There is no real trick to having a good day.
Granted, sunny weather helps. I know that makes me shallow, but seriously, blue skies just make me feel better. And maybe I’m writing this because today is the second (!)Vancouver day that is brilliantly crisp and bright.
But here’s my trick to having a good day….I smile.
I make eye contact with as many people as I can, whether passing someone on the seawall or in the check-out at the grocery store. I just genuinely try to ‘see’ them, smile my biggest, toothiest smile and move on. The response is amazing, except for when it’s not…
There are always a few people that look at me like I’m a freaky stalker. Whatever. They can add it to their personal storyline about how the world is unsafe because there are crazy-smiling people attacking them. That’s their own story they’re validating, and, as sad as their story is, it is not about me.
However.
99% of the people send back lovely flashes of happy eyes and smiling faces. This, of course, makes me feel even happier. Proving once again, that whatever we do for anyone else – no matter how seemingly insignificant and small – comes right back at us in multiples of tens.
Go on. Smile. If there’s no one around, then smile at yourself in the mirror. Smile with your winningest, most-exuberant ten-year-old-self grin. Smile, like you’ve just jumped off a rope swing, like you’ve just nailed a trampoline jump, even if the last time that happened was several decades ago. You still remember that feeling right?
Try it.
I guarantee you’ll feel good.
Goofy, but good.
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Ah Colleen, whenever I come here to read I find myself going “how are we always thinking the same thing”. Today (before I read this) I was having a blah day, because I was bored of my job. So I thought, okay, I’m just going to smile while I make this stupid bed (I’m a housekeeper right now) and see if it makes me feel better. And I felt so dumb I started laughing at myself, which ended up making me feel better! haha TaDa! I loved it and I love this!
Hey Carly, maybe we’re always thinking the same thing because we’re brilliant! HA! That’s gotta be it 🙂
Seriously (but not really), I think the true trick of life is to look for every opportunity to laugh at myself, to not take myself so seriously…whenever I/we do that…life improves exponentially.
Great trick isn’t it?
I also like the smile like I’m up to something naughty smile. Or the smile like I’m remembering …oh wait, maybe I’d better not share what’s behind that smile.
A beautiful smile flashed my way today and I returned my cheshire grin. That led to a charming conversation with a tennis player. Sweet.
Ah Elinor…good point. I’m hoping that by the time I’m an old lady in a rocker, my smile will be constant as I think back on everything…and hopefully some of those smiles will look like I just got away with something just a little bit bad 🙂
And yes, smiling is the gateway to some fun conversations. Gotta love that!
How right you are Colleen! Whatever you do for someone else always comes back to you in multiples. I love the little girl, she looks so sweet and adorable. You could just hug her. Carry on smiling! (I will do).
I agree with you about the photo Catherine. She’s positive proof that smiling is infectious, because I smile every time I look at the picture .:)
On another note, I don’t know who took the photo…it’s just one of those Wikipedia images that are allowed for free use. I wish I could credit the photographer…
Okay,
I’m trying this for the remainder of the day, after:
Monday dawned to a winter advisory and blizzard conditions tonight.
I got a TERRIBLE review from Publishers Weekly
And three more punches I won’t bore you with…
But now, thinking of Colleen smiling, I’m SMILING.
Dear Smiling Sarah, people write reviews to show how clever they are. Unfortunately, they often confuse being overly critical with cleverness. But enough about them. We shan’t give them any more space or time in your head. Banish it from your brain!
Instead, smile and feel your heart open, feel your lowered blood pressure, feel your relaxing muscles and all that happy smiley love. This shit works sister…it really does.
I seem to remember you got a VIP upgrade at the Puerto Escondido airport as a result of your smile ( and some loud laughing as I recall) while serious old me had to sneak in behind you saying “I’m with her” Keep smiling!
That’s me Michele, the Queen of the VIP’s 🙂
As for you? Seriously funny is how I’d describe you!
Interesting that my loud laughing prompted him to get us to the front of the plane. Usually my inappropriate guffawing doesn’t get me much besides a sideways look; either a studied note of concern for my mental health or a stern stare at how I’m disturbing the peace.
I once had a boss ask me if I was unhappy working at his store because I hadn’t been my usual, smiley self. Actually, I had a new coworker and wasn’t happy with her, and hadn’t been smiling as much, but I was amazed that it was so noticable to someone else. Smiling not only affects how you see the world, but also how those around you see it. Smile on!
So true Sharry. We often don’t realize what message we’re sending out. Sounds like you had a perceptive boss 🙂
How we feel & what we present to others creates our world. It’s rather heady and powerful stuff.
It’s amazing what’s triggered around us, simply by raising the corners of our mouths. Strange stuff.
I once got kicked out of Mr. Day’s class in high school for smiling. 🙂
I always greet people and smile as I’m out walking or standing in lines. It makes the world seem more friendly, except for the few grinches out there.
Oh AnneLise! Kicked out for smiling? Doesn’t that take the cake (I’m still not sure what the heck take the cake means, but I think you catch my drift). You, my dear, have a great smile and you’re quite right…it makes the world feel a little more cozy and village-like.
I was lucky enough to get one of your smiles yesterday! I am also a firm believer in smiling at as many people as I can too. I had a colleague once ask me why I smiled so much (like I was some sort of weirdo or something!). I thought that was such an odd question, I didn’t know quite what to say. Keeping smiling Colleen!
Funny thing Jennifer, I was the recipient of your smile yesterday…so who was giving the smile to who? Love it…
I know what you mean about not knowing how to respond to those kind of questions. Once upon a time I very excitedly said to another woman, “Oh look, it’s snowing. It’s so beautiful!” She looked at me like I was quite insane and I swear she had a bit of a sneer when she said, “Aren’t you the Pollyanna?” I smiled and said nothing else.
Wow.
I still think about her sometimes and think it must really suck to be her. What a view of the world.