Shawn Mendes is learning to accept 'the lows of life'
'Mercy' singer Shawn Mendes has reflected on 2023 and how he learned "to accept and welcome the lows of life".
Shawn Mendes has learned "to accept and welcome the lows of life".
The 'Mercy' hitmaker has reflected on the challenges he faced in 2023, and how he is trying to avoid the feeling of needing "to change or fix something", while focusing on finding time to pause.
He wrote on Instagram: "The biggest lesson for me this year has been to accept and welcome the lows of life… not to constantly need to change or fix something in order to feel high again, because i know if i really slow down and listen when i’m low there’s always something to hear. (sic)"
The 25-year-old star - who shared a candid video of himself playing the keyboard and singing in a raw and honest way - revealed how music has helped him.
He explained: "Over the last year i spent a lot of time singing like this.. I found that in moments of extreme anxiety or fear if i sat down with my harmonium and allowed myself with full trust to sing whatever came out it would often ease the pain..
"It felt so difficult at first to let myself sing without needing perfection but after a while i actually started to fall in love with the dance between the 'right' and the 'wrong' notes …
"I realized there were only moments of bliss and euphoria from the 'right' notes BECAUSE of the 'wrong' notes. The only reason i can sing in key is because i’ve learned to listen. (sic)"
Shawn cancelled his Wonder: The World Tour in July 2022 in order to focus on his mental health, and Shawn believes he transformed his life over the following months by putting some strict boundaries in place.
Back in February 2023, he told the Wall Street Journal newspaper: "Understanding how setting boundaries does not make you an unkind person has really changed my life. And also understanding that it’s not easy to do. It’s a difficult thing to do. It feels uncomfortable.
"It makes other people feel a little uncomfortable for a moment, but ultimately it’s a very powerful and helpful thing to do for every relationship.
"So yeah, boundary-setting is not mean, it’s actually very important. It’s very kind, actually."
