Cheer.
“She’s so cheerful.” “Cheer up!” “Be of good cheer.”
Sometimes, depending on the day we’re having, these expressions can feel so glib. The two words, “Cheer up,” can seem overly simplistic and ambivalent. When we are in a season of depression, disappointment, gloom, discontentment, boredom or dissatisfaction, the idea that we can switch our emotional head beams on to a state of cheerfulness or joy, seems insensitive, unrealistic and perhaps even impossible.
Disclaimer for those with a mental health diagnosis.
I’m not a glib person. I have experienced multiple diagnoses over the years when it comes to my mental health. I know that there are circumstances where getting out of bed seems like the biggest challenge in the world! I understand how even well-intentioned advice can feel like rejection. When you are suffering emotionally, it is so important to feel validated in your feelings. If this sounds like your situation, please know that I feel your pain. I not only understand, I want to encourage you right where you are today. Please do not feel pressured or discounted by any of the content in this post. I am casting a wide net. Therefore you may feel like some of this does not fit appropriately with your current situation or mental state of health. That’s fine! Glean what you can. Know that there is a friendly stranger out there cheering you forward in your journey. If you believe in the power of prayer, you can privately submit a prayer request here. And finally, I am not a medical professional, therefore I do not offer medical advice!
How do we transition from negative emotions to a mental state of cheer?
We don’t have control over the things that happen to us. We don’t have control over how people speak to us or treat us. We definitely have control over how we respond, though. It doesn’t always seem fair, but whether we stay down when life’s knocked us over or we get back up, we decide when and how to do it.
Don’t freak out! I am not suggesting that you can mentally snap out of depression, grief or an anxiety disorder! Taking ownership of our choices, great or small, can have a positive effect on our demeanour and outlook for that day. If we become intentional about the self-care of our mental health, the success of one day can multiply into a week, a month or a year. I don’t pretend to offer a cure or a solution. Rather, I seek to provide some support tools to assist in your journey.
From the seemingly insignificant to the agonizingly difficult, everyday encompasses a series of choices. Often we feel like life is happening to us, but we shouldn’t underestimate how the sequence of decisions we make can alter the course of our day. Some of these choices are so reflexive that we are completely unconscious of them. We are going to break down these choices into three categories: healthy habits, positive outlook & spiritual foundation.
Healthy Habits
We start off with the small decisions. We can establish healthy habits by adhering to the basic principles of a healthy lifestyle. These would include good nutrition, regular exercise, sleep & stress management, reducing our toxic load through natural sources, informed self-care and proactive medical care.
Here are some examples:
- Getting dressed vs. Staying in your PJs
- Going for a walk for a few blocks vs. Binge-watching shows on Netflix
- Drinking extra glasses of water vs. Drinking exclusively caffeinated, high-sugar drinks
- Diffusing some oils to help our mind refocus vs. Continuing to dwell on the issues that are stressing us
- Following medical treatment as prescribed vs. Inconsistent self-care
This list provides just a few tips that can really help us on those down days. Do you see how even little insignificant choices can potentially have a greater impact?
Positive Outlook
These decisions are harder and require much more concentrated intention. There is a nature versus nurture element to our outlook. Some people are naturally positive and optimistic. A naturally cheerful disposition makes it easier to be positive when faced with opposition. For those of us who are naturally more sceptical and pessimistic, we have the option to nurture a very different outlook should we choose to pursue it.
I recently wrote a post about speaking over our life. We have the choice between speaking negatively (focusing on the disappointments in our circumstances) over speaking positively (no matter how life is looking). Check out Where Do You Operate from Emotionally?
Here are some examples of how we can replace lies that we have believed about ourselves with positive truths:
- “I am predisposed this way. I just have to accept it.” vs. “I am healthy in my mind, body and spirit. I am getting better every day.”
- “I have never been successful. I will always be stuck here.” vs. “I am a smart and capable person. I seek out opportunities to increase my knowledge and continue in my personal growth.”
- “I don’t take care of myself because I am not worth the effort. No one cares about me, so why should I?!” vs. “I am worthy because I have been greatly loved. I know that I am supported by more people than I realize.”
Other practices that can nurture a cheerful outlook include:
- Choosing gratitude (i.e. creating a “thankful list”)
- Choosing to help others (i.e. taking the focus off our struggles and looking for ways to encourage and assist others.)
Still not sold on the idea that you can choose a mindset of cheer? Let’s move on to the last category.
Spiritual Foundation
“In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” ~ John 16:33
I see right away that there is an acknowledgement that “good cheer” does not come naturally. I mean, it is generally not instinctive to be happy when we are going through hard times, right?! Be of good cheer is written in the imperative, which means that Jesus was giving an instruction. It does not say, have perfect faith or follow the 10 commandments and you will become a person of a good cheer. It simply says, “be of good cheer.” Therefore, if this disposition does not come to you naturally, and you cannot earn it through lofty faith or good behaviour, there is an implication that to be of a good cheer, you just have to choose it and do it.
This can be hard to accept because many of us are going through trials (or tribulation) that didn’t come as a result of a choice we made. If we didn’t choose for this to happen to us, then why should we have to choose to be happy or joyful?! Should we choose joy over sadness, how do we even pull it off?
This Biblical text was originally written in Ancient Greek. The word for cheer is tharséō, and it comes from the root word thársos, meaning courage. When I first learned John 16:33, the translation I used said, “take heartfor I have over come the world.” Other translations, rightly it would seem, say, “be of good courage…”
There is a tendency to think that if we are being told to choose a more positive outlook that it some how devalues the struggles that we are experiencing. I find it very reassuring to know that, along with choosing cheer, there is an understanding that this takes courage. Choosing joy instead of discouragement is a choice that takes courage because it is not easy.
It is not easy to get up and try again when we’ve failed. It is not easy to love again when we’ve experienced loss or a broken heart. It is not easy to be civil to people who have hurt and humiliated us. It is not easy to face a crowd of peers and critics when we struggle with low self-esteem and social anxiety.
It is worth noting that Jesus imparted this instruction to his disciples less than 24 hours before he was tortured beyond recognition and crucified. This is coming from one who knows suffering because He took on our suffering for us. And this is the most important piece. After setting the expectation that tribulation will come into our life, Jesus told us that we can be of good courage and cheer because He has “overcome the world.“
Directly upon accepting Christ, we get to receive everything through Him who died in our place and who overcame every enemy and obstacle that will ever face us in our lifetime.
If you know that you have the victory through Jesus, does that change your perspective? When we feel faith and courage failing, we have to remember that the battle is already won. Our obstacles have already been overcome. How is your courage now? Cast all of your fears and struggles onto Jesus. Choose cheer and have a confidant exception of good.
We don’t deserve it, so we cannot earn it. Nor will it come to us naturally. But by acknowledging what Jesus did for us (especially in our moments of weakness), we receive all of the joy, courage and provision we need to get through this day and all the ones that come after it.
I have found emotional aromatherapy to be a highly effective tool in supporting my mental & emotional health. If you are looking for natural alternatives to supporting your health in this area (or perhaps the health of a loved-one), please contact me for a FREE Wellness Consultation to see if essential oils could benefit you and your family. All the best!
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