To counter scary negativity -- Mike Dooley's whoop exercise

Flowers at twilight
Photo
Barbara Muir © 2023

It is Sunday, and we had a fabulous day.  We went looking for a projector to buy
for me.  The store guys were sweet, but the only projector they had cost more than
a thousand dollars.  So we went and got our weekend wraps, then drove to the lake
(I had to see Lake Ontario today), and ate our wraps looking at that beautiful water.
It was slate grey with some blue, but still wonderful.

Tonight we had a great dinner at home, and watched our favourite show.  It was
a really sweet weekend.

I came upon this exercise in my blog that I learned from Mike Dooley, and ended
up teaching to my Positive Psych classes at a local community college.  It does seem
silly, but it works. Since I learned it I have had an even more wonderful life than I was
already having.  True.  I am lucky.  And we have hard things in our lives. But
knowing how to return to joy is a quite lovely skill.  And it's helpful to those
around you too.  I don't mean you don't allow grief, sorrow, disappointment.
If you pay attention to the news these days, those can be a constant.  I mean
you can sometimes return to being happy.  Here's the exercise -- My husband
and I just tried it -- it does make you feel good!

"Stand up (if you can), put your arms in the air, whoop
like you just had the best news in your whole life,
cover your face because you're so excited you can't
hold your joy in, whoop again with your hands over
your head, put your hands on your chest, shake your
head because you're so astounded with joy, and say
out loud, "You won't believe what's happened." 
As I said I learned this from Mike Dooley at Tut.com 
and it is amazing what happens if you try this little
exercise once every so often.  Huge things happen,
wonderful things happen -- that's why I'm sharing it
with you.  (I got on the Oprah Winfrey show, invited
to show in Florence, Paris, New York!) My life has absolutely
taken off into a level of joy I couldn't have imagined since
I learned to do this.  No.  I'm not crazy, I'm one of the sanest
people you know.  And no my life isn't perfect.  People in my
family and intimate circle have serious health issues,
I do experience deep sorrow and loss, and even so...
Give it a try."

Have a loving your life day!