Soundtracks summary

When you were a kid, you probably heard the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Back then it could be a comforting line – especially if you were dealing with bullying and cruel schoolyard taunts.

But, as we all eventually find out, words can hurt – quite a lot, in fact. That’s true no matter where the harsh words come from. They could be uttered by school bullies or by the equally cruel voice we use to criticize ourselves. The pain is the same. 

Kanye West, superstar rapper, record producer, and fashion designer, isn’t a man who’s known for his modesty. Even before he found fame, his ego was big. In his early days, he was once overheard saying to a friend, “My life is dope, and I do dope shit.”

Now, that kind of brag might not be the type of thing you’d say to a friend – but as an addition to your inner soundtrack, it’s hard to beat. If you tend to think your way into self-doubt, then a soundtrack that reinforces your dopeness and the dopeness of your life is probably exactly what you need.

OK, so you've begun to interrogate your old soundtracks, and you’re drawing inspiration for better ones from the world around you. But what if you don’t know anyone like Kanye West? What if your environment isn’t furnishing you with the type of inspiring examples you need?

Well, then it’s time to reconsider the old soundtracks – that’s right, the same ones you’re trying to get rid of. Don’t worry: the point isn’t that you should hang onto them after all. Quite the opposite – every unhelpful soundtrack can actually be turned into a positive one. All you have to do is reverse it.

In a courtroom, the job of a jury is to listen to evidence and issue a verdict concerning the guilt of the defendant – guilty or not guilty, in that familiar legal phrase.

Now, speaking in front of a courtroom can be a harrowing experience. A jury is instructed to scrutinize your words and evaluate your behavior very carefully. And in a court of law, that makes sense. But what if you had a jury following you around all day, every day, analyzing your mistakes and reaching cruel verdicts?

Do you have any tattoos? These days, more and more people do.

Lots of people get them simply as a kind of decoration. Getting inked with flowers, sparrows, or a geometric design is like having a kind of colorful jewelry that can never be lost or stolen.