A country music legend and inspirational role model, Carrie Underwood has taught people all over the world several life lessons that have impacted lives in a positive way. From making us laugh with the craziness of ex-girlfriends in "Before He Cheats" to the honesty and tear-jerking reality that we are only here for a short time in "Temporary Home," Carrie has increased girls' confidence throughout the nation through her strong, powerful messages perfectly fixed in the lyrics of her songs. Here are twelve important lessons Carrie taught us.
1. "Starts With Goodbye"
Carrie Underwood helped me understand how good saying goodbye can actually be. Everyone has experienced a negative feeling when saying goodbye or having a disassociation with another individual. We feel homesickness, a desire to see the person, or lack communication to try to cope with the sadness that comes along with this. As hard as it is to comprehend, every situation is more or less going to cease at some point; this doesn't mean that you should let it take over your life with sadness when it ends. You should face goodbyes not with tears, but with strength and dignity knowing that there is something out there waiting that is even better than what you had to leave behind. After saying goodbye, you must move on to see what the rest of your life has to offer.
2. "Smoke Break"
Here, Carrie tells us that everyone at some point in their life will need to take a "smoke break." Whether your "smoke break" is an actual smoke break, a drink, listening to music, or anything else that lets you escape reality for a little, it is okay because at certain points in our life, we all need it.
"So here's to you and here's to when the day gets long, go ahead, I understand if you wanna take a load off." I believe that this is Carrie's way of saying that we shouldn't judge someone for what they feel they need to do to relax or de-stress.
3. "Little Toy Guns"
4. "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted"
Carrie Underwood's final song, "What I Never Knew I Always Wanted", on her newest album helps us understand that no one has their whole life figured out. No one knows what is going to happen the next day, or in a year; no one knows what the future is going to be like. No one has everything perfected in life. Being someone who hates change and new things, I usually have a hard time accepting that I do not know what will happen in my life. It is hard for me to grasp the fact that whatever happens is for a reason. However, Carrie reminds us in this song that life has a way of showing us where we are supposed to go, what we are supposed to do, and who we are supposed to be; we just have to be patient and trustworthy.
5. "Wheel of the World"
In Carrie Underwood's song, "Wheel of the World", lyrics tell us that life is like a carnival ride and the world is the ferris wheel. Our lives are constantly getting on new roller coasters and wondering how high up we are going to go, but when we start the decent, we worry about how sharp and painful the plummet will be. It is full of ups and downs and you are constantly distracted on what turn, drop, or lift will come next which makes you forget the turns and heights you have already overcome. Carrie reminds us that we can't control the world and that it will change faster than we can imagine. Even though life seems like the scariest roller coaster on some days, we were all riding it for a reason and it will eventually have to come to an end; make the most of your ride.
6. "So Small"
Personally, my favorite song by Carrie Underwood is "So Small". My favorite lyric from this song is "Sometimes that mountain you've been climbing is just a grain of sand and what you've been up there searching for forever is in your hands." I often catch myself worrying constantly about something going on in my life and thinking that it is so big that it swarms my whole life. Carrie reminds us that what you're going through doesn't make up who you are. She also lets us know that a problem that we think is enormous may actually be small and that you shouldn't waste time worrying about it; it's not worth it.
7. "Clock Don't Stop"
In one of Carrie's newest songs, she reminds us how the clock never stops ticking away. "Clock Don't Stop" tells the story of two lovers arguing and neither wanting to compromise. The song goes on to say that the couple can go to sleep and not compromise or make up, and hope that tomorrow is better, but tomorrow is not guaranteed for any of us. I have always been taught to never go to bed angry at someone because you never know what can happen overnight. You may never get the chance to apologize to that person, or something may happen to you and the other party may feel guilty for life. At the end of the song, the lyrics say, "Always hanging on the wall. No, it don't care at all. It won't slow down; it won't wait. The clock don't stop ticking away, It's ticking away. Red dress, spilled wine, Caught in a stupid fight. I'm wrong, you're right. Kiss me goodnight." In these words, Carrie is reminding us that we should make up with someone that we may be arguing with before bed because you never know if tomorrow will come. She makes the point that the clock doesn't care at all about what you need to do and will keep going, regardless of what you decide is needed. Life lesson #7 by Carrie: never go to bed angry and always make up before the next day, just in case you don't get to experience tomorrow.
