Preface: Start

“You can’t get rid of what you carry around in your metaphorical backpack. All you can do is take that pack off, look inside and rearrange it so it doesn’t mess up other parts of your life, like your relationships or your children.” – Huey Morgan

I see a former colleague’s post on LinkedIn. It’s the summer of 2022, and the post’s about people who work away from home for weeks at a time at big sports events, like I occasionally do, and how some of those people sometimes struggle with what’s going on inside their heads. That post really resonates with me. I think, “I want to say things like that on platforms like this, so why don’t I?”

I consider how I’d like to curb my tendency to overthink, rein in my penchant for impostor syndrome, and stem the tide of self-critical thought which I’ve been prone to for as long as I can remember and which, in 2022, routinely stumbled into my working day with the discretion of a drunk tripping over a chair leg while carrying a tray of eggs.

On Spotify, I scroll through the playlists I put together every year to help me remember the funny, beautiful and important moments which occurred during a particular set of 12 months.

And now I watch from afar as a bloke I’ve never met builds a community project for men’s mental health, aiming to break the stigma of this topic and talk openly about it.  I think: “That’s brilliant. I want to do something like that for people like that.”

The Peace of Mind Playlist is my attempt at bringing those things together primarily for blokes over 30. A stab at combining personal stories, some of the science – in plain English – that drives the human brain. Strategies to help quieten your inner critic. And a varied, accompanying playlist featuring 49 tracks, old and new, that span the moods. A new, varied playlist for people who like new, varied playlists.

The first part of the book (five songs) offers a bit more context on the pages which follow. Part 2 (seven songs) looks at getting started, while Part 3 (15 songs) presents science and scenarios. Part 4 (21 songs) is where you’ll find the meat (or meat substitute if you’re vegan). This is where the 18 strategies are explained. Accessible mental health support for blokes who could do with accessible mental health support.

The premise

The book’s premise explores two key areas of our brain which work differently. One is primal, the other evolved more recently and is more rational. By the time you get to Part 4, you’ll hopefully – if I’ve done my job well – have a clear understanding of how these two areas of the brain function and can make us feel. With this knowledge, Part 4’s strategies can then be used more effectively, and reinforced by music.

The power of the playlist should not be underestimated. Playlists are handy, shareable and powerful. They can give us something special, like old photos. They can rekindle memories of a time, a place or a loved one. And they can help someone going through a tough time to remember some useful, proven strategies to use which might alleviate the stress a little. Playlists can surprise, energise or remind. Press play for peace of mind.

I often wonder whether The Peace of Mind Playlist, which you’ll find above and on Spotify, should be focused on one or two genres, such as house or ska. In the end, I copied the premise of the playlists I create for every year: the memories are mixed, the moments mingle, and so the music varies. Just like life. Music, with all its different moods, comforts us, soothes us, reassures us like an old friend. It can spur us into action, invigorate or relax us. Music can help us to remember the things that lead to peace of mind.

Why should you listen to me?

Like Scott Johnson, I’m a bloke trying to break the stigma of men’s mental health by encouraging conversation on this topic. And, like Kate Lamb, I want to say things on public platforms that will hopefully reach and help people who sometimes struggle with what’s going on inside their heads.

I’m not a doctor. I’m not qualified in these things. But I have been quite good at tying myself in mental knots, worrying unnecessarily and overthinking my overthinking. And in the two years following the Beijing 2022 winter Olympics, I learned how to identify, understand and manage this kind of thinking and improve my life with much more peace of mind.

In the process of producing The Peace of Mind Playlist, I reckon I’ve reduced my negative or unhelpful thinking by as much as 90%.

I’d like nothing more now than to help other people – you, maybe – to do something similar, to enjoy more peace of mind by using a proven set of strategies and a hand-picked playlist. Press play for peace of mind – but remember: you can’t silence your inner critic merely by turning up the volume.

The songs in that playlist can help in isolation but are best served in combination with their corresponding strategies in the book. Read or listen to the book (an audio version will be available only to a select bunch – and you’re virtually in already), and enjoy the playlist as the songs remind you of a particular story or strategy or scientific fact.

Finally, I must emphasise that the information presented in this book should not be treated as a substitute for qualified medical advice. If you’re in the UK and you or someone else is in danger, call 999 or go to A&E now. If you need help urgently for your mental health, but it’s not an emergency, call the NHS on 111 or visit 111.nhs.uk. Your mental health is as important as your physical health. You will not be wasting anyone’s time.

• The Peace of Mind Playlist is the result of two years of focused research and about 17 years of casual research – books and blog posts I’ve read, podcasts I’ve listened to, therapy sessions I’ve babbled my way through and so on.

• If you like books such as The Chimp Paradox, Why Has Nobody Told Me This Before? or Think Like A Monk, you might enjoy The Peace of Mind Playlist. 

• No need to carry the book around with you for backup – The Peace of Mind Playlist via Spotify on your phone will do just fine.

• So, are you in?

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Cheers!
Pazza