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Sometimes my students come in to class and I can see in the slump of their shoulders and the way they don’t meet eyes or answer my, “How are you today?” that they are down. One day I wrote this prompt on the board: What do you do to feel better when you are down?

When I’m feeling down, I do lots of different things to get

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myself out of the doldrums. I might watch a favorite movie like Serenity. I might go for a long walk or a run and pray. I might groom my horse, saddle and ride for a while.

If I’m in a town, I might get a mocha or a hot

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fudge sundae. I might write or call a friend. Everyone feels down sometimes and that’s just okay. But don’t dwell in it. Figure out what it takes to dig yourself out and do it. Maybe keep a list of things you can do to feel better. Start with number one and work your way through your list until suddenly you notice that you feel better and remember how to smile again.