Wanna Cry? This List Of Sad Songs Will Definitely Get You There
I'm not saying anyone wants to intentionally be sad, but have you ever just wanted to be in a funk? Run a bath and pull the covers over your head to songs that once got you through a breakup or the loss of a loved one? Even if you can't relate, it's those songs that make you think, "They just don't make them like this anymore." The ones that bring nostalgia and emotions that put you back into the first time you heard it.
It's no secret music has the power to pull on heartstrings, so if you want to feel sad, here are songs that make your soundtrack complete. Just grab a Kleenex first.
1.“One Sweet Day” - Mariah Carey ft. Boyz II Men
This is one of those songs that you belt out without realizing how sad it really is. The melody might be beautiful and nostalgic, but the lyrics are as sad as it gets.
2."Purple Rain" - Prince
Whew. From the guitar solo to the "oos" at the end, get ready to get all the way in your feelings.
3."Rainy Dayz" - Mary J. Blige ft. Ja Rule
It will have you looking out the window, shaking your head, and singing every word.
4."Backstabbers" - The O'Jays
It might not be a song about a breakup, but jealous "friends" you have to side-eye aren't necessarily fun either.
5."Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart" - Alicia Keys
Just the thought of sleeping with a broken heart is enough to make you sad. Alicia just takes it up a notch.
6."All Falls Down" - Kanye West ft. Syleena Johnson
The old Kanye had a way of getting us into our emotions, and this song, along with the video, was no exception.
7."I Have Nothing" - Whitney Houston
I mean, there are few songs that make us bare our souls like this one. It can leave you drained before you even realize what happened.
8."I Miss You" - Aaliyah
Who else felt that "Off to college, yes you went away" line every time?
9."Ain't No Way" - Aretha Franklin
Ready to love someone who refuses to let you (or love you back)? The legendary Aretha Franklin makes it OK to mourn that moment in this ballad.
10."Marvin's Room" - Drake
Drake is just as emotional as most of us, and he had no shame in showing his regrets with an ex.
11."Dance With My Father" - Luther Vandross
You didn't have to be grown to feel the gravity of Luther's emotions.
12."Hello" - Adele
If anyone can make you feel sad about your true love not answering your calls, it's Adele.
13."End Of The Road" - Boyz II Men
When the end of a relationship is too much to bear, Boyz II Men is there to help us cope.
14."Lost Ones" - J. Cole
Even if you don't know all of the words, the story itself is enough to be sad by the time the outro fades.
15."Un-Break My Heart" - Toni Braxton
Toni, Toni, Toni. This song is at the top of the breakup soundtrack.
16."See You Again" - Wiz Khalifa ft. Charlie Puth
There are fewer things worse than losing a close friend and not being able to share life's moments with them.
17."Broken-Hearted Girl" - Beyonce
When begging someone to stay just doesn't work.
18."When I Was Your Man" - Bruno Mars
You can literally feel the pain of a good thing gone bad.
19."Dreaming Of You" - Selena
When the love of your life may or may not feel the same way, the best thing you can do is dream about them.
20."Save The Best For Last" - Vanessa Williams
The song has its positive moments, but for some reason, it can put you in a mood.
21."Yo Side Of The Bed" - Trey Songz
If the song isn't enough to make you cry, the video will do it.
22."Ex-Factor" - Lauryn Hill
Every lyric is a monumental one to get you emotional.
23."Stay" - Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
You might as well cry yourself to sleep on this one.
24."Unpretty" - TLC
You might be sad, but you'll still be unapologetically you.
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Charmaine Patterson is a journalist, lifestyle blogger, and a lover of all things pop culture. While she has much experience in covering top entertainment news stories, she aims to share her everyday life experiences, old and new, with other women who can relate, laugh, and love along with her. Follow Char on Twitter @charjpatterson, Instagram @charpatterson, and keep up with her journey at CharJPatterson.com .
How Content Creators Hey Fran Hey And Shameless Maya Embraced The Pivot
This article is in partnership with Meta Elevate.
If you’ve been on the internet at all within the past decade, chances are the names Hey Fran Hey and Shameless Maya (aka Maya Washington) have come across your screen. These content creators have touched every platform on the web, spreading joy to help women everywhere live their best lives. From Fran’s healing natural remedies to Maya’s words of wisdom, both of these content creators have built a loyal following by sharing honest, useful, and vulnerable content. But in search of a life that lends to more creativity, freedom, and space, these digital mavens have moved from their bustling big cities (New York City and Los Angeles respectively) to more remote locations, taking their popular digital brands with them.
Content Creators Hey Fran Hey and Maya Washington Talk "Embracing The Pivot"www.youtube.com
In partnership with Meta Elevate — an online learning platform that provides Black, Hispanic, and Latinx-owned businesses access to 1:1 mentoring, digital skills training, and community — xoNecole teamed up with Franscheska Medina and Maya Washington on IG live recently for a candid conversation about how they’ve embraced the pivot by changing their surroundings to ultimately bring out the best in themselves and their work. Fran, a New York City native, moved from the Big Apple to Portland, Oregon a year ago. Feeling overstimulated by the hustle and bustle of city life, Fran headed to the Pacific Northwest in search of a more easeful life.
Her cross-country move is the backdrop for her new campaign with Meta Elevate— a perfectly-timed commercial that shows how you can level up from wherever you land with the support of free resources like Meta Elevate. Similarly, Maya packed up her life in Los Angeles and moved to Sweden, where she now resides with her husband and adorable daughter. Maya’s life is much more rural and farm-like than it had been in California, but she is thriving in this peaceful new setting while finding her groove as a new mom.
