This Relaxation Technique
is the simplest one of all...
Stress Reliever #12:
SMILE more.
The KEY to this relaxation technique is simple:
When you feel you have nothing to smile about—smile anyway.
The physical act alone disengages you from your head and drops you into your heart.
Fact is…
You can ALWAYS find something to smile about.
Smiling and gratitude go hand in hand. Look inside you. Look around you. Look out a
window or step outside.
Catch a glimpse of something beautiful…
—you can’t help but smile.
Besides being an effective relaxation
technique, there are PLENTY MORE good
reasons to flex those facial muscles:
A Smile Triggers A Release of Tension
Smiling sends the brain a message to reduce the level of stress
hormones which affects our emotional state. A smile also
triggers the lungs to suddenly release air. The moment you
smile, you automatically begin to breath slower and deeper
Not only that—
A Smile Elevates Your Mood
Smiling sends a message to our brain to release a chemistry of happy hormones into our
body. This reduces stress and helps us feel better.
The Physiology of a SMILE
Try this little "body-conscious" experiment:
—Relax the muscles of your face. Move the corners of
your mouth into an upturned semi-circle.
—Feel the muscles holding this semi-circle extend upwards to the cheeks causing them
to puff out.
—Now keep expanding this semi-circle further up to include the eyes. Feel the eye
muscles relax as they engage.
A genuine smile involves the whole face. So whenever you’re feeling anxious or low, try
smiling just with your eyes. Your mouth and cheeks can't help but cooperate.
The Hidden POWER Behind Every Smile
A simple smile also has the power to improve your overall health and
sense of well-being. Here are some of the ways:
—Smiling Helps Keep You Charged
Smiling acts like a battery and charges up the immune system. As a
relaxation technique, smiling reduces your stress levels and allows your immune system to
function optimally.
—Smiling Helps Change Your Prospective
Smiling triggers the hormonal release of serotonin and endorphins in the body —it’s nature's
way of helping you feel better. When you feel good, you think more clearly.
—Smiling Is Your Best Defense Against Negativity
Give this little experiment a try:
Step One: Smile.
Step Two: Now hold a mental picture of a situation or circumstance that would
normally bring up a negative feeling while still smiling.
It’s nearly impossible!
Each smile is like a beacon of light, reminding us that
"Life supports us!"
And, for all you skeptics and pessimists out there?
Even a PRETEND smile can lift your spirits.
When it comes to smiling the body can’t tell the
difference between when we're REALLY smiling and when we're pretending to smile.
However, the MIND can't be fooled, even though the body can. The brain releases hormones
that start improving your mood and reducing your stress whether you consciously want to
or not. That's what makes smiling such a great relaxation technique!
And that's not all—
Even MORE Positive Effects...
Imagine if you can, the feeling you'd get from enjoying and
savoring two THOUSAND bars of chocolate. Now imagine that
feeling without consuming the calories!
Believe it or not, a simple SMILE produces the SAME level of
stimulation, according to a study at the British Dental Health
Foundation.
After volunteers had been shown photos of people smiling and also given chocolate, results
showed that their heart and brain activity measurements were the same.
According to chief executive, Dr. Nigel Carter, the Foundation
has been focused on the role smiling plays in increasing
happiness and its effects on self-image.
The conclusion reached?
A genuine smile can build your confidence, improve
your social skills and increase your chance of success in
a given career.
What's more...
A Smile Is a Great Connector
A smile is better than a hand shake and worth more than
words. It's a universal gesture that greets and welcomes other
people.
When someone smiles at you, especially when you least expect
it, you'll respond in kind and return the favor.
BUT it's greatest power of all?
A Smile Is INFECTIOUS
A smiling face has the power to change the energy in a
room. It can shift the mood of others and make things
more pleasant.
When you project a smile, others can’t help but smile back at you. Smile at a baby, and the
baby will more than likely smile back at you. Smiling is built into human wiring. Plain and
simple!
So make smiling a "Regular Habit" for living, loving and giving...
Remember—
Just saying (or even thinking) the word "smile" will AUTOMATICALLY put a smile on your
face!
And oh... as a relaxation technique?
Any child will tell you—
It's a no-brainer!
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