Health is
wealth, this is a
statement that is used quite often. The month of May is observed as Mental
Health Awareness Month and is a great opportunity to emphasize health and
wellbeing. Laughter is one method to use to assist with your wellbeing.
I saw an
advertisement recently about practicing yoga, it read, “when your mind is
right, your body will follow.” My first thought was my mind must not be
right because my body is not doing what I want it to do…lose weight.
I’ve tried
yoga, I like yoga, I’ve failed at yoga, but I keep trying. I attribute my
stalling weight loss efforts to the aging process. I know I am stronger because
I am moving my body, but I feel like I have to work doubly hard (I know that’s
not correct grammar) to get the results I want. I’m not giving up yet, but I
will poke fun at things along the way.
In addition to
humor, expressing gratitude can help your mood. These things help me find
balance and still have joy although I have not reached my self-imposed goals
and deadlines. I’ll share a story of how I recently combined gratitude and
humor.
After experiencing
a plumbing issue, I was grateful for balanced water pressure at home.
I awoke one
morning, started my routine by brushing my teeth. I turned the water on and a stream
of water, the thickness of a pencil led, trickled out. I cupped one hand under
the faucet in an attempt to rinse the foamy toothpaste from my mouth. It felt
like an eternity before my mouth was clear of foam.
Flushing the
toilet was an adventure in itself. Just to get toilet paper to go down,
required holding the handle for a ten count. Once, I walked away and returned
and the toilet paper was back. It felt as though I was in a game of hide-n- seek.
Where was the water pressure I needed?
As I turned
on the shower, my expectations were low. Would there be enough water pressure
to work up a lather with the soap? The answer to this question was a
resounding, YES, the water worked up a lather. However, the experience was the
opposite of what I anticipated.
I stepped
into the shower, adjusted the water temperature, all of a sudden the water was
shooting out rapid fire. I blast of water hit me in the eye, then my ear. I
started swinging my arms and flailing my arms like a panicked swimmer trying to
stay above water.
A twist of
the shower head balanced the power of the water pressure. That shower scene
taught me to be grateful for the little things…working water. Being able to
laugh through the frustration of failed yoga sessions, and wacky water
pressures, was good for my mental health.
Make a
deliberate effort this month to focus on your mental health. It must be a priority…and
laughter helps.
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