By: Nathan Reedy
Edited by: Manda Jones (Editor in Chief & CEO of Manda & Friends)
What’s my story? My Name is Nathan Reedy. My life has been all about adapting and finding ways to do more with less; a struggle to relate to other people and for others to relate to me.
Honestly, this is where music comes in and a huge reason why I love music so much. I feel like music can relate to me and I can relate to music, even when I cannot relate to other people. After growing up in an emotionally and mentally abusive household as a child; I now have a personality disorder; BPD, short for Borderline Personality Disorder.
Emotion Regulation is usually a big struggle for those who have BPD. One of the songs on this list is actually called “Borderline” (An Ode to Self-Care) by Solange; it is a reminder to me how important self- care is.
Music can help me regulate my emotions too, as well as to process everything that I am still processing both from my youth and from my ongoing therapy. I was also born with a physical disability called ‘Hydrocephalus’, which has caused me to need nine brain surgeries in my 33 years of life. In addition, a foot and an eye surgery for the atrophy on the left side of my body, which is why songs like “Tubthumping” by Chumbawamba are so meaningful and resonate with me.
One of my absolute favorites “calming” songs from my list; “Rivers And Roads” by The Head & the Heart. Whenever I am really stressed, I close my eyes AND listen AND sing along with the “Oh!” chorus and I calm down.
This list is pretty steady if anything; it only gets bigger as I discover music that is new and relatable to me. I could go on with more of why these songs are meaningful, but I don’t want to ramble.
Enjoy and thanks for letting me share.
Alice (Extended Version)/Artist: Avril Lavigne
All By Myself (Remastered)/Artist: Eric Carmen
All I Want to Do/Artist: Sugarland
Amy's Song/Artist: Switchfoot
And So I Pray/Artist: Jem
Another Time, Another Place/Artist: Sandi Patti
Apologize/Artist: OneRepublic
Back Stabbers/Artist: The O'Jays
Bad Blood/Artist: Taylor Swift
Bad Day/Artist: Daniel Powter
Be OK/Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Because of You/Artist: Kelly Clarkson
Believe/Artist: Mumford & Sons
Believer/Artist: Imagine Dragons
Better (feat. Yo Gotti)/Artist: Meghan Trainor
A Better Son/Daughter/Artist: Rilo Kiley
Big Black Car/Artist: Gregory Alan Isakov
Bigger on the Inside/Artist: Amanda P
Black Betty/Artist: Ram Jam
Blaze On/Artist: Phish
Borderline (An Ode to Self Care) [feat. Q-Tip]/Artist: Solange
Boulevard of Broken Dreams (feat. John Gallagher Jr., Rebecca Naomi Jones, Stark Sands & Company)/Artist: Green Day
Brave/Artist: Sara Bareilles
Breathe (2 AM)/Artist: Anna Nalick
Broken Glass/Artist: Rachel Platten
Bruises (feat. Ashley Monroe)/Artist: Train
Carry You/Artist: The Native Sibling
Casimir Pulaski Day/Artist: Sufjan Stevens
Cat's in the Cradle/Artist: Harry Chapin and Verities & Balderdash
Climb into the Music (feat. Paul Kelly)/Artist: Gypsy & The Cat
Clocks/Artist: Coldplay
Collide (Original)/Artist: Howie Day
Could Be Anything/Artist: The Eames Era
Cry/Artist: Faith Hill
Dead Wrong/Artist: The Fray
Demons/Artist: Imagine Dragons
Do What You Have to Do/Artist: Sarah McLachlan
Do You Know What I Mean/Artist: Lee Michaels
Don't Bring Me Down/Artist: Electric Light Orchestra
Don't Do Me Like That/Artist: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
Don't Laugh at Me/Artist: Mark Wills
Don't Leave Me This Way/Artist: Thelma Houston
Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood/Artist: The Animals
Don't Run Away/Artist: Amy Grant
Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing/Artist: Tori Kelly
Dreamworld/Artist: Rilo Kiley
Elevation/Artist: U2
Emotion/Artist: Bee Gees
Enough to Let Me Go/Artist: Switchfoot
Every Breaking Wave/Artist: U2
Every Storm (Runs Out of Rain)/Artist: Gary Allan
Everybody/Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Everybody Hurts/Artist: R.E.M.
