Julie is a certified musician/music lover. She plays the piano, the guitar and the violin marvelously, plus she sings like a nightingale and is a talented songwriter. In fact, Julie is deeply in love with music such that music has crept into almost every aspect of her life. She can only study if she’s incessantly listening to her Ipod. She is inseparable with her earphones—and she even sets her goals music.

Set goals with music? That’s right. It’s part of Music therapy. And I’m not kidding here—there is such a thing as music therapy. So what is music therapy and how do you set your goals music? Here are a few pointers:

• Music therapy is the set use of music and music-related strategies to aid and motivate a person to achieve specific, nonmusical goals. Music therapy is geared towards effecting change in the cognitive, physical, communication, social and emotional skills of a person by altering unproductive learning patterns.

• Music therapy makes use of the appeal and therapeutic characteristics of music (it captivates and maintains attention, structures time, sets up a social context, encourages movement, taps into memory and emotion, and is success oriented). It does this to establish the difference between isolation and interaction and is proven to be most helpful in situations such as depression, anger, pain, autism, stress, grief, loss, time management, motivation, growth, change, procrastination and improving communication.

• Research suggests that music can increase patient’s motivation and positive emotions.

• Music therapy tools include.

1. Affirmation – an integration of words, rhythm and melody that gives the person the ability to think positively by eliminating barriers to prosperity, decrease stress and generate pathways to love and confidence.
2. Mind quieting – helps you gain control of your thoughts, and thus maintain your control on your life.
3. Breathing – breath is life, its depth, smoothness, sound and rate mirror your mood.
4. Mantras – their magical sounds stimulate, activate, motivate and rejuvenate.
5. Chanting – it strengthens the mind and develops concentration, patience and determination.
6. Toning – it is the basic process of letting go.

• How to set your goals music?

1. Find a 10-15-minute worth of songs that match your present mood.
2. Find another 10-15-minute musical selection that mirrors your present internal state and the state you want to achieve.
3. Find a 10 to 15 musical selection of songs that match the desired state you want to achieve.
4. Record these and go over the musical selections as many times as possible.

That’s how music can help you set your goals. Goal setting can be as simple as setting your goals music but it boils down to utilizing the great power of music not just to entertain but to heal the mind, body and soul. And, remember, you don’t have to be a musician or a music lover to practice music therapy or to set your goals music — the only criterion is that you have this great burning desire to achieve success and make the most of your life.