While driving today with the radio blaring, I heard a cell phone ring. My right hand automatically sprang to action, searching blindly for my Nokia. Surprisingly, it wasn’t my phone at all; it was a sound effect in the commercial that was playing.

Cute, like I need those 'Oh sh*t, I can't find my phone!' chemicals shooting through my body one more time today.

Then I thought, how often do we do that to ourselves? How often are we playing some nerve-racking sound effect in the background track of our mind and yet expecting to feel calm and collected?

Sound is a powerful subliminal influence.

Our survival instincts are well honed; we are built to understand what a sound represents and act on it immediately. How many notes from a movie does it take to give you a chill? Jaws, maybe two: dun, dun; or the shriek from the Psycho shower scene? Blood curdling! Sound and music lay down very deep tracks in our mind.

A song is a symbol. What it defines is unique to each of us. I love the song 'I'm Yours' by Jason Mraz. My response is guaranteed - first I cry, (while smiling) and then I want to call up my friend, Joe, or text 'I'm yours' to him.

What's interesting here is, though this has consistently under whelmed him, I am provoked the same way each and every time.

We run our own soundtracks, and negative or positive, it is our own being that is most profoundly affected. Everything from our heart rate to the subtlest of brain chemicals are affected by the emotion we attach to sound.

Take advantage of that 'song stuck in my head' dilemma; choose to set one for a positive spin.

Try This: Our mind is linked directly to sound, rhythm and vibration starting in the womb, and in most other cultures the word for music encompasses the idea of dancing or moving. Remember John Travolta’s fine swagger in Saturday Night Fever? You could hear and feel the song ‘Stayin’ Alive’ playing in his mind with every look, every step.

Create your own 'theme' music to trigger confident movement and positive mental action throughout your day.

So, when you do find your thoughts and body responses headed south of the can-do border, insert a little Bon Jovi (I am from New Jersey ;-) or the boldest rendition of Pavarotti ever heard. Find your soundtrack for generating the good stuff, and play it whenever you need a boost, or better yet, all daylong.