Have you ever seen how a smile can light up a room or completely change your mood for the better? Smiling has been recorded as early as a few minutes after birth for humans. Whether intentional or coincidence, smiling feels great and has some pretty cool health benefits too. When you smile, your body releases tiny molecules that help fight stress. These molecules also help fight depression and relieve pain.
Smiling can show a wide range of emotions from amusement at a joke to pure joy. Think of how you feel when you see someone smiling or hear a baby or child laugh. These things offer a brief moment of peace that makes you feel happy. Smiling requires you to relax and be in the moment. Deep breathing is great to help you relax, so whenever you need to relax, to be in the moment, try this deep breathing exercise:
1. Take a deep cleansing breath in through your nose for 4 counts
2. Exhale that breath out through your mouth
3. On your next inhale, breathe in warmth, love, & light
4. And on your next exhale, breathe out ALL things that do not serve you
Doing the above exercise should relax you and make you smile. I recently lost my grandfather and repeatedly did this breathing exercise several times during the service. It helped me balance my emotions tremendously. Because of this, I could return to a place of happiness, be in the moment, and truly celebrate my grandad’s life. Smiling, for most, is involuntary. You don’t have to think about doing it—it just happens. Try smiling even more for a week. Record how you feel, and I’d be surprised if you don’t notice a boost in your mood!
