Recovery Playlist Part II

About a year ago I posted a recovery playlist blog!

Well, just like anyone else, songs get old to me when I listen to them too much! So, today I'm posting a second blog with even more songs that I love that I think are perfect to listen to while in recovery! They give me that boost to keep going, connect with me when recovery gets hard, give me all the feels because they are relatable and honestly, they are just a really good way to practice self care!

Music is a MAJOR form of self care for me. There is nothing like laying down with a face mask on and listening to a chill song about loving myself the way I am or blasting out a worship song about not being afraid while flying down the highway! Music has the ability to calm my anxiety, change my perspective, release pent up emotion and sometimes even give me strength. It's just THE BEST! So here are some new songs for you to check out! I hope they inspire you, connect with you and help you push on towards recovery as much as they have for me!!

Not Afraid - Jesus Culture (feat. Kim Walker-Smith) [Live]

I have my sister Grace to thank for this gem of a song! It's my current jam and I play it about 15 times a day, not even joking... With lyrics like,

"When I walk through the waters, I won't be overcome

When I go through the rivers I will not be drown

My God will make a way, so I am not afraid

You keep the promises You make

There isn't one that is delayed

So I will not lose hear, here I will lift my arms

And start to sing into the night

My praise will call the sun to rise

Declare the battle won, declare that it is done!"

How can you go wrong?!?! This song makes me FEARLESS when I encounter anxiety, worry about how I look, or find myself in a day where I'm faced with a giant in recovery! I literally have been sitting at the beach in my bathing suit, with my cover up on, and the words of this song pop into my head. I realize, I'm NOT AFRAID, I can do this! So I got up feeling empowered, took off that cover up and enjoyed the water because I won't be overcome!

Freedom - Jesus Culture (feat. Kim Walker-Smith) [Live]

Ok, don't worry, not every song on this list is a Jesus culture song! But I can't pass this one up! I mean, the title says it all, no?! The beat is great, and it gets me all fired up to gain FREEDOM from my eating disorder, body image issues or anything that seems to be holding me back at any given moment! Literally one of the lyrics is "Dance like the weight has been lifted," and every time it gets me moving, even if it's bouncing in my desk chair as I write this blog entry!

"Run into wide open spaces

Grace is waiting for you

Dance like the weight has been lifted

Grace is waiting

Where the Spirit of the Lord is there is freedom

There is freedom

Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom

There is freedom

Come out of the dark, just as you are

Into the fullness of His love

Oh the spirit is here, let there be freedom

Let there be freedom"

Shake It Out - Florence + The Machine

So many times I get stuck in my thoughts. I beat myself up about even having an eating disorder, ruminate on how it happened, have non-stop thoughts about my body and stress about what is going to happen. I feel constantly attacked by the devil and ED. This song reminds me to SHAKE IT OUT and SHAKE IT OFF. I listen to this song and just want to shake off all the things I'm stressing about, all the negative thoughts and worry! Some awesome lyrics are...

"Regrets collect like old friends

Here to relive your darkest moments

I can see no way I can see not way

And all of the ghouls come out to play

Any every demon wants this pound of flesh

But I like to keep some things to myself

I like to keep my issues strong

It's always darkest before the dawn

And I've been a fool and I've been blind

I can never leave the past behind

I can see no way, I can see no way

I'm always dragging that horse around

Our love is pastured such a mournful sound

Tonight I'm gonna bury that horse in the ground

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

Shake it out, shake it out

Shake it out, shake it out, ooh whoa

And it's hard to dance with the devil on your back

So shake him off, oh whoa"

The Cave - Mumford & Sons

Anyone who knows me knows that I love Ireland, so this song already is a fave because it just reminds me of the time I've spent there! That aside, the lyrics of this may be about a relationship, but it also sends the message of holding on to hope, finding your strength in pain, changing your ways and finding yourself again!

"I will hold on hope and I won't let you choke

On the noose around your neck

And I'll find strength in pain

And I will change my ways

I'll know my name as it's called again

So make your siren's call and sing all you want

I will not hear what you have to say

'Cause I need freedom now and I need to know how

To live my life as it's meant to be"

Reckless Love - Cory Asbury

I recently did a Bible study on the book of Hosea, and a constant theme throughout the entire study was of God's love for me (and you!). This song reminds me of the overwhelming, never ending, reckless love of God. (I can't even write that sentence without becoming emotional.) He fights for me and loves me even when I don't deserve it and definitely didn't earn it. He fights for me through the lies that ED screams, the walls I put up to keep him and people out and the darkness that sometimes takes over when recovery is at it's hardest. In times where I feel unloved or unworthy, I pop this song on and just feel the overwhelming sense of peace and love from God.

"Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety-nine

I couldn't earn it, and I don't deserve it, still, You give Yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God, yeah

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me"

Keep Breathing - Ingrid Michaelson

This song is simple and sweet and the message is to just keep breathing. In recovery there are set-backs, hurts, days that make us feel like we just need to quit. Sometimes we feel numb and the only thing we know is that we are breathing. At times we need to just slow down and concentrate on our breath or when we put our head on the pillow and say, "That was hard, but hey, I'm still breathing!" So keep breathing!

