Everyone has an interest, a passion, something that acts as an outlet and holds a special place in her or his heart. It doesn’t have to be anything you’re good at. In fact, you could be the worst painter a canvas could ever meet; but painting can still be what brings peace to your mind and allows the world around you to find a bit of tranquility for once.

Growing up with a musician as a father, I was introduced to music practically the moment I was born. I can belt any Elton John, Billy Joel or even some Van Halen hits at the drop of a beat. My father gave me piano, guitar and ukulele lessons throughout my life at home, too, since he taught himself how to play at a young age. But now don’t get me wrong; no matter how many times I tried for that perfect C Major chord, my fingers simply never seemed to stretch properly down the fretboard of my guitar. And even though I hop on my keyboard every so often in college to brush up on my piano skills, I still honestly can’t consider myself to be much more than an amateur. Regardless, music will forever be my passion, as I know it is for many others.

Music is more than the bang of a drum or the vibrato behind a voice. It speaks to your soul and fuels your mind. Music has the power to take you to another place and distract your mind from troubles you might be facing in the real world.

It also provides many healthful benefits for our brains. Introducing children to music aids in their language development, specifically, while also stimulating other parts of the brain that can increase their overall IQ level.

When playing an instrument, you also learn discipline. It takes patience and determination to remember various notes and melodies. Further research has found, too, that musicians have stronger spatial-temporal skills, which helps them in subjects like math and engineering due to increased problem solving, multitasking and memorization skills.

Aside from brain development, music can also very well relax listeners by reducing heart rates, blood pressure and the sting of a headache. And depending what’s on your playlist, certain songs have an affect on your mood. Rock and country are two genres that are better known to lift your spirits, and they create a great social atmosphere; hence why most bars play rock or country songs for their guests. Softer genres like jazz and classical, though, may be played to mellow a crowd, like in more upscale restaurants, businesses or stores. Personally, I enjoy alternative music when I’m looking to kick back for the night, and my hip pop station on Pandora is my go-to for when it’s time to hit the gym.

So whether you’re a brilliant violinist or a horrendous singer, a passion is a passion. When you find something that makes you happy, keep it near to your heart and share the love wherever you go. Adoring such a rewarding art like music is a beautiful gift. Sure a background in music might score you a little higher on tests or give you a greater spark of creativity in your mind, but what matters most is the tingle of bliss that never fails to run from your ears to your toes when you’re lost in your favorite song.