Scott Williams
Angie and I were standing in line waiting to be served at a supermarket deli. Also waiting their turn was a mother and child. The child, maybe three years of age, was sitting in the supermarket trolley, flailing around in his seat, screaming out in bursting sobs. The child’s mother was doing her best to calm the child, knowing judgemental glances were being thrown in her direction by those nearby. No matter what the tired mother (aren’t they all!) tried to do there seemed no let up to the child’s sorrow. Life must really be hard on this three year old. Noticing (it was hard not to) the child’s upset, the woman behind the deli counter leaned across and to the mother and asked if it would be alright to give ‘Damien’ a cheerio (a mini hot dog sausage for our overseas readers) and the mother willingly accepted the offer.
The deli employee handed the mother the sausage who passed I onto the child. In an instant the child’s wailing ceased and a wry smile spread across his face, all the while tears spilling down his cheeks.
Truly a miracle had occurred at the deli counter that day!
Angie turned to the mother and said “I wish a cheerio could do that for me!”
Sometimes all of us just want to dump ourselves in a pile on the floor and wail loudly. There’s no shame in feeling like that – life is hard for all of us sometimes. But we need to find out what can trigger our ‘cheerio moment’ to help derail our temporary dip in mood.
We have all been in the presence of someone sobbing relentlessly, and our instinct is to comfort and support them – and, if we can, endeavour to lift their spirits. We may say something that causes them to laugh out loud, even though their tears.
Action causes reaction.
One of the simplest ways of lifting our mood is through what the experts call ‘positive reminiscing’. This is a great mental weapon we can harness to battle our downward dips. It’s recalling truly positive and joy filled moments we have experienced in the past and bringing them temporarily back into our front of mind. Drag out an old photo album and pour over some of the hundreds of captured memories you probably have.
Or look through the history of your Facebook feed, which is no doubt filled with happy memories of things you’ve done. Take the time to really focus on some of those moments and persist until you start to feel a positive mental ‘lift’. It will happen – it’s a chemical thing!
In times of distress or mental dipping, positive reminiscing really can lift you out of the doldrums!
Happy days. Scott
