After School Unwind Session: "Thoughts arrive like butterflies"

This evening I wasn't quite sure which vinyl I was going to go with for my Unwind Session. Usually depending on what I'm feeling, I will know EXACTLY what to play. I find it in my collection (arranged alphabetically by artist), place it on the turn table, then hear that welcoming sound of needle against vinyl. This evening though, I wasn't sure what I was in the mood to listen to. I guess that makes sense because my brain just feels a little frazzled today. I feel like I'm an internet browser with 100 tabs open! It's one of my quirks. Or really, it's one of my flaws. My brain doesn't slow down. I think too much and usually I'm thinking of too many things all at once. Just this weekend when I was spending time with my family, my mother says to me "Did you hear ANYTHING I just told you?" and my response was "Huh? Oh, you were talking to me?" I really don't know how she has put up with me for 39 years!

Gotta Slow Down the Beat

So, I needed just relax first and clear my mind. One thing I like to do to slow down my thoughts is to close my eyes, focus on 5-5-5 breathing, and meditate, thinking of all of the things that I am grateful for at that moment. It grounds me and takes my mind off of the unimportant things clogging up my brain. It closes all of those browser tabs. After doing that for a little bit, I was finally able to choose a record to play.

Now Spinning: Pearl Jam - MTV Unplugged

Key Tracks: 

• "Black" - the lyrics and the melody are beyond beautiful and yet completely heart-wrenching. I cry every time I hear this song.
• "Porch" - solid closing song to their live set

Ok, so who is old enough to remember MTV when they actually played music? Ahhh, those were the days. And one of the best things they ever did were their Unplugged sessions. They had some great artists on there, such as Eric Clapton, Nirvana, and Bob Dylan. This NEEDS to come back, in some way, shape or form. Who knows, maybe it is back but I'm unaware of it because I don't watch enough TV! 

What I love about this album is how stripped down it is. It's still Pearl Jam, but a bare boned Pearl Jam in its purest form. Their ballads are even more moving (I usually prefer their ballads over their stronger and heavier songs). Even playing only acoustically, songs such as "State of Love and Trust," "Even Flow," and "Porch" still deliver a rush of adrenaline to your soul. I love how different every one of their songs sound from each other. The set list from this live show includes a variety of songs with different tempos and beats, and yet it just flows so fluidly.

My mind today was all over the place and chaotic. Between the breathing exercise, creating a mental gratitude list, and listening to this album, I'm starting to finally slow my brain down for the evening. 

What do you do when your brain feels like it's on overload? Feel free to share your techniques in the comments. I hope that maybe some techniques I used this evening and shared with you will help you in a time of need! If all else fails, reach out to someone. No matter what you trick yourself into believing, you are never alone in how you are feeling. You should always reach to someone...there is always someone there for you. Even if it's me, a random newbie blogger.

🎵"Hold on to the thread

the currents will shift

glide me towards you..."🎵

-Eddie Vedder