Feeling Good and Happy-What Frequency Uplifts You When Driving Out of Range?

It was a crisp autumn- Sunday- morning, the kind where the trees glow in warm shades of red, pink and gold and the sunlight punches through dancing with joy. The perfect time to treat myself and my dog to a new adventure in the English countryside. I was driving and recording the sights of fall unfolding around me, casting new patterns on the road.

My favourite classical music station played softly in the background, each note wrapping around me like a magic pair of shoes that could take me places I’ve never imagined before. I felt being carried along by the music and so free- like one of those red leaves flowing around me.

While driving I was also travelling within, reflecting on a question that surfaced in my mind, one I’d been pushing aside for a long time: How much of my energy is spent holding myself back instead of lifting myself up? I realised that I’d been doing exactly that lately—doubting myself, downplaying my strengths, getting caught up in thoughts of what I couldn’t do rather than focusing on what I could. Is it possible that I surround myself with a frequency that holds me back instead of choosing a frequency that uplifts me?

Just as I was lost in thought, the music began to fade, the frequency of my station interrupted by a burst of static and another channel trying to push through. I was slipping out of range. As I drove further, the signal weakened. Another station tried to push through, filling the air with static and heavy sounds.

I reached to tune it back, but I couldn’t find the frequency, it was replaced with something I didn’t want to listen to. Another frequency was trying to take over and make me tune in. A bit annoyed that I left my Nomad Walkman behind and I had to deal with this aggressive invasion of my privacy, I turned off the radio. I refused to let the intrusion pull me away from the sanctuary I’d discover. I drove in silence, staying with the question and letting the colours of autumn guide me.

In that quiet space, I felt a shift, I felt in alignment with the autumn around me and my sanctuary wihin. Choosing to stay with the frequency of the classical music—even after it had gone—reminded me of the power I have to keep my own “frequency” to hold onto what lifts me rather than letting the noise of doubt take over.

If you’d read about the power of self-perception and self-actualization, you already know how they’re linked to greater joy and happiness. Studies show that when we actively choose positive, empowering thoughts, we increase our well-being and our ability to overcome stress. We can literally train our minds to uplift us instead of pulling us down.

The rest of the drive felt like a promise to myself—a reminder that I could choose what I let in and what I let go. Just as I stayed with the silence, I could stay with the strengths and goals that matter to me, lifting myself up rather than allowing the interference of self-doubt. By the time I turned back home, I felt lighter, more centred and ready to let this “frequency” guide me forward.

This small choice mirrors a simple but powerful tool in everyday life: lifting yourself up by choosing the thoughts, beliefs and environments that align with your inner well-being. Studies show that when you consciously manage your mental “frequency”— intentionally seeking out positivity and tuning out negativity— you experience greater happiness and resilience.

You are less likely to be swayed by external stressors and more attuned to your own needs and values. The World Happiness Report confirms that positive self-regulation lowers anxiety, boosts mood and strengthens long-term mental health.

When choosing your own “station” and rejecting interference, you become aware that your inner peace matters and that you have control over what you allow into your mental space. This choice builds a habit of resilience, reminding you that well-being is a practice, a frequency that only you can truly fine-tune.

Choosing to “lift yourself up” and stay on a “frequency” of your choice, is much like tuning into a favourite radio station—like classical music—while driving. When another frequency tries to disrupt that signal, you can either allow it to shift your experience or choose to maintain control over what you hear. You could always switch off the radio or sing along with your own tune. This choice reflects a powerful ability for self-regulation and intentionality.

Recent studies suggest that maintaining an “inner frequency” aligned with personal values and emotions plays a vital role in your well-being. Research on “frequency-based” well-being—often referred to as emotional resonance—has shown that people who deliberately cultivate positive states, such as gratitude and optimism, experience higher resilience to stress.

This choice of “frequency” allows you to neutralise negative self-talk and external criticism, elevating happiness and satisfaction levels. Numerous research has shown that practising self-compassion (tuning into a “frequency” of kindness toward oneself) can significantly lower anxiety and boost self-esteem.

Needless to mention that the power of music itself is also recognised by neuroscience, showing that classical and relaxing genres can shift brain waves into a “theta” state associated with relaxation and creativity. A study published in Nature Scientific Reports indicates that listening to self-selected, relaxing music can increase dopamine levels, a neurotransmitter linked to happiness, and reduce the brain’s stress response. This aligns with findings from Harvard’s Mind and Mood studies, which demonstrate that music can significantly reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety by encouraging a preferred mental “frequency”.

Returning to the metaphor of choosing your own radio channel or portable walkman: when driving out of range, we could let static disrupt our experience or take control by turning off the interference and finding calmness within. In a similar way, maintaining self-chosen thoughts, such as positive self-talk or simply staying silent, empowers you to regulate your emotional state. Neuroscience has shown that this conscious self-regulation activates the brain’s prefrontal cortex, helping override automatic negative thoughts (the “static”) and increase emotional resilience.

Ultimately, staying “on our own frequency” allows you to uphold a sense of self- perception and positive intention, even when life’s “interference” might tempt us to shift frequency. This conscious decision to stay uplifted—whether by listening to uplifting music, positive self-talk, or simply enjoying silence— is a choice you can make to maintain happiness and build resilience in the face of everyday life’s challenges. 

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