While I don’t think I’ll be shouting ‘hallelujah’ anytime soon, it’s time. I need to stop brooding over the literal dreadful future state of the union and turn my frown upside down. After all, I’m a kveller (one who bursts with pride and positivity) not a kvetch (complainer). Remember my glass half full look at life? Well, I’m trying hard to conjure that back up since the events of November 8. So here goes… My top five, Nu? I’m lucky to find three things to get my ‘happy’ on, ASAP:
- Smile. It’s contagious. Smile at a stranger, a coworker, a spouse, a kid, and mostly, they will smile back at you. It’s like a yawn, without the tired, hazy, breathy feeling. It’s a necessary contagion to release into our world right about now. For those who don’t smile back, well, they must be having a really bad time. Perhaps they are constipated (okay, we are adults here you know – constipation can be quite unsettling and cause severe cantankerousness). A smile may help the stuffed-stranger release endorphins to help them, well, ‘go,’ if you know what I mean. At the very least, we will have one smiling person, and one on the run… Before you know it, prior puffy person will be a bit lighter on their feet, grimace-be-gone, and they can head into the world spreading more smiles. See how this theory works? Smile begets smile. It’s quite lovely and much more sustainable than tsuris (troubles).
Tsuris tsezegen di harts. Trouble cuts up the heart. Dem bitersten mazel ken men farshtellen mil a shmaichel. The bitterest misfortune can be covered up with a smile.
- Enjoy the moment. I don’t know about you, but I need more bad news like I need a luch in kop (hole in the head). Perhaps I need to turn off those CNN alerts on my phone and stop worrying about every scenario from this meshuggeneh (crazed) new administration. Relish my time with the Mrs., my Little and Big. With Gatsby, the most present of us all! At work. At play. With friends. Worry eats the present, delays the future and causes some scowl on my punim (face). Nothing says you are an adult more than a scowling punim! And, to extrapolate further, a scowling punim makes those horrid lines appear around my mouth and in between my eyebrows. I need to look more like an alta kocker (for real, this means an ‘old shit’) and get more gray hairs over this? Fuck that! I think not.
Zok nit kin vey. Don’t worry about it. Mit mazel ken men alles. With goodness, everything is possible.
- Laugh more. Open your eyes and find the funny. I know, these times, they are not the best. But they are the times we now must know. And somehow, I hope we can realize and learn how similar we all really are. Let laughter be our joiner. The thing that unites us. That allows us to coexist, and then grow. Nothing sounds better to me then my kinder (kids) chock-full of chuckles and merriment. My weekly coffee klatsch (you know who you are) having a knee-slapping good time. My shvester (sister) and I chortling so hard, yes, we may pee a little! The sweet sound of the Mrs. in a hearty guffaw… (Maybe, that last one is just for me). But you get my drift. Euphoria is there. Make people laugh, laugh more with people. It may not change the world, but it sure will make this world more enjoyable.
A gelechter hert men veiter vi a gevain. Laughter is heard further than weeping. L’Chaim! To life!
Linky’s:
That’s perfect advice, Lisa! Feeling sad, mad and angry doesn’t help beyond a point. Rather, it hurts the person feeling those things. You’ve picked the right things to do 🙂 Love and hugs! And so glad my Yiddish vocabs is growing! Mwwah!
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And can you see your influence? I’m so glad we have connected! ☺️😘💕✨
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I think those CNN (or any news channel) phone alerts do have a negative impact. My son had the news alerts on his phone because a University professor had requested everyone do that in order to stay up to speed with current events. Then he had trouble falling asleep every night. He decided to turn the alerts off and is sleeping better now. Coincidence? I think not. Smiles… Yes! Laughter… yes! Way to stay positive!
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Thanks Cynthia! Gotta try! Have a great weekend.
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Yes! With lots of smiles and laughter and no news alerts thank you very much 🙂
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I tell the teen all the time, most important thing you can do to be happy is to worry about the things you can affect and F the rest #momsterlink
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Wise words my friend! ❤️ #momsterslink
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I turned off the news. It still seeps in but the angst is lessened. Thought 4? Fake it til you make it…
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Nice one Carla. You are so right.
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I love to smile. When my mother was sick, she could not wash herselves. She used to say to us: Wash the corners of my mouth up to my eyes, otherwise I look sad the whole day. It is good to smile. It is time we turn thr frown upside down!
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You got that right Aritha! Maybe smiles will overcome hate!
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Reblogged this on Kate McClelland.
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Kate, I am so very honored! Thank you very much for the reblog my friend. ❤️💕✨
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Aww you’re very welcome. I love following the story of your little munchkins and their Mummys :0)
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💕✨😍
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Great advice! You are right, we really do need to laugh more. Always! #FridayFrolics
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It should be required! 😊🙃😊💕✨ #FridayFrolics
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Funny how I now got the song playing on repeat in my head…..just by reading the first few words, too!
*smiling back at you*
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It’s in my head too! I should come up with a whole Yiddish version! 😘💕✨
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Hehehhee! Good point – that”s save my head from actually knowing the song. LOL
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I totally agree. I now limit myself watching the news. It is really tiring to hear the same thing over and over again.Take a break, smile more, laugh more and enjoy the moment. Great advice! 🙂 Don’t be too dishearten – I am sure there is light at the end of the tunnel. I have just watch Mrs Obama last concessional speech and it was so inspiring. Keep your chin up my dear. Take care. xx
Thank you so much for linking up with us on #FabFridayPost
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Thanks Su! Chin is up! 😘💕✨ #FabFridayPost
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Of course you are right, that we have to move forward, chin up and all, but damn it is hard. This year has brought a lot of changes in my life – losses, endings, navigating joint custody, and the everyday life falling apart and it’s been hard to keep smiling and keep moving forward. But as I have done these things you mentioned – smile, live in the moment, and laugh I have seen and felt the pieces of my life start to come back together. When the events of November 8 unfolded the way they did, I was stunned, saddened, and then really angry, but I will use these three things to get through it. Thanks for linking up with the #FabFridayPost
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Change is so damned hard. Good change. Bad change. Forever change. We are not as adaptable as we could be I suppose. Sending you big hugs. #fabfridaypost
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Well I might be commenting twice, so I apologize if I am repeating myself here. This year has brought a lot of changes to my life – losses, endings, navigating joint custody, and general life falling apart kind of stuff (hence the blog hiatus), but the three things you mentioned have been keys to me moving forward. As I found my way back to smiling, living, and laughing I also started to feel the pieces of my life come back together and new beginnings unfold. As the events of November 8 unfolded the way that they did I felt sadness and anger and still feel bitter about it, but I know that these three things will move us all forward. Thanks for linking up with the #FabFridayPost
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I’m so sorry for your tsuris and I hope these three things help you. 💕✨
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