I find myself getting stuck in what I would call a musical rut. By that, I mean I tend to listen to the same band over and over again. *Cough cough* Mumford and Sons. Yet, it is so important that we broaden our music tastes and appreciation, as all types of music are crucial to how we see, feel and react to the world around us; just think about the soundtrack of a movie and how it is so influential in the overall experience. The same goes for our own soundtrack.

Step 1: Admitting you have a problem.

When you find yourself listening to the same band, or the same 12 songs on repeat, you know you have a problem. Admitting it is the first step. While you will always have a spot in your heart for your favorites, with so many artists out there it's important to expand your horizons.

Step 2: Finding where to look.

Step 2 is when you get so overwhelmed with all the possibilities. You have no idea where to even start so you scroll through iTunes or Spotify endlessly. This step is the hardest. It forces you to look at what types of music you like. You must step out into the void and listen to music that is totally foreign to you. You actually have to explore. For me, asking friends what type of music they like and what songs they like really helped, but then I actually had to listen to them. Lets just say it’s a good thing there are so many songs out there. I'll admit I did not necessarily like all of what I heard and that brings us to the next step.

Step 3: Trial and error.

Regardless if you get suggestions from your friend or from the pop-ups on the side of Youtube videos, you have to kiss some frogs before you find your prince. This is where the process gets fun, this is also where it gets tedious. You have to give each song a chance.

I am obsessed with Mumford and Sons, it’s a known fact. And while I love them with all my heart, there are some of their songs that are not particularly my favorites. Had I only listened to one of their songs say, one of the ones I am not that fond of, and only listened to that one song, I may never have grown to love them as much as I do. You are not going to like every song you hear and that is why music is so powerful. It’s a personal connection. There is something for everyone. Listen to songs more than once. I find hat the more I listen to a song the more I am able to appreciate it. I find the little nuances that make it so special and I begin to see and hear it with a new set of ears. Embrace the unexpected.

If you don’t like a song at first don’t write it off, just set it aside and go back to it at a later date. Unless you have a strong reaction otherwise. If that’s the case dump it. You’ll know.

Step three is basically you sitting down with a cup of hot coffee and just listening. This step is a constant.

Step 4: Create a playlist.

Make a list where you can add and remove songs. Compiling songs you like is one way to begin to see patterns and similarities in what you prefer. Also, making a playlist allows you to build a collection of songs that you can go back to at anytime. As I think we can all agree, what song you like depends on your feelings at a particular time. Giving yourself a list allows you to pick what you want to hear when you want to hear it.

Step 5: Love it.

Simple. Enjoy all your hard work, not that you have a library that is all you, listen and love it. Never let anyone tell you your taste in music is bad. There is no such thing. Make music important to you in some way shape or form. Music is so reflective of who we are as people. It is a form of expression that is so important to our everyday lives. When you listen to music that you like, and music that is important to you, it begins to set the soundtrack to your life.

What does your life’s soundtrack sound like?

Want to hear what some of my life’s soundtrack sounds like? Here's as shameless plug: tune into Vibes, a radio show I co-host with the lovely Beth Turnbull, where we share our songs and stories with our listeners. You can tune in Thursdays from 5-6 on wppjradio.com or download the TuneIn Radio app.