Livingonthebside

08/11/2025

Wow, it’s been a full-on week here — the kind that brings up a mix of emotions that can be hard to hold.

A family member has been admitted to hospital, and the unexpected quiet in the house has made me feel everything all at once... and also nothing at all, at times.
In those moments, music is more often than not my companion.

Not in a performative, “I’ll make a playlist and fix my feelings” kind of way — but more like sitting beside an old friend who doesn’t need you to explain.

On Saturday (a week ago), I sat outside and hit play on one of my Spotify playlists.

I didn’t journal. I didn’t analyse. I just listened.

And somehow, that was enough to release what words couldn’t express.
I cried a little. Then I just sat there, letting it all move through me.

That’s what I love most about using music for self-care — it doesn’t demand anything from you. It simply meets you where you are.

If you’ve had a lot on your heart lately, maybe music could hold a little of it for you, too.

My eBook, Jamming Through Journaling, offers prompts and songs to help you do just that — explore, release, and reconnect with yourself through sound. ➜ Get your copy for AUD 7.50 here: https://livingonthebside.gumroad.com/l/bjihu

26/10/2025

If you want to try something a little different, then start your week off with Elegant Rebel - Peta-Ann Wood's weekly card pull. And guess what?! Yep, it is all about moving...let music and sound guide you to what movement you need today, and this week....🎧

PS: If you need some support with this, I can help! My Music Momentum Session is designed to see how you currently use music and how you could deepen that connection with it to create more harmony in your life. Leave a comment if your interested.🥰

✨Weekly Soul Nudge: Boogie & Dance (Card 41)✨

What is your intention this week lovely souls? I pulled a card to give some depth to your weekly intention setting and she’s definitely got a groove about her!

This week, our soul nudge is simple: Move.

Not for performance. Not for perfection. Just for the pure, rebellious joy of it.

The Boogie & Dance card reminds us that movement is medicine. It’s meditation. It’s a way to shake off the noise and reconnect with our soul’s truth—no ritual required.

Whether you’re chair-dancing in your office, swaying while stirring your tea, or stomping barefoot in your backyard, this week is about letting your body lead.

Simple ways to embody this energy:
🎶Play a song while you get dressed—let your hips choose your outfit.
🎶Take a 3-minute groove break between tasks. No need to ‘feel’ it—just move.
🎶Dance while you fold laundry or stir dinner—make the mundane magical.
🎶Create a ‘Soul Moves’ playlist with songs that shift your state (Birgit over at Livingonthebside can help curate this with you, if you like!).
🎶Notice your body’s natural rhythm—how does it want to move when no one’s watching?

And if you feel the rhythm calling your to write here are some Soul Writing prompts for you:
🎶When I let myself dance freely, what truth does my body speak?
🎶What colour, memory, or dream rises when I lose myself in music?
🎶What stops me from dancing more often—and what might shift if I did?

This week, let dance be your meditation. Your rebellion. Your joy. Your connection to your inner knowing.

And remember: an Elegant Rebel always dances like someone’s watching—and doesn’t give a hoot or even two.

Have a wonderful week and feel free to drop a note below about how you are dancing your intention to life this week! 💜🙃🙏🏻

22/10/2025

I interviewed Martin earlier this year on my podcast and we had a wonderful time talking all things artist, touring and the mental and physical challenges it can bring. But also how healing music is...all around Martin is a wonderful human being and fantastic musician.

So, if you are interested in his music - why not check out his latest album?

It is titled "The Solo Piano Collection" and is out now on all platforms. To celebrate 30 years of him writing neoclassical and new age piano music, he chose 16 of the best pieces he'd written for this record.

It is available everywhere you stream your favourite music, and at www.martinmayermusic.com!

My new album – aptly titled "The Solo Piano Collection" – is out now on all platforms. To celebrate 30 years of writing neoclassical and new age piano music, I chose 16 of the best pieces I'd written for this record.

Featuring new recordings of favourites previously released – as well as a few new pieces taking the stage for the first time – it was truly a work of love in putting this album together, and now sharing it with all of you.

"Martin Mayer: The Solo Piano Collection" is available everywhere you stream your favourite music, and at www.martinmayermusic.com!

22/10/2025

“I don't understand how people can go days without music – my body, brain and spirit just need it to perform at their best.”
~ Peta-Ann Wood

These words from my friend and podcast guest, Peta-Ann, stayed with me.

Music can be a quiet but powerful part of our daily lives.
Whether it’s a song that grounds you in the morning, helps you focus at work, or eases you into rest at night—music has a way of meeting us where we are.

I share a few ways you can intentionally use music to support your wellbeing (including one often-overlooked role that surprised even me) in a blog post.

🎧 Read here: https://livingonthebside.com/how-do-you-use-music/?

Where do you already use music in your life—and where could you start?

16/10/2025

It's official and live - my post on Tiny Buddah!!!

