I don’t know about you, but I don’t know a better way to start my day than by putting on the perfect song in the morning.

Seriously! It’s not hard to believe, especially after every movie starring Lindsay Lohan starts with a 2000’s pop anthem while the main character is getting ready for school. At this point it’s pure instinct. It’s pure habit. It’s the TV static in the back of our heads. It’s consuming and all-encompassing. But in the way that music is like therapy, it can make us or break us.

Think of it this way- how would you compare a morning spent listening to ‘Good Days’ by SZA and a morning spent listening to ‘I Love You So’ by The Walters? Listening to songs about positive change, reflection, and success are more likely to boost your motivation for the day ahead. The upbeat, high-vibrational music causes our brains to produce chemicals like dopamine and serotonin, evoking rushes of energy and happiness. Plus, harmonic calm music soothes the mind and the body, ridding us of any worries and replacing the stressful thoughts with solutions.

However, comfort songs like “I Love You So” often provide the contrary of their name by bringing comfort, but no escape. More often generalized as “gloomy” music, we often find ourselves going back to certain songs we associate with a memory long in the past. Much like a heavy blanket, the cortisol these songs trigger looms over and often weighs us down while still filling in a yearning in our hearts for some angst.

So what music should we listen to before anything?

This is by no means a rulebook, or anything close to me telling you what to do. This is however, my efficient and well-backed advice that not only made me twice as motivated but even more surprisingly- a morning person.

Tip #1: Self care comes from within.

Just how music affects our mood, our mood affects our music preferences. Try clearing your mental slate when picking the first of many songs you’ll have shaping your school day. Waking up in a bad mood, dehydrated and crusty is something everyone has to feel first thing in the morning. But taking care of yourself- something as simple as drinking a glass of water before getting in the shower- unburdens your body and is already a huge step to at least trying to have a good day

Tip #2: Have a curated playlist of mood-boosters

For the muggy Monday mornings when all else seems impossible to do, having a pre-made playlist where all you have to do is tap a button is the foolproof solution for when you simply can’t think. It doesn’t have to be long to do the trick, it’s only important to remember quality > quantity. So pick the songs that make you smile, dance, sing, and let the sounds fill your mind with good feels.

Tip #3: Never restrict yourself from listening to what you need

Despite the fact that happiness is the biggest motivator, it’s important to remember that it’s only human to not feel on your A-game 100% of the time. When dealing with great sadness or loss, comfort music can often be the best medicine in times of need. Sometimes a heavy blanket is what we need in order to heal, grow, and bounce back better than ever.

The music we choose to listen to not only sets our tone for the day; it reflects what we’re thinking, feeling, and sometimes even going through. A universal language that continues to stay in our minds and steal our hearts, it’s significance in our development as mankind has a greater part than almost any other historical event. Pulling heartstrings and bringing light, what does music mean to you?