Shawn Mendes Reflects On Welcoming 'The Lows Of Life' And His Learnings In 2023

Many artists have taken to social media to reflect back on how 2023 was for them. While some also put out their fun, party-going New Year celebrations, some had a laid-back evening. Now, Shawn Mendes has penned a note on social media, reflecting on his personal growth in the past year. 

On Tuesday, the 'Wonder' singer took to social media to share a post with fans, wherein he's seen freely singing while playing the harmonium. "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," Mendes, aged 25, wrote.

He continued, "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."

The 'Stitches' singer revealed the biggest lesson he learnt in 2023. It was "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," he concluded.

Mendes has been very vocal about his struggles with anxiety over the years, and has been a longtime advocate for mental health. Back in July, the singer had cancelled his world tour to focus on becoming better mentally. “After speaking more with my team and working with an incredible group of health professionals, it has become more clear that I need to take the time I’ve never taken personally, to ground myself and come back stronger,” he wrote in a statement.

Mendes expressed that it's "been a lot of work" sorting through his emotions. But he knows he's getting better, working on it more and more, and is grateful for the support he has received.