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Keep Cheerful Company

Posted on Dec 14th, 2008 by Cynthia : realityshifter Cynthia
Cynthia Sue Larson
"Today, give a stranger one of your smiles.
It might be the only sunshine he sees all day."
-- from "P.S. I Love You," compiled by H. Jackson Browne Jr.

I was smiling to myself while walking down the street as I left my exercise class the other week, when a passerby stopped and spun around after having just walked by, commenting, "Wow.... I love your smile. You just lit up my whole day!" I did a double-take and looked her up and down, wondering why a woman I did not even know would say such a thing to me... surprised that one smile could have such a positive effect on a complete stranger. I might have discounted this experience completely, had I not just read a fascinating report that asserted strangers may cheer you up. What this amazing synchronicity brought to my attention is that this research appears to be absolutely true -- as evidenced by the way I brightened a stranger's day without even trying. 

Cynthia Sue Larson
This study reminds me of a similar yet somewhat opposite experience from my past, when I saw my mood negatively affect strangers. Many years ago when I was a young UC Berkeley college student riding on a bus with people who worked where I worked at the Space Sciences Laboratory, I was annoyed to see an arrogant young man in obvious high spirits bragging happily about something on the bus to people who were enthralled by everything he said. Without speaking a single word, I was amazed to see how quickly my dark mood spread from my seat at the back of the bus all the way to the front, dampening the spirits of every passenger -- including the boastful man -- as the overall mood on the bus switched from buoyant to somber for the rest of our journey together. 

I love to learn from life experiences such as these, backed up by recent research such as the ones shared here in this ezine that suggests we make our own breaks when we open our minds to new possibilities, savor the joys of our cups being half-full, and expect to find out how good things can get. Do these qualities sound familiar to you? They are precisely the same characteristics recommended for realityshifters who wish to see reality shifting more often in their lives. They also are descriptive of someone who is generally a more hopeful type of person, and another recent study gives us the excellent news this month that learning to be hopeful can help combat depression. These clear personal examples of how powerful my moods are on influencing the feelings of those around me gives me a clear sense of practical ways I can keep my own spirits buoyant and bright... by keeping... and being... cheerful company.

With the holiday season coming into full swing, this month presents us with a delightful opportunity to find new ways to be of good cheer and brighten the lives of everyone around us.

 

Wishing you may discover just how good your life can get,

Cynthia Sue Larson

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You can read more articles by Cynthia Sue Larson and subscribe to her free ezine, RealityShifters News, at

http://realityshifters.com

 

You can view the entire ezine this message was part of at:

http://realityshifters.com/pages/archives/dec08.ht ml

Access_public Access: Public 2 Comments Print views (317)  
Tagged with: luck, hope, cheerful, joy, happiness, strangers, depression
Albert : ~
23 minutes later
Albert said

Cynthia….wonderul coincidencies….made these experiences last weeks very often…just playing for the sake of themselves..

Though I saw this often over the years…it now has a new dimension.

B.B. : I dunno
about 15 hours later
B.B. said

It is amazing how just a smile can shift things. What a delightful read and BTW your smile is beautiful

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