Be of Good Cheer

Last night our ward had an Enrichment Meeting where a therapist came and gave suggestions about how we can be more cheerful and feel better about ourselves.  She shared a quote from Neal A. Maxwell, one of my favorite Apostles: "In these days, being of good cheer is part of being valiant in the testimony of Jesus."  I guess being sad and depressed is not a good way to show that we want to be more like our Savior. 

There are several areas of our lives that we can change to help us feel more cheerful:

*Eat Fresh- fresh fruits and veggies have living enzymes that create a chemical reaction telling our bodies that we should feel more alive.  Eat something fresh before you eat anything else. 

*Exercise- Doing 1 hr of moderate, sustained exercise creates a chemical reaction in our bodies that helps us feel better.  I know I feel better when I am able to be active.

*Sunlight- We need to try to spend some time in the sun every day.  Our bodies need it.  I definitely feel more depressed when I am stuck inside and it is really hazy outside.  Depression definitely gets worse during Winter months.

*Socialize- Find someone (an adult) to talk to every day, preferably in person.  Finding ways to interact with others improves our mood and gives us motivation to shower every day.  

*Laughter- We need to have at least 30 belly-laughs every day.  Laughter is an amazing way to make us more cheery.

*Thought Stopping- We need to stop dwelling on negative thoughts and think of blessings instead.  Dwelling on negative thoughts can be one of the most destructive things we can do to ourselves.

*Passion- Find something you really enjoy doing, and do it for 1 hr every day.  This may seem selfish at first, but it will improve how you feel about yourself in the long run.

*Prayer- Heavenly Father definitely knows what we are going through and how we are feeling. We shouldn't be afraid to ask for help with getting through tough times.  

D&C 61:36 "Be of good cheer little children, for I am in your midst, and I have not forsaken you."