Photo by Leeloo The First on Pexels
Ever wonder which podcast episodes leave the biggest mark – and why? In this micro episode, I reveal the conversations that changed me, the listener question that inspired it, and how music can transform your life, too.
I’m Mindy Peterson, host of Enhance Life with Music podcast, where we explore the ways music transforms everyday life. And this is Microhance, a micro-dose of musical enhancement.
Today’s micro episode was inspired by a listener – one in particular but also many listeners because the question this listener asked is similar to one of the questions I’m asked the most.
I love hearing from listeners, whether it’s a comment on a social media post, an email, or a comment on my website. Priyanka commented recently on a LinkedIn post for Micro 41. Micro 41 released at the 6-year mark of this podcast and was a quick look back at What I’ve Learned After over 200 Conversations About Music.
Priyanka commented: “Congratulations on six years and over 200 inspiring music conversations! It’s amazing how consistently these exchanges reveal music’s power – not just as an art form, but as a force for wellbeing, lifelong learning, and holistic growth.
“I’d love to hear more about which lesson has had the biggest impact on your own daily life, and how listeners are applying these insights outside of music. For me, music has shaped the way I approach brain health and connection in both personal and teaching contexts.
“Looking forward to more wisdom and community as the podcast continues!”
First of all: Thanks, Priyanka! I love this question, and it is similar to one of the questions I’m asked the most, which is: Do I have a favorite episode or is there an episode that I have found most impactful.
As you can imagine, this is like being asked to pick my favorite child, but I have noticed in the last 6 years that the conversations and episodes that really impact me and stick with me the most fall into one of 3 categories:
- Powerful personal stories: Some of my guests have stories that hit me between the eyes and I’ll never forget them. These are individuals who have experienced incredible lows in life and experienced firsthand the power of music in transforming their particular experience. Some that come to mind are Richard Casper, a young veteran whose life had spiraled out of control after a military experience; and Tim Ringgold, who faced addiction challenges and the terminal and painful illness of an infant daughter.
- Guests who have been part of my personal story:
- One of my early episodes was with the author of a 1999 book that I loved and referred back to and recommended to my piano students’ parents. The book is, “Good Music, Brighter Children: Simple and Practical Ideas to Help Transform Your Child’s Life Through the Power of Music,” by Sharlene Habermeyer. It was such a treat to speak with Sharlene about this book that had so touched and influenced my life. (Side note: we stayed in touch after that conversation had the chance to meet in person when I was in Sharlene’s state on vacation.)
- Another guest and topic that hit close to home for me was Laurie Berkner. Laurie entered my life, unbeknownst to her at the time, through her music for kids when my own kiddos were very young and we showed up to story time at the library, which included some music and movement. They played one of Laurie’s songs (the Goldfish song), and I was hooked! There was not much out there at the time in the way of kids’ music that didn’t drive parents crazy, and Laurie’s music helped save my sanity during that stage of parenthood! My eventual podcast conversation with Laurie happened during the height of the pandemic, and she described music’s stabilizing effect for children during uncertain times, and serenaded her childhood fans, including my daughter, who were at the time graduating from HS (often virtually).
Through the podcast, I later discovered the kiddo music of Stephanie Leavell, and interviewed her on the show. She is also absolutely brilliant when it comes to creating delightful and functional kids’ music; and I fervently wished she was old enough to have been making her music when my own kids were young. If you have any littles in your life, check out both Laurie and Stephanie’s music immediately!
- One of my early episodes was with the author of a 1999 book that I loved and referred back to and recommended to my piano students’ parents. The book is, “Good Music, Brighter Children: Simple and Practical Ideas to Help Transform Your Child’s Life Through the Power of Music,” by Sharlene Habermeyer. It was such a treat to speak with Sharlene about this book that had so touched and influenced my life. (Side note: we stayed in touch after that conversation had the chance to meet in person when I was in Sharlene’s state on vacation.)
- Guests who become part of my personal story: Often this is because they stay in touch, whether by email, on social media, or even meeting in person (like Sharlene) if we find ourselves in the same city. Other guests have introduced me to a service or product that I fall in love with and becomes part of my personal story, such as Jenny Maxwell and the JAMBARs she created, or Psyche Loui, Eric Fisher, and Kevin Woods who all introduced me in various ways to brain.fm (which I listen to every night before bed).
And the bigger takeaway for all of us is this: Just like me, your most meaningful experiences with music are likely to come from the ways it intersects with your personal story – whether that’s through a song that carried you through a hard season, an artist who supported your parenting years, or a new discovery that simply makes your everyday life better. The power of music isn’t only in the performance or the science – it’s in the way it becomes woven into the fabric of who we are.
I’d love to hear your answer to Priyanka’s question: How have you applied musical insights (either from this show or elsewhere) to your daily life? Or if you have a question of your own for me, let me know!
You can always connect with me on email (mindy@mpetersonmusic.com), Facebook, Instagram, X, or LinkedIn.
I’m Mindy Peterson, and I hope this inspires you to enhance your life with music.
View all Microhance episodes
If you enjoyed this episode, please:
- Follow us in your podcast app: This is FREE and conveniently delivers each new episode to your device when it releases, so you don’t have to search for it.
- Share us with others: If you know of someone who would enjoy this episode, please share it with them! It’s easy to do right in your podcast listening app. Just tap the Share feature for options to share by text, email, or social media (or share this page).
- Rate & review our show: This fuels our creative energy, and also helps others find the show!
Note: We occasionally use affiliate links for products and services we whole-heartedly believe in. We may receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, for purchases made through these links. This helps support the free content we provide.