There’s no candy coated way to say this, but sometimes life just freaking sucks.
When assignments are piling up and you’ve got a million things going on in your head and you feel like giving up, these songs are perfect. Music is a perfect remedy and it’s generally pretty helpful when you’re stuck in a slump.
When nothing’s going right, here are some songs that might help you make it through and remind you that you’re an unstoppable bad ass. ‘Cause sometimes you need a reminder that you can do this and life goes on and sometimes music is the best way to deliver the message.
1. Fighters – Kris Allen
“They could knock you down and make you fall / But we’ll get back up cause after all we’re born to be fighters”
This song is great because it reminds you that as humans we’re literally born to constantly be fighting to live. It sounds a little extreme, but Kris Allen definitely has a point. You’ve gotten this far in life and you can continue to get further if you just keep on fightin’.
2. Missing You – All Time Low
“Now don’t lose your fight, kid / It only takes a little push to pull on through”
Now if you’re someone who doesn’t always give into the inspirational quotes and you prefer a little bit of a dose of reality and simple fact, this pop punk anthem is for you. This song is essentially an anti-suicide song, but it’s perfect for whenever you feel like entirely giving up. It doesn’t discount your troubles, but it simply says that you can overcome them. Basically this song is saying yeah, I know life sucks but you got this.
3. Vienna – Billy Joel
“Slow down, you’re doing fine / You can’t be everything you want to be before your time”
This beautiful classic is perfect for those who are incredibly overwhelmed with obligations and assignments. When you’re very overwhelmed this song reminds you to slow down. It reminds you that you’re young and you have your life ahead of you and you don’t need to be everything right now. Take a breath, relax and don’t bite off more than you can chew.
4. A Little Too Much – Shawn Mendes
“Sometimes it all gets a little too much / But you gotta realize that soon the fog will clear up”
Shawn Mendes introduced this when he played it live as being a song that touched a lot of people. Think about that–so many people feel overwhelmed and like life is too much to handle. You’re not alone and eventually things won’t be as crazy or hard as they seem. This is the quintessential “things are crazy as hell right now” song, when it feels like you have so much going on and you can’t seem to catch a break, this song reminds you that eventually the storm clouds will part and leave you a little bit of sunshine.
5. The Climb – Miley Cyrus
“The struggles I’m facing, the chances I’m taking / Sometimes might knock me down, but no I’m not breaking”
You know I had to include this one. While you might be eye rolling a little bit to the throwback Hannah Montana jam, you gotta admit it’s got a pretty sweet message. It’s literally about getting past obstacles even when you feel like giving up or taking the easy way out. Maybe things are tough and life is knocking you down, but you’re going to get back up and climb that freakin’ mountain.
6. Fire Starter – Demi Lovato
“I’m a bad ass, jumping off a moving train / I’m a Jane Bond, putting all the guys to shame”
This song is about being a freakin’ bad ass woman who can do whatever she sets her mind to. This is exactly the empowering jam you need on bad days. Maybe this song is about “getting the guy” but the ultimate message is you got this and you can kick life’s ass.
7. Happy – Marina & the Diamonds
“I found what I’d been looking for in myself / Never thought that I could be, that I could be happy”
This song is about finally being able to find happiness within yourself. Marina is an artist who has gone from writing a lot of songs about being depressed and generally unhappy and this song is a song where she shares finally being at peace and being happy with herself. On days where you feel like giving up, this song reminds you that even if it doesn’t seem like it now, you can find happiness and peace within yourself. Try a little bit of self reflection and maybe you’ll be able to overcome your string of bad days.
8. Unwritten – Natasha Bedingfield
“Today is where your book begins / The rest is still unwritten”
This song is reminding you that you’re not a completed book, you’re still the metaphorical author writing your own life. Right now you might be in a pretty crappy chapter, but you might get to the good part soon. A change of your mood can help change the path of your story. This song reminds you to live life to the fullest and that your life is still up to you to guide it where you want it to go. There’s no need to give up when you can simply just rewrite your story, right?
9. Fight Song – Rachel Platten
“And I don’t really care if nobody else believes / ‘Cause I’ve still got a lot of fight left in me”
The perfect reminder that you’ve still got a lot of fight left and you’re not ready to give up. Even if you’re not feeling like you have a lot of fight, listening to this track and this playlist a few times is sure to get you feeling empowered and ready to tackle whatever life throws at you.
10. Keep Holding On – Avril Lavigne
“So keep holding on / ‘Cause you know we’ll make it through”
Another throwback song, but the message is pretty great. Even if you’re not going to suddenly become an optimistic bubble of enjoy, you can at least listen to this sad-sounding ballad that reminds you that you just have to keep holding on and you can make it through whatever you’re going through. songs for when you feel like giving up
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Image via Amelia Kramer
