We have all heard the phrase, If Mama Ain't Happy, Ain't Nobody Happy - Also holds true for Papa, but I'm going to assume for the sake of argument that we are talking about mama here...and I - dear friends - am talking to YOU!

I've been doing a lot of research and study on the topic of endorphins. Did you know we have a ton of power to change the energy around us and to "up" our mood? Oh my gosh..it's so true. I've been doing experiments on my kids and this stuff really truly works!  It's amazing!

About a year and a half ago I attended a big Arbonne convention thingy in Dallas. There were several speakers that are networking speakers, but there was also a leadership speaker named Amanda Gore. See www.amandagore.com She was a hoot! I loved her energy, but she was also on target with what she was saying. I had taken two of my boys with me to this conference. Well...one of the things Amanda talked about was helping to pick each other up...not physically...but I'm certain there are physiological changes that take affect as well.  She had us turn to the person next to us, put two thumbs up in the air and say, Excellent (in a high squeaky voice).  Another thing she talked about was the need for everyone to have Ta Dah's in their life. You know, when a kid does a somersault, they stand up, fling their arms up in the air and say TA DAH!

After doing these experiments on my kids I've realized I can totally change the energy in my home with a simple, TA DAH! Allow me to explain.

I come home, into the front door of my house, many times a day. I'm running errands, going on real estate appointments, meeting people for coffee or lunch, etc. When I come back in the door I have three options.

Option number one and honestly this is what I would mostly do...before I began experimenting on my kids...was that I would quickly look around to see if anyone had done anything I had told them to do. So...seeing they hadn't done anything, I would begin the entrance into my home with...David...I told you to take out the garbage, did you do your school work yet, have you showered .Bryan, why are you on the computer? Have you read any books yet today? Did you do your JOYS? Walking through the house I would become disgusted with the undone things...If I didn't stop myself I would begin ranting and raving about everything. I now wonder if my kids would secretly think, gosh Mom.I wish you wouldn't come home.

Option number two, I could ignore everything and everyone and retreat to my room. Sometimes I would run up the stairs, saying something like...gotta go to the bathroom, then end up staying in my room.  I didn't want to be negative...so may as well be neutral (and absent).

Option number three is now the way I try to enter my house. I walk in the door and say something fun or clever such as, Greetings Earthlings! Or...Your day just got better...Mom is home!  Or most often a simple, "Ta Dah!"  When I come in with the latter, John will almost always put up two thumbs and say, "Excellent!" Another child in a high squeaky voice (it must be a high squeaky voice to affect the endorphins) will say, "Hello!"  Then I will say, "Have you had an endorphin rush today?" We will then do the endorphin rush grin...huge grin showing all the teeth, squint the eyes..and hold.  Your silly brain thinks you're really smiling and sends an enormous endorphin rush. It's great!  Try it!  Try it right now! Get one of Amanda Gore's videos...she'll show you how to do it. Within seconds the energy in my home has become electric. This is especially good to do with those teenage boys! Make them grin!  Make them!

Let me share a true life example that happened yesterday.  I walked into the house and felt like things weren't quite right...sometimes I will say, "Something smells bad."  When I walk in...This time..I walked in and said in a very loud voice, "I have the greatest kids on the planet!"  They hadn't done anything in particular..but they are the greatest kids on the planet. John turned and looked at me, put up two thumbs and said, "Excellent!!!" Erica quickly came to the front door, threw her hands in the air and said, "Ta Dah!" Pretty soon there were five kids standing in the foyer. We talked silly talk....high squeaky hellos all around....high fives to everyone....big endorphin rush grins...etc.  The energy in my home errupted....  I then said, "Did y'all do your joys?"  Bryan piped up with, "Oh...I forgot....and quickly began doing what was his responsibility.  All the other kids quickly started working on their JOYS. As I walked up the stairs I came across Cathy (the 18 year old)...she looked at me...smiled broadly and with all sincerity said, "You're awesome Mom" and she gave me a hug.  

As moms we have so much power to give our children lives that are positive and encouraging, but often we don't know how to do it. Here's one little tip for you, the next time you're feeling a little down, stand up, throw your arms in the air and with a high squeaky voice exclaim, TA DAH!