"Is there any better medicine for the body or soul? A belly laugh brings an infusion of therapeutic warmth that reaches every nook in the body. It massages tired muscles...and unknots stresses. It sends you on a mini-holiday. And it spreads wellness in the air." (Patrick Lindsay, Make the Most of You)
This week's quote is reminding you all to LAUGH! Life in general can sometimes become so overwhelming, tiring, and stressful. Being a mom only intensifies those negative feelings. A good laugh even for just a second, can change your entire mood at that very moment.
As I recall my days in the office at work, I remember there were many days where as my coworkers and I would say, "we wanted to flip tables!" Then one of us would say a funny story and we would burst out in laughter and all the stress we were feeling would go away. There wasn't a day that would go by without us having some kind of discussion or what we called, "story-time". This was our way of getting a moment of laughter in our busy and often overwhelming day of work. Oh, how I miss those story-times!
Now as a first time mom, there are numerous times where I am overcome with strong feelings of frustration, helplessness, and stress. Then, I look at my baby's face smiling back at me and I can't help but to smile back at her. My mood quickly shifts to a feeling of comfort, love, and happiness.
It is normal for babies to get cranky at times especially when they are tired and sleepy. They don't yet understand that feeling of sleepiness and sometimes need help putting themselves to sleep. I have had my share of cranky nights with my daughter. There have been times where I've felt so frustrated and helpless. One night as she was crying hysterically in her crib, I turned on the lights and hunched over the crib to softly whisper to her. She suddenly began to laugh and smile at me with an innocent look in her eyes. I couldn't help it but to smile and laugh right back at her. I felt as though all that negative energy I had been feeling were lifted off my shoulders and all I could feel was a sense of gratitude.
As mothers, it is crucial we try to maintain a flow of positive energy around our babies. My experiences have taught me that our babies actually do respond to how we feel as their mothers and caretakers. When we are in bad spirits they tend to become cranky and unconsolable.
I've always been a true believer that the energy you put into the universe directly affects what you receive in return. Therefore, the next time you feel yourself having a moment of gloominess, remember to laugh it out...
...Sew this is LIFE!