This post is very close to my heart, and when I read it on the website this morning, I did have a few tears come up again.

Why?! Because the song I talk about saved me.

Saved me from numbness.
Saved me from giving up.
Saved me from going down a path I did not want to be on.

And now I can share this story with more people, and hope that they can find their song to help them with whatever they are going through and need right now.

Music is medicine.
Music is a healer.
Music is the bridge for us to connect with ourselves on a deeper level.

I would love if you would have a read and if you like it, pass it on to someone that you feel needs music support, too. 💜

This song became the catalyst for me to open up, to feel again, and to realize there was a way out—a way back to myself.

15/10/2025

Dance Like Nobody's Watching: The Power of Inner Expression

This powerful insight from Blanca on my podcast perfectly captures why movement and music are so healing 💃

In Episode 105, we explored energy, trauma, and the therapeutic power of music. This quote reminds us that authentic self-expression through dance isn't about perfection - it's about letting our inner emotions flourish freely.

📌 Save & share this reminder: Your authentic expression matters more than perfect moves (link to this episode is in my bio).

30/09/2025

Return of Living on the B Side 🎶

My podcast is coming back from its slumber.

After taking time off from recording and releasing episodes (life was lifing), I am excited to be back — and I am looking for guests! 🎙️

Living on the B Side is a place where we explore the many ways music touches our lives — personally, professionally, and collectively.

From the songs that helped you through a season of life, to the ways you use music in your work, to the books or projects you’ve created inspired by an artist or movement — it all belongs here, on the B Side of life.

With over 100 episodes already recorded, I’ve seen how sharing these stories helps us understand not just the power of music, but the power of being human.

I’m now booking interviews in October/November 2025 for release in early 2026.

If music has played a role in shaping your journey — whether in healing, creating, teaching, advocating, or simply being — I’d love to hear from you.

👉 Drop a comment or send me a message if you’d like to explore being a guest.

More info here: www.livingonthebside.com

12/09/2025

✨I am looking for 4–6 beta testers to try it out my newest email membership for free and share feedback. ✨

My creative brain had a spark and now I would love to test this 'something new'… and I would love a few of you to be a part of it.
You know that by now one of my key messages is that we shouldn't use music as just background noise, it can be more than that.

What if music could be this support tool, a companion so to speak, that is there to ease stress, spark reflection and help us find more harmony in our lives?

Yep, I’m creating a simple 4-month journey that combines:
🎶 A playlist designed around a theme
📝 A few journaling prompts
🎧 A short audio reflection from me

I intend it to be a light, intentional 4 month journey and my hope is that it will feel like a supportive pause for you each month (and whenever are diving into it).

If this hits a spot for you, please leave a comment and I will reach out to you. 💜🎧

Send a message to learn more

05/08/2025

Something happened recently that really made me pause and think... 💭

Someone who's immersed in music every day reached out to share that when they try to use music for emotional support, their analytical mind immediately kicks in. Instead of feeling comforted, they end up critiquing and dissecting. Their musical sanctuary has become stressful.

If someone so connected to music can struggle to access its healing power, what barriers might we face as music lovers?

Maybe it's:
🎵 Feeling overwhelmed by too many choices
🎵 Being too exhausted to know what we actually need
🎵 Our minds staying too busy to let music in
🎵 Needing quieter approaches than what's typically suggested

I'm diving deep into research on this and creating new content, but I'd love your wisdom too.

What's your biggest challenge when it comes to using music for emotional support?

Drop a comment or send me a message - your quiet wisdom matters more than you know. ~ B 💜

28/07/2025

I'm quietly exploring some new collaborations in my chapter 2 of Living on the B Side.

Nothing flashy. No big launches. No pressure but aligned energy and fun to explore.

I am putting this out into the Universe inviting others into my space, to see if we can weave our own magic into each other’s (work) zones.

I work with introverted creatives and emotionally tired souls, helping them reconnect with themselves through music, reflection, and quiet tools.

If you have a community, audience, or project that aligns — or you’ve been curious about collaborating in a way that feels on the quiet and introverted side — I’d love to connect.

This could be a guest post, a shared freebie, a soft bonus in your group offer, or something we dream up together.

Fancy having a no pressure coffee chat to see if we can come up with something that feels good?

Send me a DM me or take a peek at my Collaboration Kit if you’d like to know more: https://drive.google.com/file/d/12Mf8EzIe6m1wIaHkb5HBDaSDCzTqSg-b/view

21/07/2025

{New Guest Interview}

In this episode, Julie from Canadian choir Luminous Voices shares how collaborating with First Nations composers has shifted the way they make music — from learning Cree songs by heart to singing outdoors on the land. A conversation about cultural respect, quiet reconciliation, and the power of music to connect us in ways words never could.

You can listen/watch to our full chat here: https://livingonthebside.com/echoes-of-the-land-singing-language-reconciliation-through-music/

and on all major podcast platforms. 🎧