January 31, 2012

I love to laugh!

"There is nothing in the world so irresistibly contagious as laughter and good humor" - Charles Dickens

So a while back I was feeling low (not too low) but kind of low. I was driving in the car by myself and I thought of the song, "I Love to Laugh" from the musical Mary Poppins. Dick Van Dyke and Ed Wynn do a great job of this scene, I cannot help but start laughing and singing along with them!

As I drove in the car, I started one of my own little sessions of Laughter Therapy. I didn't have anything to laugh at, but I was having a great time just busting a gut! It sounds a little silly, but you should try it sometime. Of course you will get some very interesting stares from people beside you, and they will be trying to figure out what radio station you're listening to. But wouldn't that be even more hilarious?

Life is too short to never laugh.

Here's a quote from an inspirational talk that I heard one day (and frequently go back to.)

"The first thing we can do is learn to laugh. Have you ever seen an angry driver who, when someone else makes a mistake, reacts as though that person has insulted his honor, his family, his dog, and his ancestors all the way back to Adam? Or have you had an encounter with an overhanging cupboard door left open at the wrong place and the wrong time which has been cursed, condemned, and avenged by a sore-headed victim?

"There is an antidote for times such as these: learn to laugh.

"I remember loading up our children in a station wagon and driving to Los Angeles. There were at least nine of us in the car, and we would invariably get lost. Instead of getting angry, we laughed. Every time we made a wrong turn, we laughed harder.

"Getting lost was not an unusual occurrence for us. Once while heading south to Cedar City, Utah, we took a wrong turn and didn’t realize it until two hours later when we saw the “Welcome to Nevada” signs. We didn’t get angry. We laughed, and as a result, anger and resentment rarely resulted. Our laughter created cherished memories for us.......

"The next time you’re tempted to groan, you might try to laugh instead. It will extend your life and make the lives of all those around you more enjoyable." - Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin ("Come What May and Love It", October 2008, http://www.lds.org/general-conference/2008/10/come-what-may-and-love-it?lang=eng&query=come+may+love)

Enjoy these videos to start off your laughing session.


January 30, 2012

New name, new meaning.

So I was working at my desk today (which gives me a lot of time to think) and I figured out what I can do for the blog. Both something that I really enjoy, and something that helps me. I have this cool application on my phone that gives me a quote for each day. Granted some aren't as inspirational as others, so I have gone through the one-thousand something quotes and have selected some of my favorites. I am also finding many other quotes that I like through music, the spoken word, inspirational speakers, and some random thoughts that pop into my head as well.

So I've decided to name the blog "A Quote a Day Keeps Depression Away." Because I sure know that if I find the right quote, my mornings (and usually my entire day) is changed for the better, even at 7AM (amazing right?).

So I will start with today's quote:

"I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet." - Mohandas Gandhi


I Think this quote is AWESOME! It helps me realize that I can choose what comes into my mind. Our minds are much like a home. I don't know about your house, but in mine we have a pretty strict rule that we do NOT wear our shoes in the house. We've lived here for about eight years now, and the carpets are rather clean. 


But thinking about it a little further in the carpet analogy, we can always scrub really hard to get it clean, but somethings will not be forgotten (spinning/shaking salad dressing bottles to get the most out of them, so-and-so spilling their cup frequently, and other random concentrations of the gravitational forces.) 


The spot or stain itself will no longer be visible, but we can't really decide if we remember it or not. 


Moral of the story: YOU CAN CHOOSE WHAT ENTERS YOUR MIND! There are so many good things in the world, and so many wonderful things you can fill your mind with. You can keep company with past, Kings, Queens, Presidents, and Religious Leaders IF you read the things they have written. Don't fill your mind with bad things. Keep good company.