Songs About Self-Compassion, Self-Acceptance, and Empathy
published 1/13/19; updated 9/18/23
by Catharine Hannay, founder of MindfulTeachers.org
Continuing the popular series of Song Playlists for Teachers, here are a variety of songs about appreciating our differences and supporting each other.
Teachers, please note: With such a multicultural audience teaching young children through adults, I can’t guarantee that all of the songs and videos will be appropriate for your particular context. Please preview anything you plan to share with your students.
1-800-273-8255, Logic (ft. Alessia Cara, Khalid)
lyrics; video of live performance; audio; cover by Alyson Stoner and Next Town Down
You might be interested in a Washington Post article explaining the origin of the song.
All Along, Kina Grannis
official video of people holding up signs as a way to rewrite their stories.
Be As You Are, Mike Posner
lyrics; official video (contains some nudity, which fits in with the self-acceptance message but might not be appropriate for your classroom); alternate version of official video
Be OK, Ingrid Michaelson
lyrics; official video
Brand New Day, Joshua Radin
lyrics; video of live performance
Courageous, Megan Nicole
lyrics; official lyric video
Dare to Be Different, Rachael Lynn
lyrics; official video with anti-bullying message
Get Back Up, Toby Mac
lyrics; official lyric video
Hero, Mariah Carey
lyrics; video of live performance
Homecoming Queen? Kelsea Ballerini
lyrics; official video
I Am What I Am; Gloria Gaynor
lyrics; video of cover by Gwendal Marimoutou; video of 'Dancing Matt' Harding and friends from around the world (dances start at :53, after footage of Gloria Gaynor; the song is labeled as “gay anthem for the world” but that doesn’t really have anything to do with this particular video)
I Can Be, Yaakov Shwekey
lyrics; audio; official video featuring kids and staff from The Special Children's Center
I'll Find You, Lecrae (ft. Tori Kelly)
lyrics; official lyrics video; official video (dedicated to kids with cancer)
I'm Sensitive, Jewel
lyrics; live performance (song start :56); cover by Sammie Grubbs
(It’s Not Easy) Bein' Green, Joe Raposo
lyrics; official video with Kermit the Frog
My Black is Beautiful; Lovely Hoffman
lyrics; official video; audio; article by teacher Lovely Hoffman on why she wrote the song
My Dog, Carrie Newcomer
lyrics (click on album cover ‘Until Now,’ ‘My Dog’ is on p. 12); official video (audio with photos of folks with their loyal dogs)
Based on the expression “I’m trying to be the kind of person my dog thinks I am.”
Perfect Mess, Alex G
lyrics; official video
Scars (Come with Livin'), Toby Mac
lyrics; official video
Scars to Your Beautiful, Alessia Cara
lyrics; audio; official video, with people talking about how they came to accept themselves after feeling different and unattractive; ASL interpretation by the cast of Be-YOU-tiful.
Sparkle, Charlotte Campbell
lyrics; official video
Tick Tock, LilCrazed (ft. Andrew Garcia)
lyrics; official video
Try, Mandy Harvey
audio; video from America's Got Talent (song starts at 1:56); you might be interested in this article from BBC news about Mandy Harvey, a deaf singer who's faced skepticism from hearing musicians and bullying by some members of the Deaf community
Try Everything, Shakira
lyrics; video by One Voice Children's Choir
Us, Brother Ali
lyrics; official video
Video, india.arie
lyrics; official video
The Voice Within, Christina Aguilera
lyrics; video of cover by Natalie Ong on The X Factor Australia; youtube video with lyrics
What I Cannot Change, LeeAnnRimes
lyrics; audio; live performance with Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles
What a Girl Is, Dove Cameron
lyrics; video from Liv and Maddie (Disney series)
What's Wrong with Me? and I See Stars, from Mean Girls on Broadway
What's Wrong with Me? lyrics and video; I See Stars lyrics and video
Win, Brian McKnight
lyrics; audio; video of acoustic performance dedicated to a mother struggling with cancer (song starts 1:39)
You Gon' Be Fine, Lil Crazed
lyrics; official video; audio
This song is dedicated to single mothers.
You're Gonna Be OK, Brian & Jenn Johnson
lyrics; official lyrics video
You Are Wonderful (The Self-Esteem Song), FunkeyMonkeys!
audio (lyrics not available)
You Will Be Found, from Dear Evan Hansen
lyrics; virtual choir from 31 countries
Related Posts
There are many more song playlists and resources on self-acceptance and compassion here at MindfulTeachers.org, including the following posts: