Feeling anxious? Just smile :)
When I was upset as a child, I remember adults around me saying “it takes more facial muscles to frown than to smile”. As corny and irritating as it sounded in the moment of my temper tantrum, it would typically make me stop crying and it would induce a slight smile. Smiling does feel much better than so many negative emotions like frowning or crying or screaming in a fit of anger.
As the world has changed over the past couple of years, we don’t see people smiling anymore. It has become a universal norm for precious, beautiful smiles to be hidden behind masks to keep everyone safe from the virus.
I confess: I miss smiles. I remember a few months ago sitting outside in my car in the parking lot of my local supermarket. I observed people getting out of their cars, obediently donning their masks and heading on in to the store. Some people drove up in their cars fully masked, even though no one was in the car with them. I noticed small children on playgrounds were masked up by perhaps anxious parents, and I saw kids trying to take them off because it’s natural to want to smile and breathe without any impediments, that’s how God made us. I just noticed how as humans of all ages, we became stripped of our smiles in a mere few months.
Our smiles are a part of what defines our uniqueness as humans.
Sadly, we’ve all become robotized and impersonal in our interactions with each other by wearing masks.
Facial expressions convey so much information that we’ve always taken for granted. A smile conveys warmth, happiness, joy, openness, sincerity, positivity and lightness. It’s an invitation to socially engage with another person. It uplifts not only ourselves but other people too.
It turns out that smiling is good for your health in many ways. A smile releases feel-good neurotransmitters which boost your mood, relaxes your mind and body, and melts away anxiety. A smile is a natural anti-depressant; it requires no drugs and boosts mental health almost immediately. A smile can diffuse a tense or difficult situation and lower blood pressure. People dealing with significant pain have reported that a smile can make the situation more bearable. Some studies even report that smiling on a regular basis can add years to your life.
So the power of a simple happy facial expression that involves turning up the corners of our mouth is tremendous. It can shift our mind into a tranquil place where we see things in a more positive light. A smile releases endorphins. A smile is natural. A smile is contagious. A smile can lead to pure laughter, happiness and joy!
I invite you to find more ways to smile each day. Here are some simple ways you can do this:
Smile in the mirror each morning and night when you brush your teeth
Take off your mask. Shop at places that honour mask-free shopping. Wear a transparent mask or face shield to show off your smile and breathe freely as nature intended
Find and share some silly, funny memes on social media with your friends – smiling and laughter is contagious so spread some smiles around
Play with your pet. Dogs and cats live in the moment. When you spend time with them, their warmth and playfulness will invariably bring a smile to your face and will melt away your stress, even for just a few minutes
Turn off the news, especially in the evening and watch some comedy instead: a classic comedy movie or a sitcom, even if you’ve watched it before
Play some of your favourite songs. Dance and sing along like no one’s watching – and just notice yourself smiling and laughing out loud!
Do something thoughtful for someone in need. A random act of kindness can bring a sense of warmth to your spirit, inner joy and happiness which will invariably translate into a content smile.
So, the next time you find anxiety and stress sweeping over you, take a time out and put on your happy face – it’s simply awesome for your mind, body and spirit! To book a complimentary coaching session, visit karensibal.com.