While Maya is steadily building and growing her digital brand as a self-proclaimed “mom coming out of early retirement,” Fran is redefining her own professional grind. “It’s been a year since I moved from New York City to Portland, Oregon,” says Fran. “I think the season I’m in is figuring out how to stay successful while also slowing down.” A slower-paced life has unlocked so many creative possibilities and opportunities for these ladies, and our conversation with them is a well-needed reminder that your success is not tied to your location…especially with the internet at your fingertips. Tapping into a community like Meta Elevate can help Black, Hispanic, and Latinx entrepreneurs and content creators stay connected to like minds and educated on new digital skills and tools that can help scale their businesses.
During a beautiful moment in the conversation, Fran gives Maya her flowers for being an innovator in the digital space. Back when “influencing” was in its infancy and creators were just trying to find their way, Fran says Maya was way ahead of her time. “I give Maya credit for being one of the pioneers in the digital space,” Fran said. “Maya is a one-person machine, and I always tell her she really changed the game on what ads, campaigns, and videos, in general, should look like.”
When asked what advice she’d give content creators, Maya says the key is having faith even when you don’t see the results just yet. “It’s so easy to look at what is, despite you pouring your heart into this thing that may not be giving you the returns that you thought,” she says. “Still operate from a place of love and authenticity. Have faith and do the work. A lot of people are positive thinkers, but that’s the thinking part. You also have to put your faith into work and do the work.”
Fran ultimately encourages content creators and budding entrepreneurs to take full advantage of Meta Elevate’s vast offerings to educate themselves on how to build and grow their businesses online. “It took me ten years to get to the point where I’m making ads at this level,” she says. “I didn’t have those resources in 2010. I love the partnership with Meta Elevate because they’re providing these resources for free. I just think of the people that wouldn’t be able to afford that education and information otherwise. So to amplify a company like this just feels right.”
Watch the full conversation with the link above, and join the Meta Elevate community to connect with fellow businesses and creatives that are #OnTheRiseTogether.
Featured image courtesy of Shameless Maya and Hey Fran Hey
The body keeps score! Trauma can have far-reaching effects on our physical, emotional, and mental health. One area that can be significantly impacted is our sex life. Trauma sticks with us. It lives inside us and our relationships, greatly interfering with our ability to experience pleasure on the deepest of levels. People who have gone through a traumatic experience sometimes can be left feeling emotionally drained and/or have difficulty establishing intimacy. They sometimes even lack a sense of self-worth or find it difficult to be affectionate with a partner.
To learn if your trauma is impacting your sexual relationships, here are some signs to look out for.
1. You avoid sex.
The first sign is a general lack of interest in sexual activity. You may find yourself avoiding or actively running away from any kind of intimacy, whether it be physical or emotional. This could be because you're feeling overwhelmed by the trauma or because you feel like it's not safe to open up emotionally. Either way, it's important to pay attention to what your body and mind are telling you so that you can address the root cause of this behavior.
2. You dissassociate.
When you don’t feel safe in your body, it blocks you from feeling the depths of your sensations. It is not uncommon for people living with trauma to feel disconnected from their bodies. During sex, the brain releases norepinephrine which is the same hormone that floods the brain when experiencing fear. In the case of trauma, your brain sometimes has trouble separating the normal release of this hormone during intimacy from a traumatic experience.
3. You have poor body image.
Trauma and body image issues have a complex relationship. Traumatic events can lead to body dysmorphia, which is an extreme preoccupation with one's physical appearance. People who have suffered from traumatic experiences may be more likely to develop negative thoughts and feelings about their bodies, leading to negative body image. Negative body image can also lead to depression and anxiety.
4. You experience painful sex.
Oftentimes, female trauma survivors suffer from gynecologic issues such as vaginismus, an involuntary contraction of the vaginal muscles during penetration. This condition is caused by violence, childbirth trauma, sexual assault, and emotional and/or psychological trauma. Whenever penetration is attempted, the vaginal muscles tighten up, causing extreme discomfort or pain.
5. You have difficulty maintaining intimacy.
Another sign that trauma is affecting your sex life is the difficulty in maintaining intimacy during sexual activities. This could manifest itself as difficulty staying aroused, difficulty sustaining an erection, difficulty getting into "the mood," or even difficulty communicating openly with a partner about what feels good or doesn't feel good physically and emotionally. All of these issues can point to underlying issues related to the trauma that needs to be addressed before they begin to interfere with relationship dynamics and overall well-being.
6. You have trust issues.
The lack of trust in a sexual partner can be problematic in a variety of ways due to past trauma. First, being vulnerable is unlikely to happen unless you have faith that the other person won't hurt you physically, mentally, or emotionally. Secondly, it is challenging enough to share your wants and needs without the perception that people are inherently dangerous or that sex leads to betrayal or harm. Sex can be disappointing, triggering, or unsatisfactory if trauma has taught you these things.
Trauma has a wide range of effects on our lives, including our sex lives. If any of these signs resonate with you, it's important to take time for introspection and practice self-care so that you can deal with your past experiences in healthy ways.
While the signs of sexual trauma can be difficult to identify, they can be diagnosed through counseling and therapy. Therapy For Black Girls has a wide network of licensed therapists and online resources that can help you get the help you need. Survivors can also contact their Crisis Text Line by texting the word TRIBE to 741741.
Healing takes time, but it can be done with the proper care and attention paid to our minds and bodies.
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