8. "Change"
Volunteering, helping out in the community, and doing service work can be very rewarding. Being someone who works in the community often, I hear people saying that they don't believe their help will be efficient because they are just one person. Carrie tells us not to believe this and that, "the smallest things can make all the difference." You may not feel like you are helping out much, but anything you do for others and not for yourself is a great thing and it is honestly such a privilege. I never feel better than after I come home from serving at the homeless shelter in my town. Helping others is so enriching and one of the best things you can do. The best part? It can be as simple as giving 36 cents that are sticky with coke from you floorboard to a woman on the street. It can simply be talking to someone who is less fortunate than you like they are your friend. It can be donating money to places in your community or abroad that are in need. It can be a simple helping hand. Thank you, Carrie, for reminding us that changing the world is helping others in a small, fulfilling way, and to not listen to anything that tells us we're foolish to believe we can change the world. Like the quote says, "A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step." -Lao Tzu
9. "Unapologize"
During the song "Unapologize", Carrie tells a story of how she confesses her feelings, but then quickly apologizes because she thinks she sounds silly and that the other person didn't necessarily want hear what she had to say. However, she quickly changes her mind and seems to say, "Wait, no. I will not apologize for the way I feel." I think that this is extremely important of her to say. In this day and age, I feel that people get attacked based off of their beliefs. I don't think that this is fair and I believe that each one of us has the right to confess what we feel without fearing what someone else might say or how someone will react. I love Carrie for reminding us that it is okay to have feelings and that you should confess what you believe. Often, especially as a teenager, I feel that I can't do this and I am grateful that Carrie reminds me that I have every right to say what I believe.
10. "Play On"
"Play on when you're losing the game. Play on 'cause you're gonna make mistakes. It's always worth the sacrifice, Even when you think you're wrong. So play on."
Listening to "Play On" or reading through the lyrics helps me remember that we must keep going, no matter the circumstance. Carrie teaches us through the analogy of a song that no matter what life throws at us, we must "play on." We are going to make mistakes, feel like we're drowning, and we will want to cease the music at certain times in our lives. However, we must keep on to get through the bad times. Nothing in our lives is temporary and eventually the hard times will come to an end if you keep playing on.
11. "Nobody Ever Told You"
"Nobody Ever Told You" is one of Carrie's songs that I think is super important for young girls to listen to all over the world. Carrie's lyrics tell girls everywhere that they don't need to hide under a full-face of makeup, tells them not to listen to the media, lets them know that they are as free as a bird, and ensures that they know they shine like a diamond and glitter like gold. Carrie tells all of these things to girls because she knows they may not believe these truths about themselves because no one is telling them. Our society has made us feel like we have to fit into this ‘image' that is virtually impossible to achieve. We "have" to be the perfect weight. We “have” to have our face perfectly contoured, long eyelashes, the perfect amount of jewelry that perfectly matches our skin tone which is as bronze as caramel, and the perfect outfit and shoes to match. We “have” to look presentable with our hair down-either perfectly curled, straight, or that perfect messy look of a ponytail or bun that seems impossible to achieve. Basically, society is telling us to look like someone that we can’t be. However, Carrie reminds us to shut out the media, the magazines, and the TV. Carrie lets us know that no matter what happens in our life, we need to know the things that nobody ever told us--we shine and are perfect in our own way.
12. "Temporary Home"
One of the best songs by Carrie Underwood is one that makes me cry. It's the one that speaks so much truth to me. "Temporary Home" is one of Carrie's big life lessons, because it tells us that even if we don't necessarily know where we are headed, we are in our temporary home. This song reminds me of my loved ones who are no longer with us and how they have found their permanent home and have left what is temporary. She teaches us that if you are an orphan trying to find a place to stay forever, eventually it will come. If you are a young adult and are trying to figure out your place in this huge world, don't worry. You will get through it all, especially knowing that this is just a stop on the way to where you're going. If you are elderly and surrounded by people you love, you will know that this is not where you belong, rather it is just a place you are passing. You will no longer be afraid of what is to come, because you will eventually find your forever home. While this can be hard to take in, it is also so relieving that we will have a permanent place to stay one day where we will never have to worry about anything in our lives. Carrie Underwood's biggest message to everyone is that we shouldn't worry, because we've got a place coming that is amazing where we will stay forever.
Carrie Underwood has a way of singing with strong emotions to relay her message clearly. You hear tell her passion through her voice when she has something she thinks the world needs to know. Although I only picked 12 of Carrie's messages, all 70+ of her songs have taught me something valuable in my life in some shape. Even the silly ones, such as "Last Name" or "The More Boys I Meet" have helped me create morals and standards in my life that I hope to have forever.
Thank you, Carrie, for being my inspiration and for inspiring people all over the world through your passion for the words you sing.
