How To Create A Self-Care Playlist

I’ve been talking a lot about self-care recently, and how I’m making it a huge priority this year.

It's not always about making huge changes. It can just be the little changes you make for yourself to improve your every day life.

At the start of the year, I posted a list of 35 easy ways you can practise self-care daily, and one of the tips included was to listen to a playlist. Music can help me relax and stay calm in situations, it can help me bring back great memories, or help me create new ones. I’ve always been a huge music fan, so it’s a way I hold a lot of comforts. This is why I have created this checklist of 50 questions to help you put together your own, personal self-care playlist.

A self-care playlist to me isn't always something that is going to make me feel mellow, to me, it's about finding the best times, memories and moments, thinking about the present and future, and converting them into music. There are obviously no right or wrong answers to these questions, nor do they all have to be included, or stick to just 50 songs. These questions are here just to spark inspiration, and create a starting point to help you find your perfect songs to include in your playlist. As much as I love finding new music, hearing familiar songs can always put me in a positive mood.

This is an easy and fun way to put something together that can be ready to use whenever it's needed. Add to it as much as you like or update the songs to keep it fresh, just make your playlist personal to you.

1. A song that gives you goosebumps
2. What is your favourite song to hear live?
3. Pick a song which could have been written about you
4. A song you can't get out of your head right now
5. What song gives you butterflies?
6. Pick a song that always makes you want to dance
7. A song which makes you feel relaxed
8. What would be your ultimate karaoke song?
9. Include a song from your favourite band
10. and a song from your favourite singer
11. What song is timeless to you?
12. Add a song which reminds you of being on holiday
13. What song makes you want to turn the radio up louder?
14. How are you feeling right now? Pick a song which relates to your mood
15. What was the first song you ever bought?
16. What song would sum up your life so far?
17. What is your ultimate summer anthem?
18. And what do you love to hear when you start getting chilly?
19. Pick a song which is your biggest motivational tune
20. What song reminds you of your childhood?
21. A song from the first band/artist you saw live
22. What song are you never bored of hearing?
23. Add a song which means a lot to you
24. What is your favourite movie soundtrack song?
25. Which artist/band do you admire? Add one of their songs
26. A song that always makes you ugly cry
27. What is the last song you listened to?
28. A song that sums up your year so far
29. A song that reminds you of a road trip/would play on a road trip
30. Add a song which reminds you of your first love
31. What is your most played song on iTunes?
32. A song that helped you through your first heartbreak
33. Pick a song that defines you
34. Add a song which you want to reference your future
35. Add a song from your first musical crush
36. What is your biggest musical guilty pleasure?
37. What song do you love singing to in the shower?
38. Add a song you always remember hearing as a child
39. What was the last song you purchased?
40. A song you'd love to hear live
41. Put your music on shuffle, and add the first song that plays
42. What song have you played to death, but still love to hear?
43. A song from the first band/artist you had posters up on your wall
44. Add a song which reminds you of your first day/time at school/university/work
45. What is your favourite song to listen to while you're getting ready
46. A song you grew up listening too
47. Add a song from the band you'd most like to join
48. What is your favourite song from the current charts
49. What song will always put a smile on your face
50. Now, pick a song that sums up this playlist

In case you are wondering what would be on my playlist, you can take a listen here. Let me know in the comments below any of the answers above, and if you do put together a playlist and want to share it, please leave the link below.

LISTENING TO

• The Chainsmokers
• Sick Boy