Prepent: 40 daily reminders to change for good and go into a new year, better. read more/subscribe
35 of 40
Sep 30/Tishrei 5
Last night I watched a video of my recent Rosh Hashana Talk at Lab/Shul and was surprised to see my brow furrowed and my smile quite rare. I think that I don’t smile too much, esp. when on my own or walking around ‘minding my own business’. How much more so on stage and in presence of others. New Year resolution – smile more, from inside. simple enough? maybe.
Just yesterday morning I walked up Broadway on my way to school and this woman came towards me, glowing, big smile on her face, just looking ahead. It was, as it often is, infectious. And I smiled – not at her, but at the world, and felt a little more relaxed and present. I want to remember to do that more often.
Science proves that smiling is as powerful for our sense of wellbeing as any rewards or perk from money to ice cream to love – it’s something about the muscles and the dopamin. You can read more about it here.
Sometimes contrived, or hard to come by, so beautiful and powerful when real and wide – smiling matters. How we work hard to win one from a kid, or student, or someone we are trying to impress?
Maybe I’m over self critical – but I catch myself doing it less and wanting to do it more. Even when it’s not the best day ever and there’s reasons to be worried or sad, still, not as artificial pasted on mask but as a way to look at what’s positive and build back positive muscle memory into a mood of good.
I think it goes for emoticons too. One of these guys – : ) – goes a long way in a complex txt exchange. Even when a little silly or annoying.
So when you see me on the street next time, and for some reason I’m not smiling – please remind me – and I’ll smile right back.
I’m doing it right now.
