My Indian Paintbrush

I don’t know what sorts of celestial events are going on this week, but it’s been one “off” day after another in my household, which is pretty rare. Oh but wait — we did just have the peak of the Perseids meteor shower. Maybe that’s why. Whatever it is, I’ve been feeling completely out of whack this week, and haven’t had any time to properly remediate the situation with my usual sources of good medicine.

When I’m having a yucky day, I find that immersing myself in an old, happy memory really helps to lighten my frame of mind. It’s a quick, sentimental journey that I can take any time I want.

In my mind, I go as deeply into the happy memory as I can, in as much detail as I can. I keep myself in the memory by interacting with it in my mind. I “look around the room” with my mind’s eye, and notice all the little details — that tape of Christmas music we used to play, that familiar tablecloth on the table, with those old plates we used to have…and that clock! I remember that! (Use poetic license to help form the mental picture. 🙂 )

While you’re inside the memory, feel the good emotions that go with it. Warm familiarity, excitement and anticipation, comfort and safety, or just the sheer fun of something you used to enjoy. Revel in that memory as if it were happening all over again.

What I love about this “instant-uplift” method is that it can be done on the fly. In those spare moments as you go about your day, sometimes it feels really nice to lose yourself in those old, fond memories!