Everybody Plays The Fool/Artist: The Main Ingredient
Feel So Free/Artist: Ivy
Fight Song/Artist: Rachel Platten
Fireflies/Artist: Owl City
Firework/Artist: Katy Perry
Forget Me Nots/Artist: Patrice Rushen
Freedom/Artist: Pharrell Williams
Fresh Feeling/Artist: Eels
Funhouse/Artist: P!nk
Gone/Artist: Switchfoot
Good Life/Artist: OneRepublic
Goodnight and Go/Artist: Imogen Heap
Got To Let It Go/Artist: Amy Grant
Grace/Artist: Kate Havnevik
Grace Got You/Artist: MercyMe
The Greatest/Artist: Sia
Happy/Artist: Pharrell Williams
Heal/Artist: Tom Odell
Hell No/Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
He'll Take Care of the Rest/Artist: Keith Green
Hello/Artist: Adele
Hold Back the River/Artist: James Bay
Hold Your Head Up/Artist: Argent
Homecoming/Artist: The New Tradition
Homefolks/Artist: The New Tradition
A Horse with No Name/Artist: America
How Can You Mend a Broken Heart/Artist: Bee Gees
How to Save a Life/Artist: The Fray
Human/Artist: Christina Perri
I Always Knew/Artist: Jem
I Can't Go for That (No Can Do)/Artist: Daryl Hall & John Oates
I Choose/Artist: India. Arie
I Dare You to Move/Artist: Switchfoot
I Don't Feel It Anymore (feat. Loane) Artist: William Fitzsimmons
I Gotta Feeling/Artist: Black Eyed Peas
I Gotta Try/Artist: Michael McDonald
I Know I Know I Know/Artist: Tegan and Sara
I Lived/Artist: OneRepublic
I Never Promised You a Rose Garden/Artist: Lynn Anderson
I Wanna Get Better/Artist: Bleachers
I Will Rise Again/Artist: Jason Gray
I Will Survive/Artist: Gloria Gaynor
I Wish I Liked You/Artist: Robyn Hitchcock
If I Die Young/Artist: The Band Perry
If I Were a Boy/Artist: Beyoncé
I'll be There/Artist: Spinners
I'm Good/Artist: The Mowgli's
I'm Not the Only One/Artist: Sam Smith
In a Little While/Artist: Amy Grant
Invisible/Artist: Hunter Hayes
Ironic/Artist: Alanis Morissette
It Comes and It Goes/Artist: Dido
It's a Shame/Artist: Spinners
It's Amazing/Artist: Jem
I've Been Everywhere/Artist: Johnny Cash
Jar of Hearts/Artist: Christina Perri
Jesus, Take the Wheel/Artist: Carrie Underwood
Jive Talkin'/Artist: Bee Gees
Jungle/Artist: Tash Sultana
Just a Ride/Artist: Jem
Just Give Me a Reason (feat. Nate Ruess)Artist: P!nk
Just Like a Pill/Artist: P!nk
Keep Breathing/Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Keep Holding On/Artist: Avril Lavigne
Keep On Walking/Artist: Jem
L.I.F.E.G.O.E.S.O.N. /Artist: Noah & The Whale
Lean On Me/Artist: Bill Withers
Let It Go/Artist: Idina Menzel
Let Me Be Myself/Artist: 3 Doors Down
Library/Artist: Bridgit Mendler
Lies/Artist: Keith Green
Life Goes On/Artist: Fergie
Life it's A Curious Thing/Artist: Amy Grant
Live Like You're Dying/Artist: Lenka
Living is Simple/Artist: Switchfoot
Lonely Road/Artist: Everlast
Maybe/Artist: Ingrid Michaelson
Me Too/Artist: Meghan Trainor
Mended/Artist: Matthew West
Mess Is Mine/Artist: Vance Joy
The Middle/Artist: Zedd, Maren Morris & Grey
Middle (feat. Bipolar Sunshine)/Artist: DJ Snake
Middle of a Memory/Artist: Cole Swindell
Mine/Artist: Phoebe Ryan
More Than Words/Artist: Extreme
Mountain Moving Faith/Artist: Patch The Pirate
Move On/Artist: Jet
Murder in the City/Artist: The Avett Brothers
My Defenses Are Down/Artist: Howard Keel & Adolph Deutsch Orchestra
My Oh My/Artist: David Gray
My Songs Know What You Did In the Dark (Light Em Up)/Artist: Fall Out Boy
My Way/Artist: Calvin Harris
Not Meant to Be/Artist: Theory of a Deadman
Old Church Choir/Artist: Zach Williams
Only Hope/Artist: Switchfoot
Only the Good Die Young (Single Version)/Artist: Billy Joel
Orange Sky/Artist: Alexi Murdoch
Over It/Artist: Relient K
Over My Head (Cable Car)/Artist: The Fray
Overcomer/Artist: Mandisa
Peaceful Easy Feeling/Artist: Eagles
People Like Us/Artist: Kelly Clarkson
Perfect For You/Artist: Rachel Platten
Playing For Keeps/Artist: Switchfoot
Praying/Artist: Kesha
Pressing On/Artist: Relient K
Quiet Times/Artist: Dido
Reason Why/Artist: Rachael Yamagata
Rivers and Roads/Artist: The Head and the Heart
Save Me/Artist: Jem
Say/Artist: John Mayer
Scars to Your Beautiful/Artist: Alessia Cara
Shake It Off/Artist: Taylor Swift
She's Gone/Artist: Tavares
Show And Tell/Artist: Al Wilson
Sick of Losing Soulmates/Artist: dodie **Explicit
Slowly Surely/Artist: Jill Scott
Smiling Faces Sometimes/Artist: The Undisputed Truth
Snuggles/Artist: Steve & Annie Chapman
So Am I/Artist: Ava Max
Someday/Artist: Sugar Ray
Someone To You/Artist: BANNERS
Somewhere Only We Know/Artist: Keane
Stay (I Missed You)/Artist: Lisa Loeb
