Applaud Yourself

Feeling good. This is one of my favorite places to be. 

Here’s a story that shows how you can take yourself to a Feel-Good Place every day.

Taking Yourself to a Feel-Good Place

Elevator door opens. The fellow inside looks me straight in the eye. I can’t break his stare. He is shamelessly flirting. The woman with him rolls her eyes and moans, “Harold, stop embarrassing yourself.”

Then she says to me, “Please forgive Harold. He’s such a ham. He’s working you like he used to work the crowds at his shows.”

Harold the Ham is a bull terrier, a retired champion show dog. He looks like the Target dog on steroids. After the elevator doors close and I’m Harold’s captive, he really gets down to

 working his act. Harold turns to this side. Then that side. Then he does some attentive sitting. Every moment is focused on getting my approval. I swear Harold even gives me a few winks.

“He misses being the center of attention,” the woman with him says. “Hates retirement. There’s nothing Harold loves more than doing what he’s doing for you now. And the bigger the crowd the better.”

I can’t resist. I applaud Harold when he finishes his routine, and he laps it up. Shifting from paw to paw, Harold keeps glancing over at his owner as if to say, “See, I’ve still got it, sister!”

“Did Harold know when he won or lost a competition?” I ask.

“Don’t you know. Winning meant applause and that sent Harold dancing, prancing, and spinning in circles. It was his favorite “feel good” place. When Harold lost, he’d be sad, standing to the side watching another dog get all the applause. Losing was hard for Harold.”

I agree with Harold: Applause is a real pick-me-up. So now I give myself a special gift on days I feel low. 

Every time I walk through a door into another room, I imagine a crowd giving me a standing ovation. Then something inside me begins dancing and prancing and feeling good…one of my favorite places to be.

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