One of my primary goals this year is to learn how to calm my mind during periods of unprecedented stress. Previous years of my involvement in producing gigs were marked by a constant sense of unease, supported by the feeling like the ground started shaking minutes after I woke up. And the war, with its always-on news cycle and planning for the worse in case of conflict expanding, did not make it easier for me to stay sane in current reality. As a result, I'm finally exhausted from living through stress day by day. 

There are many tools on my checklist to try, but for now, I attribute the most significant starting progress to classical music listening. So much so that in my private journey around the genre for the past few months, I've become moderately confident that classical music can make you a better person - even providing the key to unlocking better decision-making abilities in our lives. Yeah, the random Twitter guy will talk about poker in that regard, so allow me to make a case for classics for once.

The notion I've lived for quite a few years is that classical music is boring and can't keep up with the pace of our modern world. That's difficult to argue about during a Tiktokization of the whole media environment as we become more accustomed to easily consumable content. In that world, classical music is dull and uninteresting because people around are used to the more upbeat tempos and rhythms not of only other genres of music but of the whole array of audiovisual content. In addition, we feel okay to demand something from the art: have a little portion of fun, a 10-second laughter, or a 2-second jump scare. So it becomes impossible to stop and listen to what's hidden inside a particular art form if that's not a job assignment.

Somewhere along the way comes the moment you realize that art owes you nothing but its pure being out there in the world. With a conscious listening effort, classical music becomes as captivating and enjoyable as any other type of music, full of emotion, power, and intricacy. It requires attentive listening to find and appreciate its complexity and beauty. With the right attitude and an open mind, classical music can provide a stunning and captivating experience – alongside multiple science-supported benefits.

Studies have shown that listening to classical pieces can improve cognitive function, enhancing memory and concentration while simultaneously calming the mind and body and reducing stress and anxiety. All of this can lead to a clearer and more focused mind, making it easier to weigh the pros and cons of any decision that requires thoughtful and well-informed thinking. How exactly does this happen? One theory is that the structured and (somewhat) predictable patterns found in classical music mirror the patterns of thought that our brains use when making decisions. This means that we're effectively training our brains to think more organized and logically when we listen to classical music. In that sense, it's an additional protective layer that gives you a sense of control over chaos. 

I certainly did not become the calmest person in the universe, but at least I started to feel the effects of the stress-reduced mind since I started blasting the DG catalog in my earbuds during working hours. Long-term, I see what a powerful tool it can be for improving decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills. And the more I dive deep into the discography of somebody like Barenboim or Karajan, the more fascinated I am with how much complexity the genre provides. I'm consciously not willing to take on any "best-to-listen" lists for this post, as there are lots of them online, and the history of classical music is vast to be captured within a silly Mirror page of mine. But the only thing I want to share in the listening department is this: don't force yourself to like a particular piece. Despite many top-100 editions available on the web, there's no definitive answer on what you'll definitely enjoy. Be open, and you'll catch it along your journey.

And in the end, you may be surprised at how much easier it becomes to find the right path with classics on your side.

One of my primary goals this year is to learn how to calm my mind during periods of unprecedented stress. Previous years of my involvement in producing gigs were marked by a constant sense of unease, supported by the feeling like the ground started shaking minutes after I woke up. And the war, with its always-on news cycle and planning for the worse in case of conflict expanding, did not make it easier for me to stay sane in current reality. As a result, I'm finally exhausted from living through stress day by day. 

There are many tools on my checklist to try, but for now, I attribute the most significant starting progress to classical music listening. So much so that in my private journey around the genre for the past few months, I've become moderately confident that classical music can make you a better person - even providing the key to unlocking better decision-making abilities in our lives. Yeah, the random Twitter guy will talk about poker in that regard, so allow me to make a case for classics for once.

The notion I've lived for quite a few years is that classical music is boring and can't keep up with the pace of our modern world. That's difficult to argue about during a Tiktokization of the whole media environment as we become more accustomed to easily consumable content. In that world, classical music is dull and uninteresting because people around are used to the more upbeat tempos and rhythms not of only other genres of music but of the whole array of audiovisual content. In addition, we feel okay to demand something from the art: have a little portion of fun, a 10-second laughter, or a 2-second jump scare. So it becomes impossible to stop and listen to what's hidden inside a particular art form if that's not a job assignment.

Somewhere along the way comes the moment you realize that art owes you nothing but its pure being out there in the world. With a conscious listening effort, classical music becomes as captivating and enjoyable as any other type of music, full of emotion, power, and intricacy. It requires attentive listening to find and appreciate its complexity and beauty. With the right attitude and an open mind, classical music can provide a stunning and captivating experience – alongside multiple science-supported benefits.

Studies have shown that listening to classical pieces can improve cognitive function, enhancing memory and concentration while simultaneously calming the mind and body and reducing stress and anxiety. All of this can lead to a clearer and more focused mind, making it easier to weigh the pros and cons of any decision that requires thoughtful and well-informed thinking. How exactly does this happen? One theory is that the structured and (somewhat) predictable patterns found in classical music mirror the patterns of thought that our brains use when making decisions. This means that we're effectively training our brains to think more organized and logically when we listen to classical music. In that sense, it's an additional protective layer that gives you a sense of control over chaos. 

I certainly did not become the calmest person in the universe, but at least I started to feel the effects of the stress-reduced mind since I started blasting the DG catalog in my earbuds during working hours. Long-term, I see what a powerful tool it can be for improving decision-making abilities and problem-solving skills. And the more I dive deep into the discography of somebody like Barenboim or Karajan, the more fascinated I am with how much complexity the genre provides. I'm consciously not willing to take on any "best-to-listen" lists for this post, as there are lots of them online, and the history of classical music is vast to be captured within a silly Mirror page of mine. But the only thing I want to share in the listening department is this: don't force yourself to like a particular piece. Despite many top-100 editions available on the web, there's no definitive answer on what you'll definitely enjoy. Be open, and you'll catch it along your journey.

And in the end, you may be surprised at how much easier it becomes to find the right path with classics on your side.