Stay Now/Artist: Jem
Stay With Me/Artist: Sam Smith
Stayin' Alive/Artist: Bee Gees
Stop Hey What's That Sound/Artist: #1 Protest Songs From The 60s
Stronger (What Doesn't Kill You)/Artist: Kelly Clarkson
Stuck Like Glue/Artist: Sugarland
Stuff That Works/Artist: Guy Clark
Sugar-Sugar (In My Life)/Artist: John Fogerty
Sunshine (Go Away Today)/Artist: Jonathan Edwards
Survivor/Artist: Destiny's Child Survivor
Swim/Artist: Jack's Mannequin
Thank You/Artist: Dido
Then Came You/Artist: Spinners
Therapy/Artist: All Time Low
They Just Can't Stop It (Games People Play)/Artist: Spinners
Thirteen Sad Farewells/Artist: Stu Larsen
This Is Home/Artist: Switchfoot
This Is How We Do It/Artist: Montell Jordan
This Is Me/Artist: Demi Lovato & Joe Jonas
Thunder/Artist: Imagine Dragons
Time In A Bottle /Artist: Jim Croce
Too Late to Turn Back Now/Artist: Cornelius Brothers & Sister Rose
Tools For The Trade/Artist: Steve & Annie Chapman
Tubthumping/Artist: Chumbawamba
Turn Your Heart Toward Home/Artist: Steve & Annie Chapman
Turning Tables/Artist: Adele
U Want Me 2/Artist: Sarah McLachlan
Unlike Me (A'cappella Version)/Artist: Kate Havnevik
Until the Morning Comes/Artist: Glass Pear & Jem
Viva La Vida/Artist: Coldplay
Wake Me Up When September Ends/Artist: Green Day
Warrior/Artist: Demi Lovato
We're Not Gonna Take It/Artist: Twisted Sister
What Have You Done for Me Lately/Artist: Janet Jackson
Whataya Want from Me/Artist: Adam Lambert
Whatcha See Is Whatcha Get/Artist: The Dramatics
Whatever Gets You Through Today/Artist: The Radio
When I Feel Like Giving Up/Artist: Pageant
Where Does the Good Go/Artist: Tegan and Sara
Where Everybody Knows Your Name (Cheers Theme)/Artist: Gary Portnoy
Which to Bury: Us or the Hatchet/Artist: Relient K
White Flag/Artist: Dido
Who Are You/Artist: The Who
Wire to Wire/Artist: Razorlight
Wish I/Artist: Jem
Would It Matter (Bonus Track)/Artist: Skillet
You Can't Change That/Artist: Ray Parker, Jr.
You Don't Understand Me/Artist: The Raconteurs
You Gotta Be/Artist: Des'ree
You Keep Me Hangin' On/Artist: Diana Ross & The Supremes
You Never Loved Me (At All)/Artist: Barbara Mason
You Raise Me Up/Artist: Josh Groban
You Say/Artist: Lauren Daigle
You Should Be Dancing/Artist: Bee Gees
You Talk Too Much/Artist: Joe Jones
You!/Artist: Keith Green
You're Not Sorry/Artist: Taylor Swift
You're So Vain/Artist: Carly Simon
1, 2, 3, 4/Artist: Plain White T's
5 Years Time/Artist: Noah & The Whale
59th Street Bridge Song/Artist: Harpers Bizarre
Editor’s Notes: Hydrocephalus: Hydrocephalus is the buildup of fluid in the cavities (ventricles) deep within the brain. The excess fluid increases the size of the ventricles and puts pressure on the brain. Cerebrospinal fluid normally flows through the ventricles and bathes the brain and spinal column. But the pressure of too much cerebrospinal fluid associated with hydrocephalus can damage brain tissues and cause a range of impairments in brain function. Hydrocephalus can happen at any age, but it occurs more frequently among infants and adults 60 and over. Surgical treatment for hydrocephalus can restore and maintain normal cerebrospinal fluid levels in the brain. Many different therapies are often required to manage symptoms or functional impairments resulting from hydrocephalus.
Borderline Personality Disorder: Borderline personality disorder is a mental health disorder that impacts the way you think and feel about yourself and others, causing problems functioning in everyday life. It includes a pattern of unstable intense relationships, distorted self-image, extreme emotions and impulsiveness. With borderline personality disorder, you have an intense fear of abandonment or instability, and you may have difficulty tolerating being alone. Yet inappropriate anger, impulsiveness and frequent mood swings may push others away, even though you want to have loving and lasting relationships. Borderline personality disorder usually begins by early adulthood. The condition seems to be worse in young adulthood and may gradually get better with age. If you have borderline personality disorder, don't get discouraged. Many people with this disorder get better over time with treatment and can learn to live satisfying lives.
Atrophy: (of body tissue or an organ) waste away, especially as a result of the degeneration of cells, or become vestigial during evolution. (Google Dictionary)
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