The Jimi Hendrix of the Cello (with Joshua Roman)
New Episode of The Happiness Lab: The Jimi Hendrix of the Cello (with Joshua Roman)
In this season of The Happiness Lab, we’re exploring the science behind the creative ways we can cope with stress. This week, we’re turning to one of the most universal coping tools of all: music.
I had the chance to speak with world-renowned cellist Joshua Roman about how music has shaped his life and helped him survive some of his hardest moments. From falling in love with the cello as a three-year-old to using it as his lifeline while navigating long-COVID, Joshua’s story is a powerful reminder of how music can support our well-being during tough times.
If you want to hear more of Joshua’s story and how his relationship with playing music has evolved, listen to our full conversation in this week’s episode of The Happiness Lab, "The Jimi Hendrix of the Cello (with Joshua Roman).”
Here are some ways that playing and listening to music can help us feel better:
Music helps us regulate our emotions. Whether we’re trying to work through sadness, pump ourselves up, or simply calm our minds, music gives us an outlet to express our emotions. Joshua shared how playing and listening to music allowed him to feel big emotions he couldn’t always name—and made it safe to sit with them.
Music is incredibly rewarding. Listening to music activates the same reward pathways in the brain that respond to things we naturally enjoy, like good food and money.
Playing music is an opportunity to experience flow. Joshua found that playing the cello put him in a state of flow—that feeling of being completely immersed in what you’re doing, where time slows down and your sense of self fades away. Psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi described flow as one of the most fulfilling states we can experience, and playing music is one of the ways to get there.
Playing (and learning to play) music gives us a chance to practice self-compassion. One of the biggest lessons Joshua learned was that even a powerful coping tool like music stops working when it becomes an obligation. Instead of being hard on himself, he learned to treat himself like a friend would and began asking: do I actually want to play today? This shift toward self-compassion and learning to rest without guilt has helped him find joy in music again.
Take action today: You don’t need to play an instrument to use music as a coping tool. Try listening to a favorite song that puts you in a better mood. And if you play an instrument, challenge yourself with learning a new piece to experience that rewarding state of flow.
P.S. Know a friend who loves music or needs a little relief from stress? Please share this newsletter with them!
Looking for more?
You can find all our companion guides from this season of The Happiness Lab on DrLaurieSantos.com/Newsletter.
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