Being Contagious

Being Contagious
I was reading last night on the Rebbe Nachman's "Outpouring the Soul "It states on the importance and the power of speech and also prayer. It hit me when I thought the importance and how one must try to be contagious. Not just to other's but mostly to one's self.When one thinks about being contagious to others I always thought of what some one said once. If you smile at people they usually cannot help but to smile back. If you are in a bad mood you can put other people in a bad mood. But, that is the easy part. We are very contagious and influential to other people. We all can make another person's day brighter.But, what about ourselves?Why is it that we make it so hard for ourselves and become contagious in our depression and anger? It really hit me hard when a Rabbi said,"MAKE yourself happy even if you don't want to be happy."Force yourself and then happiness will follow.That is very difficult but, attainable.The same smile you give to other's try to give it to yourself. The same kind words of encouragement you give to another person one should give to themselves.When a friend is in need of comfort we run to help them get through it. But when we are in need we deny ourselves the same comfort that we deserve.I was a comedian (a very good one) many years ago in the early 90's before I became Teshuva. I was asked why do you like comedy?I like to make people laugh and bring a small amount of joy to them. If I know that one joke or comment could brighten up their day it was worth all to me cause who knew if they were having a hard day or a sad thing happen to them. And there my silly joke or gesture would do wonder's.I have found it hard to make myself laugh or be happy. But once again, if I force myself to laugh or be happy then soon I will be.So don't just do it for others. Try to make yourself happy also.Force it! Do it! Or I will be forced to something extreme like dress myself as a chicken and run the streets and Cock-a-doodle-do the call of happiness.( I always did like rubber chickens)