"All that I know is I'm breathing.

All I can do is keep breathing

All we can do is keep breathing"

Who You Say I Am - Hillsong Worship

I LOVE THIS SONG! Man does it speak TRUTH into my life. This song is FULL of declarations. It tells us we are children of God, we are FREE, we are chosen, not foresaken and we are you HE says we are. This reminds me I'm not the dumb girl that fell into an eating disorder. I'm not the ugly thoughts that ED constantly makes me try to believe. I'm not the failure I had yesterday! I'm free. I'm loved. I'm HIS! Declare the words of this song over yourself and I'm telling you, you will feel NEW!

"Who am I that the highest King would welcome me?

I was lost but He brought me in

Oh His love for me

Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free

Oh is free indeed

I'm a child of God

YES I AM

I am chosen

Not forsaken

I am who You say I am

You are for me

Not against me

I am who You say I am"

Jealous Of The Moon - Nickel Creek

This song is one that I like to listen to when I feel stuck and nothing is going right. It's not one of those songs that makes you feel empowered or strong or ready to fight. It's a song that relates.

"You've given up the good fight

You're as strong as anyone

You're back where you started from

I see you're back where you started from

Starin' down the stars

Jealous of the moon

You wish you could fly

Just staying' where you are

There's nothin' you can do

If you're too scared to try"

The One Who Loves You Most - Brett Dennen

This song is all about when life falls apart, who will love you the most? I'm sure by now you know that I believe no one can love us as much as God does, but the lyrics of this song are a good reminder to even love ourselves. When everything falls away, do you love yourself the most? It makes me sit back and remember that when I look into that mirror, to love myself, imperfections and all!

"When the sky is falling from above you

And the wind is raging from the coast

And you want someone who truly loves you

I will be the one who loves you the most, yes

See when you forgive your imperfections

And you've auctioned all your clothes

And you look to see your true reflection

You will be the one who loves you the most

You will be the one who loves you the most, yeah"

Do It Again - Elevation Worship

This song is a great reminder that God is faithful, even when the road we are on is bumpy and feels like it will never get better. It's remembering who God is, that he has done AMAZING things and we can believe and be confident that he will do them again in our own lives. It reminds me to seek God's help when I feel stuck and that He is my help in any time of trouble.

"Walking around these walls

I thought by now they'd fall

But You have never failed me yet

Waiting for change to come

Knowing the battle's won

For You have never failed me yet

Your promise still stands

Great is Your faithfulness, faithfulness

I'm still in Your hands

This is my confidence, You've never failed me yet

I've seen You move, Come move the mountains

And I believe, I'll see You do it again

You made a way, where there was no way

And I believe, I'll see You do it again."

Wide Awake - Katy Perry

OK, OK I know, this song is from like 2012! But you know what?! It's so good! I relate to it because it makes me realize I'm now wide awake! The past is clear to me. My eating disorder had me in the dark and now in recovery I'm awake from it! I'm out of the worst and a whole new person! I don't have to live that dark, painful life anymore!

"Falling from cloud nine

Crashing from the high

I'm letting go tonight

I'm falling from cloud nine

I'm wide awake

Not losing any sleep

Picked up every piece

And landed on my feet

I'm wide awake

Need nothing to complete myself, no"

Recover - Natasha Bedingfield

This song encompasses SO many aspects of what recovery is like. It talks about how HARD recovery is, but how you can look back as you go through it and see how far you have come each day you conquer something new! It declares that you WILL recover. I LOVE IT!

"God so much to lose,

Seems I've lost my power to choose, oh

What to love and when to let go,

That all changed,

Get bitten once and then your afraid

What a waste,

Look what we've done

How far we've come...

We will recover,

The worst is over, now

All those fires we've been walking through,

And still we survive, somehow

We will recover,

The worst is behind

And it hurts, but in time, I know that we will recover.

Everybody's gotta, a reason to cru

And everybody fights but, not everyone survives

And everybody's searching, not everybody finds

An I'm still in recovery , and I'll make it alive?"

True To Myself - Ziggy Marley

Another feel good song for you! This song just makes me want to live life, stop worrying and be myself. Fatter, thinner, funny, sad, angry, anxious, loving, happy, stressed or winning....be true to yourself!

"I don't care if it hurts

I'm tired of lies and all these games

I've reached a point in life no longer can I be this way

Don't come crying to me I too have shed my share of tears

I'm moving on yes I'm grooving on well I'm finally free I've

Got to be true to myself

Got to be true to myself

Got to be true to myself

Got to be true to myself"

Ok! That's all I have for you for now, but don't worry...I'll write a part three if I find more fabulous recovery songs! If you have any songs that you think are amazing, have helped you in recovery or NEED to be on a my recovery playlist, comment below! I love new music and I love you all!

xoxo

- Sara -