How Songwriting Develops Our Emotional Intelligence
This might be a “which came first, the chicken or the egg” situation but in my observation, songwriters seem to have an emotional awareness that goes beyond that of the average person. However, whether you are the genetic inheritor of emotional intelligence or not, there can be no doubt that writing songs enhances our EQ (as emotional intelligence is sometimes called) for a variety of reasons. So, given how much richer our lives can be when we’re in touch with our own and others’ emotions, I’m going to list a few of the ways that writing songs strengthens our all-important emotional intelligence.
1. Writing Songs Forces Us to Name, Shape and Understand Our Emotions
Songwriting, at its best, is compelling storytelling. And, in order to tell a good story, we need to be able to observe our emotions and then to describe them not only to ourselves but also to anyone who hears our songs. I’ve read that the best way to test the strength of our ideas is to try to write about them. Writing songs gives us the opportunity to do exactly that. Instead of suppressing our emotions, we’re exploring them. By taking the time to truly understand and describe what we’re feeling - or what the characters in our songs are feeling - we’re sharpening our own emotional intelligence.
2. Writing From Different Perspectives Improves Our Empathy
As I mentioned briefly in the preceding paragraph, not all songs are from our own perspective. Some of the best songs I’ve ever heard are songs where the singer is telling us a story not about themselves but about someone else from that person’s point of view. By learning to write from different perspectives, we’re inhabiting the emotional worlds of others. This kind of intense observation improves our empathy in a way that allows us to connect with people at a deep, emotional level. This is a skill that carries far beyond the ability to simply tell a good story from someone else’s point of view.
3. Writing Focuses Our Emotional Awareness
The more we focus on what makes us human, the more our awareness places emotions at the front and center. This is, of course, great for songwriting but also leads to a host of other benefits that come directly from heightened emotional intelligence, like better relationships, clearer communication and even healthier boundaries. Imagine learning to communicate in a way that is both clear and compelling while taking into account our listener’s perspective at the same time. That is what a highly developed emotional intelligence allows us to do.
Conclusion
As both the son and brother of therapists, I never had a chance to NOT be, at the very least, emotionally aware. That being said, there’s a difference between simple awareness and the ability to truly understand and leverage our emotional intelligence. This works to great effect as a songwriter but, much more importantly, it’s a critical life skill that I’m grateful I’ve developed over my decades of songwriting. The best part is that you’ll improve your own emotional intelligence by simply writing songs. It’s a part of the package.
Bio
Cliff Goldmacher is a GRAMMY-recognized, #1 hit songwriter, music producer and author with recording studios in Nashville, TN and Middle River, MD. Through his studios, Cliff provides songwriters outside of Nashville with virtual, live access to Nashville’s best session musicians and studio vocalists for their songwriting demos. Find out more.You can also download Cliff’s FREE tip sheet “A Dozen Quick Fixes To Instantly Improve Your Songs.”
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