original song came out in 1989. I remember rooting through some of my dad’s CDs, finding a Greatest Hits album for Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. I wish I’d found it sooner. I imagine it would have helped me push through some tough times.

4. Florence and the Machine – “Shake It Out”

I recently heard “Shake It Out” for the first time in awhile. It actually gave me goosebumps. Specifically, at the lyrics: “And it’s hard to dance with the devil on your back. So shake him off.” Damn, that’s beautiful.

“Shake It Out” is essentially about letting go of your baggage and leaving the past behind you. I’ve always been hesitant to say my anxiety has cost me certain things. Jobs, money, opportunities, things like that. Anxiety itself doesn’t force you to do anything. In the end, you make the decisions. Some people have issues separating those two things. But almost everyone has something in their past they’d change if given the chance. I’ve spent my fair share of time ruminating on all of that great stuff. “Shake It Out” asks us to let all of that go. I use it in the context of shaking off any lingering fear from the previous day, and simply living in the present.

5. Weezer – “Pork and Beans”

“Pork and Beans” is really about Weezer maintaining their identity amidst pressure to make more commercialized music. But it’s also about having the audacity and the courage to be yourself. It’s delightfully defiant. “I’mma do the things that I want to do. I ain’t got a thing to prove to you.”

That’s often a tough concept for someone with anxiety to put into practice, as the way we feel is so often a direct result of others. But it’s a good thing to hear when you feel that kind of self consciousness creeping up on you.

There bridge in this song is simply, “But I don’t care! I don’t care! I don’t care!” etc. Sometimes I’ll catch myself singing that quietly if I’ve got a nagging or rising fear I can’t get rid of.

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