• Have you ever found yourself taken back to a long-ago moment when you hear a familiar melody?

• Did the feeling seem calm, joyful, or perhaps a little sad?

• Do you sometimes feel that being immersed in music is like taking a brief journey through time?

If you have had similar emotional experiences, then join me now for a new exploration of memories inspired by music!

Materials: a computer or phone that can play music, earphones (optional), several coloured pens, and a piece of white paper.

*Disclaimer: This toolkit is designed to support personal reflection and creative expression. It does not provide any form of psychological assessment or counselling. It cannot replace professional mental health services, and you should seek professional help if you feel discomfort during the process.

Steps:

Part 1 Reading and Thinking (2 minutes):

Read the cards below and reflect on the connection between music and memory. You do not need to write anything down and you only need to let these ideas stay in your mind for a moment.

Part 2 Choose Music (2 mins):

On your phone or computer, choose a piece of music or a melody that is meaningful to you.

Part 3 Listening (5 minutes):

Play the music and let yourself relax. You may close your eyes if you wish. Focus on the memories and emotions that come to you.

Part 4 Creation (7 minutes):

On a blank sheet of paper, write down any keywords and simple drawings, or short sentences if you prefer, using any way you like to express your feelings and memories. Write the name of the song and the singer on the card to complete a music memory card that belongs to you and this song.

Tips:

If you feel unsure about how to start, you can try the following approaches.

• Write down the emotions you sensed, such as happiness, anger, sadness or anxiety.

• Note the scenes that the music brought back to you, for example school, beach or  bedroom.

• Write down the line of lyrics that stood out to you.

• You can also use any colours you like to express your feelings.

Part 5 Review and Extension (4 minutes):

Take a few minutes to look back at the emotions and memories you recorded on your music card and think about the following questions

1. What emotions and memories did this music bring up for you? How do you feel when you think about them again

2. Can the colors, images, and keywords you recorded be used as inspiration to create an artwork

Call to Action (You can choose to do this after using the toolkit)

Create your own personal music memory playlist

• Choose five to ten songs that can bring back happy memories
• Organize these songs into a playlist
• You can use this playlist as a tool to briefly improve your mood when you feel down

Here our music memory journey comes to an end

You can share the emotions and memories that came up with your friends or family and see if it creates unexpected connections!

Every memory is worth cherishing

(Photo by Ying Jin)