The importance of being cheerful

Well, this is definitely one of my favourite subjects.  Replace cheerful with joyful and we are reminded of our school motto ‘Inservi Deo et laetare’ – ‘Serve God and be joyful’.  With our Foundation Day having been celebrated this week, looking to our roots and the importance of joy in school life is most apposite. So why is being cheerful such a potent thing?  It’s certainly a prerequisite to teaching and is a quality we look for in any candidates we interview for appointment here in school.
 
So let’s think about cheerfulness.  People who are genuinely cheerful can light up a room, they inspire others to achieve their goals and bring a feeling of happiness and well-being wherever they go. Being cheerful involves a positive perspective on life, a sense that things happen for a reason and that things will work out for the best. 

Benefits of being cheerful:

- It helps us feel better.  When we make an effort to be more cheerful life becomes easier. We have more energy, motivation and our general well-being and outlook improves. We can then start to appreciate how much we drag our mood down when we are glum and miserable.

- The atmosphere improves.  Have you ever been in a room where one person's mood dominates the atmosphere?  A miserable person can bring everyone down to their level.  Similarly, a cheerful person can brighten a room and make everyone feel lighter and happier.  Laughter and good humour can move people through difficult situations with a far better mindset and attitude.

- Others respond better.  It is far easier to work with someone who is cheerful.  The energy levels are better and things flow much better.  Ideas, work, and communications are more comfortable and fluid in a cheerful atmosphere.  Less effort is needed to motivate and produce results.  Also people relax and are more confident to speak, volunteer and offer ideas and thoughts in a cheerful environment.  It feels safer and less tense or judgmental.

- The perspective lifts.  Mood and optimism can be helped by a cheerful perspective.  Seeing the good in a situation, feeling more hopeful and positive can often be achieved simply by looking at it from another viewpoint.  Being more cheerful introduces a better way of looking at things.  Things are often not as bad as they seemed when looked at from a different perspective.

- It provides a respite from stress and tension.  Laughter and being cheerful can reduce the symptoms of stress and provide a break from tiredness and lack of energy.  Often in tense group situations introducing singing, movement and other positive activities can lighten the tension and help people feel better and more alert.

The truth is, even if we don't feel cheerful, acting in that way helps us improve our mood and general attitude. In addition, the habit of noticing things to be grateful for, will provide a reliable roadmap to lifting our spirits.

So, this week’s challenge is to look around and find the reasons to be cheerful.  Make a mental note of everything you have to be grateful for and wait for the cheerfulness to arrive.
 
Inservi Deo ET LAETARE!!!