Smile!

Have you ever noticed that you feel uplifted when you see the wonderful perpetual smiles of a dolphin or a Golden Retriever? They’re born with them and are blessed to be able to bring joy to so many just by being. There’s a lesson here.

People have been even more uptight this year, in part due to the earth changes, spiritual changes, and most certainly from emotional changes that are exacerbated by the energy shifts going on. The political sandbox is full of something besides sand!

My new book, “Ageless! Never too Old, Never too Late,” talks a lot about making changes and how to get started, but right now I’m jumping to the last chapter… “Love, Life and Laughter.” Sometimes one just needs to find the little button that turns a frown upside down. Make a smile, even if it seems to not come from the heart.

Try a little experiment. Look at the expressions of folks in grocery stores who are either on a tear, racing through the aisles, or others who appear almost bewildered as though wondering why they’re even there, let alone where to find something. But if you can catch their eye, try smiling,  give a little nod, sort of an “I understand” communication.

The response doesn’t matter as much as the fact that you did it. But nine times out of ten, you’ll get a smile, albeit puzzled, back. The result? You feel better and so do they. It’s like seeing the Golden or a dolphin … it lifts the soul, takes a bit of loneliness out of life. Especially heartwarming is the smile you share with a small child sitting in a cart or in a restaurant who’s a bit unsure at first, but then offers a big smile, maybe even playing peek-a-boo for a few seconds.

So don’t call it a New Year’s resolution … those usually don’t last long term—at least mine don’t. Make it a life resolution. Smile and the world smiles with you. Try it. It’s joyful and contagious and so good for the soul. Turn those aging frown lines into smile lines!  And if you’re not careful, you might even find yourself humming, wondering what changed. It’s a great way to have a Happy New Year!