This teeny, tiny action could transform your life

I won’t make you wait too long for it, but I do want to make two statements before I just divulge what it is:

1. This will most likely be hugely uncomfortable at first;
2. everyone around you will probably think you’ve gone nuts.

Good! Glad we got that out of the way.

Are you ready for the action? It’s so small I almost don’t believe how long it’s taking me to tell you what it is!

The action is…

…to smile!

I don’t mean smile when something is funny, or when you hear something nice about yourself. Or when someone is taking your picture. That’s too easy.

I mean smile way, way more than you’re probably smiling now.

Smiles can be heard, so smile when you answer the phone. Smile when you make eye contact with someone (and if they don’t smile at you in return, that’s OK). Smile when you wake up in the morning and realize you’ve been given the gift of another day. Smile when you rediscover something awesome about the planet or about the world, like the songs of the birds first thing in the morning or rays of sun pouring down through the clouds. Smile at the gas station attendant (and if you live in a state where you have to pump your own gas, smile at the person pumping gas next to you). Smile at your waiter, at the store clerk ringing up your purchases, and at the people with whom you live when you see them at the end of the day.

And smile even if no one is looking at you to see it, and even if you have no “good” reason to smile.

Now, I told you at the beginning of this post that this would be hugely uncomfortable, and it will be in the beginning. Also, the people in your life may think you’ve gone bananas when they see you walking around all day smiling for no reason.

But here is what I want you to know: this little tiny action could actually transform your life.

If you ever read about the brain (and I have and I do regularly), you will find out that smiling releases neuropeptides, which work to fight off stress and can also help you feel just generally incredible. Of course, smiling won’t stop icky life stuff from happening, but what it will do is help you rebound from that stuff much more quickly.

Here are some other cool facts about smiling:

1. It costs absolutely nothing. (Read: It’s FREE.)
2. It will lift your spirits and the spirits of those around you.
3. Smiling boosts your confidence (OK, there’s no scientific study for this of which I’m aware; I’m just going from personal experience here).
4. A smile sends positive, happy, and loving energy out into the world. The world needs that.

Say cheese!