If you smile you will feel better

An email in my box this morning from Pennsylvania, (one of the million reasons he is the best, best-friend I have ever had):

I was thinking about you feeling so bad and how your trapped in this frustrating situation with your parents, the weather sucks, i'm supposed to be there, etc. lots of reasons to be depressed. we understand the problem. we see the situation for what it is. we keep saying that over and over again. but what can we do to actually feel better? ironically i'm reading this book about unconscious understanding, and this morning i read the section on the biochemistry of facial expression... i'm sure you've heard this before and know it. activating different muscle combinations in your face literally causes your brain to release chemicals that fuel the corresponding emotion. so if you make a pouty face ALL DAY you are gonna feel like shit. the reason why you want me around so bad is cause i constantly goof of and make you smile so you feel good. the reason why it sucks being around your parents is cause they judge you and that gives you a pouty face. the bottom line is.

if you smile you will feel better. i know this sounds presumptuous and maybe even silly but it's true.

in buddism a remedy for anger is imagining someone you love then making the realization that at somepoint in time the person you hate has at some point in your millions of reincarnations been the person you love...

take some time to your self if you can and think about something that really makes you happy or a super fun memory ( something that isn't so closely attached to negativity ) and really go into it. remember all the details of why it made you feel so good. do a yin practice at the same time and you will feel at least a little better i promise.

if you do and you really really don't feel any better. then you should consider the bath with the hairdryer solution i think....



i hope this doesn't piss you off. i'm trying to help and this is what i would do.


NO MORE CRABBY WISCONSIN TODAY!!!