10 Awesome Songs to Motivate You and Lift Your Spirit

Sometimes it can be hard to find the energy to motivate yourself, it can be hard to know how to pick yourself up and push yourself to be the best you can be. We all have those moments, sometimes even those days, but thankfully for when those times come around there’s music.

Whether you need encouragement to get you through a workout, tackle a long day at work, go after your dreams or simply to put a smile on your face, here’s 10 awesome songs to motivate, inspire and empower you.

#1 Kelly Clarkson – Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You)

Written as a representation of Kelly Clarkson’s own life, Stronger is one of those songs that just makes you want to stand up and be counted.

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, stronger

Just me, myself and I

What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger

Stand a little taller

Doesn’t mean I’m lonely when I’m alone 

#2 Chumbawumba – Tubthumping

Okay, okay, I admit it – this one’s a little cheesy but who doesn’t love it? It’s capable of putting a smile on anyone’s face and, despite the cheese, it teaches us a valuable lesson about life.

I get knocked down

But I get up again

You’re never gonna keep me down 

#3 Katy Perry – Firework

From another of our favourite pop queens comes Firework. If you’re looking for a general pick-me-up or a song to make you feel like you can achieve anything then this is it. It’s all about showing that you’re not just another spectator in life and that you’re willing to go out and make your life beautiful.

‘Cause, baby, you’re a firework

Come on, show ’em what you’re worth

Make ’em go, “Aah, aah, aah”

As you shoot across the sky-y-y 

#4 Survivor – Eye Of The Tiger

This may just be the greatest workout song ever written. I find it hard to believe that there’s a single person out there who doesn’t feel pumped up and ready to tackle anything as soon as they hear the opening chords of this song.

It’s the eye of the tiger

It’s the thrill of the fight

Rising up to the challenge of our rival 

#5 India Menzel – Let It Go

Frozen is Disney Pixar’s latest creation and with it comes a collection of fantastic songs with the usual Disney charm. Let It Go incredibly heartwarming and teaches us how important it is to be who we really are and not to conform to what people think we should be. We’re all individual, it’s time we all learn to express and embrace that.

It’s funny how some distance

Makes everything seem small

And the fears that once controlled me

Can’t get to me at all 

#6 Owl City & Carly Rae Jepson – Good Time

There are few songs out there as catchy as Good Time which makes it a great pick-me-up. Every time I hear it I can’t help but want to dance and it always reminds me just how great life is, even when I’m down.

Doesn’t matter when

It’s always a good time then

Doesn’t matter where

It’s always a good time there 

#7 Train – Maybe This Will Be My Year

Do you ever feel like you’ve spent your whole life waiting for something great to come along? Do you spend every New Year thinking ‘this will be my year’? Train have put those feelings into lyrics perfectly and their hit song encourages us to quit waiting around and go out and grab every opportunity that comes our way.

No more

Countin’ down the hours

No more

Wishin’ you were here

I stopped believin’,

Although Journey told me ‘don’t’

Before I call it a day,

Maybe this’ll be my year 

#8 Katrina & the Waves – Walking On Sunshine

If you’re looking for a song to make you want to sing and dance, to lift your spirits and energize you then this is it. It’s catchy, it’s fun and it’s sure to motivate you within the first few bars.

I feel alive, I feel the love, I feel the love that’s really real

I’m on sunshine, baby, oh 

#9 Journey – Don’t Stop Believin’

No list of motivational songs would be complete without Journey’s iconic Don’t Stop Believing. Do I even need to explain what’s so awesome about it? It’s a song virtually all of us will know and love, it’s a song we turn our radios up for and sing our hearts out to. This song should permanently be on all our music players, ready to pick us up when we’re down.

Workin’ hard to get my fill

Everybody wants a thrill

Payin’ anything to roll the dice

Just one more time

Some will win

Some will lose

Some were born to sing the blues

#10 Imagine Dragons – On Top Of The World

For true motivation, I don’t think there’s any song better than On Top Of The World because, let’s face it, it’s where we all want to be. It’s the song that I play on repeat when life is going great, that get’s me started on my morning run and puts me in the best of moods even when life’s raining on me. It’s catchy, it’s got a fab tune and it truly is full of motivation.

I’m on top of the world, ‘ay

Waiting on this for a while now

Paying my dues to the dirt

I’ve been waiting to smile, ‘ay

Happy listening, ladies! If you’ve got any songs you’d like to add then let me know, I’d love to hear them!