What Is it All About?
Who doesn’t love music? Have you ever noticed how music impacts your emotions? It can boost your mood, help you concentrate, manage your stress in a healthy way, and help improve your overall wellness.
Why Do It?
This activity is an effective and healthy self-care strategy to use in times of high demand and stress. It serves as a way to bring people together and away from unhealthy alternative behaviours such as using substances like cannabis.
How Do We Do It?
Gather a selection of songs that have an uplifting beat and a positive message. Try to select songs from a variety of genres in order to appeal to different musical tastes of students in your community. Ask for permission to play a segment of a different song each Monday for the entire school to hear to begin the week on a positive note.
Include an inspirational quote or message (e.g., overcoming pain, persevering through challenges, hope, seeking help, the power of friendship, etc.) to inspire your listeners. Post the title and lyrics of the song and your inspirational message on your school’s social media accounts and encourage others to use music as a wellness strategy (e.g., listening to live or recorded music, writing their own lyrics and songs, singing along, and dancing).
Encourage others to become part of your Music Monday team by submitting their choice of songs and inspirational messages, including original compositions.
Consider reviewing your song choices and content with an adult ally.
Ideas for Use in a Variety of Settings
Use a shared document for your team to compile a list of songs, inspirational quotes, and messages. Decide how you will work as a team to share your song clips, inspirational quotes, and messages via social media.
Use your school media platforms to share your song clips, inspirational quotes, and messages.
Use available technology to reach out to other volunteers and community members to be part of your ongoing event by sharing their own favourite motivational songs, quotes, and messages.
Make an on-line motivational playlist to share.
Create videos of simple, quick, and fun dance moves anyone can follow along to or adapt to accompany your selected music.
Consider creating a list of links to articles and tips about the benefits of mindfulness and self-care. Share the link when you share your song, quote, or message.
What Else Do We Need?
- A list of music/songs, quotes, and inspirational messages
- Access to your school’s social media site
How Do We Get Creative?
Invite people to plan and/or learn a simple routine to participate in a flash mob performance as part of a larger school event or in the community (e.g., the local mall, community centre, or public parking lot).
Have a pop-up dance party to music during breaks in the day.
Organize a song writing competition, or make a music video with a compilation of inspirational songs and messages.
Create a playlist of songs that students can download using their own music subscription.
Have students write their own song and create a video to convey a message of hope and well-being.