October 10th is World Mental Health Day, and I'm so happy to be partnering with Kelley Kay Bowles to bring you some extras from the world of Down in the Belly of the Whale! The book is on Kindle Unlimited today, so go check it out!! First, a playlist from Kelley, and then a quick personal story from me followed by some reflection on mental health. Isabelle's PlaylistClick to listen on YouTube! The Devil Went Down to Georgia, Charlie Daniels Band Isabel first met Michael Southwood one night when she was singing karaoke. Fact that she knew every word to that song and did it with an air violin and her own personal dance moves, meant Michael was smitten: hook, line and sinker. Enter Sandman, Metallica Betcha didn’t know Isabelle was a headbanger from way back, Didja? Her first short story was actually composed while she listened to the Metallica song Unforgiven, over and over in her college library. She was working on an assignment for her creative writing class, and she didn’t know she wanted to be a writer until that moment. She still takes her inspiration from everything around her that she finds interesting, unique and beautiful-even if that thing is hard core heavy metal! Then she and Michael got to go see a Metallica concert at red rocks in Colorado in 2015! Awesome hard rock heaven! She chose Enter Sandman for her Playlist because there’s an explosive drum POW near the end that releases all her stress. Escape—The Pina Colada Song, Rupert Holmes This, strangely, has become a song for Michael and Isabelle, which they sing at the tops of their longs whenever the opportunity arises. Strange because the song-on the surface- is about a long standing couple getting tired of each other, but M and I have decided the underlying theme is really learning to appreciate what you have, what’s right there in front of you, as opposed to a whole ‘grass is always greener mentality.’ They appreciate each other! Carry On Wayward Son, Kansas Readers know Isabel has the entire season of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on DVD, but what they might not know is that she also has all 14 seasons of Supernatural on DVD as well! Why does she write murder mysteries but then watch sci-fi horror paranormal stuff on screen? She likes the characters! And the storylines and the allusions and the relationships. Plus she has a big celebrity crush on Jensen Ackles, whom she’s never met. Anyway, Carry on Wayward Son is the theme song for Supernatural, and therefore has to show up on her playlist...her favorite line in the song explains how she knows life is all about learning and growing, because ‘if I claim to be a wise man, it surely means that I don’t know!’ One Vision, Queen This was a tough one, because in Isabellas mind Queen and fab Freddie Mercury are like the end all be all of awesome music. Orchestral, harmonic and headbanging, Queen is the bomb! She likes to sing Bohemian Rhapsody in karaoke, and Another One Bites the Dust and We Will Rock You/We Are The Champions are all iconic. She finally went with One Vision-because she really likes the kick ass self-empowerment theme of that song. Plus she loves how he slips in the little fried chicken phrase at the end! 😜 Knock on Wood, Amii Stewart Disco is also a favorite genre of music for Isabel. She chose Amii Stewart because it’s not as well-known as all of the standard Bee Gees Gloria Gaynor stuff, but it’s near impossible not to dance to it. Dancing is her favorite way of relieving stress. Try it! Cool Change, Little River Band Isabelle’s sister is older than she is, she listens to a whole bunch of really amazing 70s music. The Little River Band was another tough choice because they have some great stuff… Lonesome Loser, Reminiscing... but Cool Change is just a peace-bringing, closing your eyes and BREATHING DEEP sort of song. Listen to it, you’ll love it Synchronicity II, The Police Isabell really loves Every Little Thing She Does is Magic as far as a go to song by The Police. But this song is her favorite as far as her as a writer. Because it’s totally metaphorical, you know? Sting used to be an English teacher before he was a rockstar, and he uses fantastic metaphors in his songs. This one shows us a sea monster as a metaphor for the working man, basically. It ends so intensely—where the working man has reached the end of his tether and is headed home for some violence possibly, and the sea monster is coming out of the sea and headed for a door to perpetuate violence on whomever opens that door. Working man goes home to wife, sea monster goes to a door in the cabin of the woods. Both frightening, and an excellent window into a person’s soul. Isabelle can’t speak for the sea monster, but after listening to this song she is much more aware of the stresses of the working people around her (who can’t wear their spouse’s underwear to work every day...) who have to make difficult choices to support their loved ones. Welcome to the Jungle, Guns n Roses So when Isabelle was in college, she was a little sister to a fraternity. She was also in a sorority. The whole kit and caboodle was set in a small cul-de-sac on her college campus. One morning this song came blasting through speakers from the fraternity house she was associated with. It was like 4 o’clock in the morning, so she poked her head out of her sorority house window to see one of her friends (we’ll call him Steven) ON A HORSE in the middle of the cul-de-sac wearing full leathers and sunglasses. This was the introduction to ‘hell week’ for the fraternity pledges and this song was the pledges’ introduction to their pledge master: her friend Steven. It was a really fun experience for Isabelle and Steven—probably not so much for the pledges! She knows this is a hard world 🌎, though—listen to Axl Rose, and he’ll remind you! Midnight Blue, Lou Gramm Isabel is really into metaphors, right? and life’s themes being reflected in the songs she listens to, AND in the books she writes. So this Lou Gramm song is at the end of her playlist because of that message and also because it’s a really cool song. But listen to the message: it’s all about positivity, kinda like One Vision and Cool Change earlier in the list. Kind of like the way Isabelle Southwood lives her life! -- From the lovely Kelley Kay Bowles! Go check her books out! On seeking peaceI have a complicated relationship with my brain. We don't always agree, which is strange for me to say because aren't we inseparable? I have anxiety, which does impact my life, as one can imagine. However, in the past year I've learned that I can take control of the direction my thoughts go in, and that I am strong enough not to let them incapacitate me. I wish I had learned these things earlier, but I honestly didn't know that my thought patterns were unhealthy. I just hope that now, my voice can make a difference to someone else.
I think it's important to acknowledge, especially today, that mental health isn't always as neat and boxed-up as it is portrayed in the media. Even things on social media that focus on healing and helping sometimes generalize their messages. My first tip would be to remember that not all of the positive affirmations you see are things that will help you. Instead of taking those as universal truth, reflect on your state of mind and come up with four or five thoughts that can become your personal mantras. These can be as general or specific as you'd like, but the thing to know is that you are the only person who gets to define yourself. Secondly, I find that I can only breathe free when I am healthy and rested. This doesn't always mean that I sleep well (or enough), but it does mean that I know when my mind is tired, and when I can push myself. Taking a break from productivity to nap, zone out, do some art, or read is perfectly okay. Some leisure activities that I've found help my efficiency are:
Lastly, it is okay to be a work in progress. You shouldn't feel pressure to be perfect, as long as you're acknowledging and working on your flaws. We all have them, and it's okay to show learning and growth. It is also okay to not be "fine" all the time. Everyone hurts, everyone has good and bad days. We're all human. We're all improving. Thank you for reading, and I hope everyone has a happy October!
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The BaronessHey, I'm Shreya! I love to read, write, travel, and drink tea. Disclosure: I am an affiliate of bookshop.org and I will earn a small commission if you click the above link and make a purchase.
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