Just Smile

I recently read somewhere that wearing sunglasses has the ability to increase happiness. How so, you ask? Well, as the story expressed, when you don’t wear sunglasses in the bright sun it creates a squinty facial expression that’s similar to when you’re angry. This “angry face” then triggers a response in the brain that can cause a person to become irritable. Interesting. This made me think about how when I’m stressed and irritated I tend to hunch over, almost as if I’m closing down shop and preparing for battle. On the flipside, when I’m feeling happy I tend to hold my shoulders back a little more. A much more welcoming stance!

If you’ve ever paid attention to body language when talking to someone you know how the body can communicate quite a bit, even when no words are spoken. Being aware of this is great for understanding how to interact with others, but what about your interaction with you? As the message below says, how your body speaks to you is pretty important as well. So from this day forward I do solemnly swear to make my best effort to stop scrunching my face and hunching my shoulders whenever I get cranky. Maybe my crankiness will disappear…or at least not stick around for such an extended stay.

May your smiles be wide and often.

With Love.

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From Over There:

“The human body is an instrument that is capable of expressing or repressing emotion. When the body is in joy the muscles lift, tension releases and the body feels light. When the body is in sadness the muscles droop and the body feels heavy. When the body is in anger the muscles tense and the body feels tight and disconnected.

As the human body and mind are symbiotic in nature, the body’s actions have the ability to change patterns within the mind. Anger and sadness may be lessened if one engages in joyful posturing. Through purposeful breathing, through opening and expanding the chest, through lifting the facial muscles the body expresses to the mind feelings of joy. Through this symbiotic connection the body communicates to the mind and the mind reacts to the message through shifting to a more positive position.”

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Featured Guest: Nat King Cole

This week I’ll leave you with one of my favorite songs, written by Charlie Chaplin and performed by Nat King Cole, Smile.