Just under two weeks ago, I had an acupuncture treatment. After going 10 years without any energy work, I was overdue. My dog has been receiving acupuncture for pain management and responded so well to it, he inspired me to give it a try. I also received a form of Chinese massage that gets the energy moving before the treatment begins. I'm scared of needles but the pain was so brief when the needle was inserted, it was over before I realized it. I became extremely relaxed and definitely felt different immediately after.
The next day I started to feel mentally off and figured it was part of the process of my body moving the blocked energy. The following weekend, my dog had another acupuncture treatment that included Moxa, which is a Chinese herb that is burned to improve circulation and help the Qi move freely. As the smoke filled the room, I immediately started to experience flu-like symptoms that lasted several days. I realized the Moxa also affected me and must have loosened a major blockage in my Qi. I continued to feel off physically and mentally for another week.
In addition to that, I ran into my ex again about a week ago and it didn't go well (see video for more information). He hoovered me, which really pissed me off. Even though I refused to acknowledge him and give him any supply, negative or positive, it was still very stressful. I have also had several dreams about my first narc which hasn't happened for a long time. Some of these dreams have been disturbing and I can see how my brain is processing emotions that have haunted me.
Last night I joined a friend for a drink at a new karaoke place. It ended up being a total disaster. We left and went to our usual karaoke spot. We told a couple of friends where we had been and suddenly all of us erupted in a belly laugh. They had been there as well and had the same impression. We laughed about the cheap sound system, the terrible job the KJs did and the rednecks in the crowd. I swear I heard banjos playing in the background. That belly laugh shifted me. I had a few more today with some ladies and even though my physical symptoms are still coming and going, I feel like I turned a corner with feeling mentally better.
It's amazing when we're feeling depressed how a good laugh can completely shift our mood. There are still a lot of things about my life that are frustrating and stressful, but laughing with friends gives me the ability to leave that behind and take a break from the stress. It recharges the mental battery.
Something I've been doing a lot lately is watching a comedy when I'm feeling down. I think it's good to acknowledge negative emotions and maybe sit in them for a while to let the experiences behind them bubble up. Feeling the emotions is part of the healing process but so is the ability to shift that negative energy and redirect it to something fun and positive. It prevents us from completely marinating in negativity and self pity.
The next time you can't seem to shake a bad mood, what can you do to lift your spirits? Watch a funny movie? Take a walk? Play with your dog? After you've allowed some time to process those emotions, find a way to self soothe and take a laughter break.
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