10 Songs That Inspire Me

Music has been an important part of my life for as long as I remember. Songs serve as a soundtrack for different phases or “acts” of my life, and it’s these sounds that help me get through the happy times, the sad times, and the times when I need to put in a little pep in my step.

I recently created a playlist of inspirational songs that help fuel me and give me purpose for aiming high and going hard to reach my goals. I thought I would share this soundtrack or playlist with you guys, and maybe you could even give me a few of your selections for songs that inspire you as well so I can add them to mine.

So without further adieu…

1. Golden, Jill Scott: This song is everything to me. Jill’s voice and words and phrasing puts me in a great mood. I feel like I can do anything when I hear this song. And I am continuously living my life like it’s golden. Word to Jilly from Philly.

2. Walking, Mary Mary: Mary Mary has been one of my favorite groups for some time, and their song Walking gets heavy rotation on my iPod because it makes me feel happy and free. Love these girls, and love this song.

3. I’m Every Woman, Whitney Houston: Many of you know I love me some Chaka Khan, but when it comes to I’m Every Woman, I have to say I prefer Whitney’s version. The totally club/house feel (produced by C + C Music Factory—‘memba them?) instantly gets me rocking my body and feeling unstoppable.

4. Make it Happen, Mariah Carey: As a fan (and an unabashed “lamb”), Mariah is one of my favorite artists. But her 1991 hit “Make it Happen” really personifies Mariah and why she is one of my favorites. She sings of living in poverty while working towards her dream, and it’s this “vision” that propels me to go hard or go home.

5. Good Life, OneRepublic: That beat, that chorus, the words. Yes, Good Life is an ode to living a fantastic life full of..well… life. Living to your fullest is something we all should be doing. Love this song!

6. Marry the Night, Lady Gaga: I can honestly say I’ve listened to this song 10 times once on repeat. It’s so catchy, so driven, and so personifies my life and how I am living it now.

7. Open My Heart, Yolanda Adams: When it comes to my spirituality and my faith, this song says it all. It was like it was written just for me. About me.

8.  Lose Yourself, Eminem: From the 8 Mile soundtrack, this song always gets me pumped.

9. Forever, Chris Brown: Say what you want about Chris Brown, the chart topper Forever, is one of the best songs of the millennium era. Catchy, full of promise, and melodic, it makes me feel “light” and happy every time I hear it.

10. Halo, Beyonce: This song has so many meanings for me. But mostly, it’s about the power of loving someone, and the power of someone that loves you that makes it all worthwhile.

What songs inspire you?