Picking on old wisdoms

CEBU, Philippines — In the midst of all the bleak prospects around us, I began searching the web for positive thoughts. Things that could uplift the spirit so we do not wallow in a quagmire of depression.

I refuse to allow a negative environment to color my perspective on life because there is still a whole lot of untapped joy that we have to discover. I found out that there are pills that

we can revisit the old wisdom of laughter. 

Sharing a few laughs with friends be it online or in a distanced presence could be one way to start our day. Laughter is a good exercise as it brings in oxygen to our brain and heaves the stomach muscles as they contract and expand voluntarily. It is a pleasurable experience that allows air to fill your lungs and expunge negative energies as it releases the same air out in a belly laugh.

Laughter as we experienced changes our mood, it tickles our happy buttons and keeps our disposition in a higher tone of fun enough to start our day right.

The Mayo Clinic, which is popular for lifestyle changes states that laughter stimulates many organs that release endorphins that are good for your body.  It activates and relieves your response to stress and soothes tension. Eventually, it improves your immune system which is what we need especially now.

Simple day-starters like smiles that are heartfelt, it reaches your eyes and people around you see your smile despite the mask. And here another old wisdom of the eyes being the widows of our soul come to fore. Our eyes, reflect our inner life. The truth of what we feel. Perhaps that is why eye-contact is important. It spills the sincerity of a person’s heart. That’s why some veil their eyes if in romance, their love is unrequited. And you see people in love mooning over in their eyes as their actions show a different sway.

The book of Proverbs has a lot of wisdom in it. One of the best is Proverbs 3:5 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding.” It allows for us to release our cares to someone who can take care of it and rely on Him to just help you through your day.  Doing so allows you to relax and move your anxieties to God who will never lead you astray.  Meditation, inner reflection to cleanse your soul is an important element of every day. Just as we take a bath, we also need a cleansing of our spirit so that we can be confident to face challenges that come. Building on that confidence, you can enjoy your day by setting aside fears and put in that leverage of hope that always comes with a positive thought.

People who think positively always find solutions to their concerns because their mind is clear to think. The business problem can be tackled better if you are not disturbed by unnecessary anxieties that are part of the real world. It does not mean you should not face them.  You just take on the wisdom of  taking one step at a time to reach the goal.

A friend once asked, “what if there are so many things that bomb you in a day?” In a crisis situation, you still have to take one aspect at a time. Organize them, place them in the group they belong and address them individually. There is no quick fix. You just have to step back and avoid being flustered, knowing that for each problem there is always a solution, and if it cannot be solved, then you will still find a way to accept it, live with it, and work with it, like the pandemic.

In an article on stress resilience by Brooke L. Wemeburg, I was amused to find this thought. “Don’t pass judgement for at least three minutes”. It made me think, is that how quick we are to pass judgement? Must be, without our knowing. So this must be a good conscious exercise, and mind you, we may even win more friends!

It is important to listen. To take the wisdom of the old. If we did take time to listen to our parents or grandparents, we will see that they are actually giving us a shortcut list. Things to avoid because they have been through that road already. However, some of us want to take that same road. We want that same adventure. We want to get lost sometimes so we can appreciate our being found. “That is how life is” we say. And it is of no matter really, as long as we learn our lessons along the way.

But for now, we go back to taking time to smell the flowers, breathing in the refreshing scent of the breeze, revel in the chuckle of babes, and the delighted squeals of children at play.  Take note of the colors of your day. Find this special place and relax. Wearing your positive coat may warm your heart.