Hello and thank you for joining me on this good mood morning practice.
How we start our days can really set the tone for the rest of the day,
So the intention of this meditation is to get you feeling some positivity,
Some warmth,
So you can head into your day carrying that light,
Cheerful,
Even joyful vibe along with you.
So I'd really love to invite you just to get into a comfortable seated position and I'll just give you a moment here to settle in and get comfy.
Then when you're ready,
Take a deep breath in right down all the way into your belly,
Holding it at the top for a count of four and then letting out a big sigh as you exhale and closing your eyes.
So first things first,
Let's get you in a good mood and I'm not talking about that kind of elusive happiness that seems always out of reach for some time in the uncertain future.
Let's cultivate a sense of happiness within you right here in this very moment.
After all,
Now is the only real time.
So let's begin.
Call to your mind something that makes you happy.
For me,
It's the image of my dog smiling with his tongue,
Lolling out the side of his mouth looking both blissful and pretty moronic.
But you can think of someone you love.
You can imagine the sensation of sun on your skin.
Think of eating ice cream or Chinese takeaway if you're more of a savory person.
The key is to rest your focus on something,
Anything really that invites in that warm happy sensation.
See if you can task your body to recall the felt sensation at a time when you were really happy.
What was that sensation like in that happy memory or experience that you're bringing to mind now?
Don't worry if you find it hard to recall the felt sensation.
In that case,
Just remember the positive experience as best you can.
We're still going to get you feeling happy.
Remember the positive experience as best you can.
We're still going to get you feeling good.
So take a minute now just to bask in the warmth brought to you by focusing your attention on an uplifting object.
And I was hoping that simply your bringing to mind of a warm joyful past experience or simply things you love will have already caused you to smile.
But if that hasn't happened yet,
Perhaps because you're feeling a little out of sorts,
Don't worry,
It's all okay.
But no matter how you're feeling right now,
Just make your mouth smile,
A nice big smile while keeping your eyes still closed.
It feels weird but the mind-body connection goes both ways.
So make yourself smile and you'll see it will begin to lift your mood.
But don't take my word for it,
Let's try it out.
See if you can just hold that nice big smile there for two minutes.
Now those of us who would benefit from smiling more might find this to be a bit of a cheek workout.
But for the next two minutes just focus on your breath wherever you feel it most,
In your in the throat,
Under the nostrils,
In your belly or chest.
But keep smiling while you focus on your breathing.
If you'd rather focus on the uplifting object from earlier than the breath,
You can do that instead,
That's fine too.
Just ensure not to let that smile drop.
You can think of this almost as emotional weightlifting.
So do about 100 seconds or so from now,
Smiling,
Starting now.
Wonderful!
You can,
If you wish,
Let that smile drop now but you may feel a more powerful benefit if you keep going.
So if you want to keep going,
You can.
But observe how lifting the corners of your mouth does subtly lift your mood.
Now we can decide that you're in a good mood,
Or at least a better mood than perhaps when you sat down today.
Now here is where this spiritual practice begins.
And for this particular practice there is only one rule.
Once you've managed to get yourself into a good mood,
Don't let anyone or anything take it away.
Now I can hear your objections.
This practice is very simple but that doesn't mean that it's easy.
This isn't an endorsement to ignore or suppress negative feelings.
In general,
The best way to deal with negative emotions is to observe them until they pass.
But bear in mind that you can be in a good mood and yet still be experiencing sadness.
Being in a good mood can be a decision,
A perspective that you choose to take.
We know that people can be destitute,
Right,
With all kinds of difficulties and problems and yet still remain in good humor.
And we also know that there are people who can be immensely well-off and wealthy and very privileged and yet still be miserable all the time.
For many of us it's always,
I can be happy if this or I'll be happy when that and yet happiness is only really attainable in the present because that is the only real time.
So the question to ask is,
Who's deciding what the conditions for your happiness are?
And the answer is that it's you,
Whether you know it or not,
Whether you're conscious of it or not,
The truth is that you don't need a reason to be happy.
Human beings are irrational.
You can go forth and therefore allow yourself to be irrationally happy for no other reason than just because you can.
I will warn you though that if you choose to be happy without a good reason,
Other people may get very upset.
How dare you be happy whilst I'm over here nursing my comfortable misery in which I am so attached and do refuse to let go.
I'll ask you,
Why are you so happy?
They may think you've gone quite mad but you are in a fantastic mood so why would you care?
This is practice.
Maintain your good mood.
Don't let anything or anyone steal your joy.
Let's say that your tire is punctured.
So you think how lucky you are to have a car at all.
Someone rejects you in romance or in business.
This is great.
Now you are one rejection closer to finding the right romantic or business partner.
Let's say you got fired.
Fantastic!
You weren't enjoying that job anyway and now you can find something better.
These examples are a bit off the top of my head but you see that you can protect your good mood.
Certainly disasters may occur and they may still shake you but at least most trivial upsets are going to just roll straight off of you.
You know it's true that feelings are transient but you can decide consciously to embody the perspective that you're in a good mood.
After a while it becomes an identity level change in you.
You're nearly always in a good mood.
The baseline has shifted.
So you begin to take it into your self-image and understand yourself to be a happy person.
So every morning get yourself in a good mood and now that you know how,
In the evening check in.
Did I manage to keep my good mood up throughout the day today?
Certainly to begin with you will likely be unsuccessful at protecting your good mood throughout the day but don't be discouraged.
Keep going.
Every day is a new chance to succeed at this.
In the words of Socrates,
Begin at once to live and count each day as a separate life.
So be relentless in your cheerfulness,
In your good humor.
Make no mistake this sounds you know fun and light-hearted but it is a spiritual practice.
Your task is to imbue your soul with joy so much that it ripples out and brings joy to others too.
If you succeed at this the woes of the world are just going to wash over you and around you leaving you whole and unharmed.
So when you're ready to do so bring yourself gently back to your surroundings and when you feel ready slowly open your eyes and then realize that you know the day lies before you so off you go but don't forget to take your good mood with you.
If you feel up to it you can take your smile with you too.
Have a fantastic day.
