(My Mom at Hilo Botanical Garden, 2012)
"Sometimes your joy
is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your
joy." ~Thich Nhat Hanh
YOU MIGHT ASK: "Can we make ourselves smile and if so, why would
we?" It's a worthwhile
question. A few years ago (when I was in
the middle of a time that was not so easy or happy), I happened to read an
interview with Yoko Ono. She said that
after John was shot and killed, there were days she had to make herself
smile. She forced a smile because of her
son...she didn't want him to see her sad and frowning all the time. Smiling certainly didn't change the horrible
facts she was dealing with -- the murder of her husband, the loss to their
young son -- but it did change her reality.
I am
not saying it's good (or even possible!) to ignore the difficult facts of our
lives -- whether they are in our personal lives or in our nation. Actually I think we need to acknowledge truths, even those that are not pleasant. (There are vast benefits from the truth -- and much that can be written -- see my future
blog post!) However, even in midst of the
bleakness that is sometimes the truth, it is possible to find a way to smile
and even a forced smile yields many benefits.
Some super
cool things that a smile does:
- sends endorphins to your brain
- causes other people to smile
- changes your mood
- changes your reality
- changes the world
- makes your face look more beautiful
Seriously...try
it on for size! A little smile right now
as you're reading...another tomorrow when you're stuck in traffic...and again
the next day when you learn your ex is taking your kids to Paris....Make
yourself smile....("Smile though your heart is aching.../That's the time
you must keep trying/Smile, what's the use of crying/You'll find that life is
still worthwhile if you'll just smile...")
Resources:
- http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/08/smiling-benefits_n_6598840.html
- https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/cutting-edge-leadership/201206/there-s-magic-in-your-smile
- http://www.charliechaplin.com/en/articles/42-Smile-Lyrics
- If you're interested, come to my workshop on finding your joie de vivre even in the middle of your difficult divorce.