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Recently a conversation started around a painted ceramic heart with the word happiness on it. A friend commented that I’m always happy and smiling. It got me thinking to myself why are you smiling?  Then I thought about being happy tying the two together. It’s not just me, researchers have long said facial expressions especially a smile could increase your happiness.  happinessHey if putting a smile on can make me happier I’m going to do it. How about you?  Can you use a little more happiness in your day or week?  I bet you can. Even if you can’t because you rock joy and lot’s good stuff flows around; I bet you can relate to what I want to share with you. Everyone has a day in the rain so what are the ways I give myself a boost that you can use too.

Are You Smiling?

It could increase your happiness according to dozens of studies but really can you make it work in your life even on crappy days? I wanted to see first why I’m happy. The next day I was in the gym with this big mirror in front of me and a dozen other people beside me as I ran on a treadmill. We’re all staring at ourselves in the mirror. Wow, I was the only one with a ‘happy face’ on. It was surprising to me; why was I smiling? I don’t love working out. It’s something I do because I know I need to if I want to stay healthy.

So what the heck was I smiling about? As it turned out, I liked the day so far, and I looked forward to the other things I had planned. Did having a good plan for my day matter?  I mean have you ever started a day and it falls apart before you walk out the door? Of course, you have and so have I. What made this day different?Be Happy

How To Increase Your Happiness

It was then, right at that moment, I realized that several things hadn’t worked out that morning, but it was my attitude toward life that day. I was taking each day by itself as a new day, so I could have a happier attitude. It was the no-baggage rule around yesterday; just leave it there, in the past. Was that helping to increase my happiness? I believe it does help. Have you ever done that and the day just picks up more zing?  For me it does, I have to consciously let go of the things I didn’t get done yesterday and not carry a bucket of guilt around with me.

Tough to do. Nevertheless, I have to do it.  After all, I’m an empowered woman. Wait a moment, being powerful means I don’t weight myself down with yesterday or guilt, so you have to slow it down to get this right. It’s that long breath that you exhale and say this is not my crap or it’s not necessary right now. Then focus on things that bring you joy. Heck I don’t care if it’s the way your dog does tricks for a treat.

My Question To You

Are you confident in yourself that you can take care of things that matter today even if some of it is yesterday’s laundry at home or projects you need to finish by Friday at work? Confidence it’s a big deal; most women shelve it at some point in their lives. We dig deep into this stuff in my premium membership. This brings me back to are you smiling?

Admittedly I’ve done this too. We just sort of take our own confidence and put it in a shoe box on the top shelf of our closet like winter boots in March expecting it not to snow because we have a week of sunny weather.

I can’t teach you everything in this article about increasing your happiness.  It is rooted in how you feel about yourself, let’s get you headed in the right direction.

Smiling

You’ve got this. You can do this. We’re doing it together smiling and increasing your happiness. I’m proud of you. It’s a journey and not a day trip keep at it. If you need daily help, explore my membership.

Feeling Good About You When You’re In Doubt

There are going to be days when it just sucks anyway. A smile isn’t just a frown turned right side up. I get it; you want to stay in bed or just do something else. It’s the day you want to ignore the world.  We have to focus on making these days fewer with a few tools I’ve learned along the way.

Do Happy People Always Smile At Nothing?

No, they don’t. However, research shows that smiling will decrease sadness and negative thinking. Using a smile to stay happy or change your mood is well researched. Charles Darwin was one of the first to notice emotional responses influence our feelings.  He wrote, “The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it.”

So, this is step one. Yeah, fake it until you make it. It’s like a kind-of- sick day. You feel crappy, but moms don’t get days off, or you’ve run out of vacation time, so you go to work feeling ill anyway. You get there, and you fake it. Someone waves hi and you wave back. Somehow a smile hits your lips. Accidental maybe or perhaps you’re there faking you feel okay, and pretty soon you’re a little better. Not a 100% but you feel more pep.

Do the smile thing even on the healthy days and the days it rained all night, and your car is parked outside with the window cracked. Remember the rain means flowers, green grass, and maybe in your location a sparky garden filled with your favorites; just leave the mud outside.Smiling

Don’t Get Attached To An Outcome For Your Day

Got big plans today? Yes you do; you plan to wake up and be alive. Did you think you’d never wake up, right?  The biggest plan or goal you have is to stop sleeping and be alive. How are you starting your day? It’s gotta be a Possibility Day. Yeah, you’ve got plans but don’t let them be in charge of your inner joy.

So, it gets messy. It’s not your mess unless you take it on or it’s your stuff you’re dealing with in your life. Create a motto and use it. Mine is peace and no-drama. I use screen savers, sticky notes, and photos on my mobile device to center me throughout the day. I change it up weekly so my mind pays attention.

Are you saying, Debra, I need to get things done, or I’ll lose my job. Break these things into edibles you know the kind you can handle, and I’ll show you how to do a little of that in the another article.

Now go start your tomorrow knowing you reached your top goal you’re alive! Ask yourself are you smiling and yes it could increase your happiness.