This post is going to sound very simplistic but sometimes the best messages are often simple.
Writing and blogging does not come easy to me. I sweat and toil over every post I write. The white blank screen too often glares back at me, beckoning me to fill it with words of prolific wisdom and literary genius. Well today was not one of those days. During one of my writing sessions, my son was home. He sometimes plays in the background, or near my office, and by office I mean corner nook of my living room, ahhh New York living. As I write he plays nearby battling the usual assortment of villains and hidden ninjas. At one point I let out this huge UGH!, and dropped my head to the desk. My son seeing the look of defeat walked up to me and asked me what was wrong? I told him I am trying to write about how people can be happy, but I am having trouble.
In his childlike wisdom, he says "Well, I’m always happy."
Dad : "Oh really?" I responded.
Son: "Yes, being happy is easy."
Dad: "Well if you were writing this what would you tell people how they can be happy?"
Son: "Daddy, I would tell them to just dance."
Dance?! Just dance!! Did he not not know I was looking for a great nugget of wisdom, did he not know I was looking for Dalai Lama like advice I can blow away the blogosphere with?
All I get is dance!!
That was his answer, to just dance, which he proceeded to do. Now when my son dances it is quite a spectacle, he has this groove that looks like a cross between Brazilian martial arts and the robot, you have to see it. Well no matter how outlandish the moves are he just laughs, then plops himself down and says, " you see the grumpies are gone". After he dances he just doesn't feel mad or sad anymore. And after watching him I don't either. So what's the lesson here you might be asking?
Well there are three of them
1) Be more childlike
If you have access to a kid ask them to dance, it's funny. If not then be childlike, have fun, play and when nobody is looking dance, a lot. Movement increases endorphins and elevates the mood.
Dancing, which is a form of aerobic exercise, also improves flexibility and coordination. Shaking it on occasion will keep your heart pumping, and tone muscles.
If you can dance in front of a mirror, because as silly as you feel you are it doesn't equate to how you might actually look, which might be a little bit silly. This is good because it will elicit laughter, and who doesn't like to laugh right? Which brings me to point two.
2) Be silly
If you look funny dancing in front of the mirror then good, because hopefully this will cause a rush of laughter that will have you red in the face. Laughing is great it is also very effective on managing stress and warding off anxiety.
3) Rest and Relax
Once you have done said dancing, or any other movement, sit chill and enjoy the feeling. Give your body some rest to recharge and take the rush of positivity your movement just initiated.
So that's it, short, sweet and to the point. I hope this message has served you. And don't forget to dance.
Ed Munoz