“The most important decision you make
is to be in a good mood.”
Voltaire
Message
We can decide to have a good mood?
This is a shock to many of us who grew up believing that our moods were dictated to us. We learned to reflect the moods of those around us. As children, that meant our parents and teachers. We were we told, “You should be happy, because . . . . Or, “Why are you happy? Just look at what is happening . . . .” The pattern repeated itself as we matured. We learned to feel what we thought we were supposed to feel.
This is not to say that we shouldn’t empathize with those around us. Empathy is a gift to us as well as to others, but we don’t need to wallow in another’s pain.
Eventually, we began learning and integrating the revolutionary idea that we could feel how we felt. We finally gave ourselves permission to feel happy when others were sad – and to feel sad when others were happy.
We can choose to be in a good mood, no matter what is happening in our surroundings. We don’t need to mask our true feelings, but we can avoid getting sucked into another’s vortex of despair.
We learn that most of the time our good mood is contagious – to us as well as to others. Perhaps we wake up in a good mood because we slept well. We can hang on to that thought even though traffic is making us late for work or, or, or . . . . As the day progresses, we will notice that our good mood extends itself. We still feel good at the end of the day.
Best of all, good moods are contagious. Often a smile and a simple “thank you” is enough to lift another person from the doldrums. If not, well, there is always the next person.
Meditation
Creator Spirit,
Thank you for the gift of joy, the gift of knowing we are happy inside even if others are not. We know that being in a good mood, is an extension of gratitude. If we are grateful, a good mood naturally follows. Good moods are contagious.
And, so it is.
Sharon D. Dillon, energywriter@cox.net, http://energywriter.me
Chesapeake Bay Writers, Erma Bombeck Writers Workshop, Southern Humorists, National Society of Newspaper Columnists
Author of one of 14 stories in The Book of Mom: Reflections of Motherhood with Love, Hope and Faith, published by booksyoucantrust.com. Available in print and e-format at Amazon.com
Laugh your way to peace, love and joy 