Sheryl Kraft

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October 17, 2014 By Sheryl Kraft 18 Comments

Why Smiling Feels So Good

photo (22)

I’ve never really been fully aware of my facial expressions until I recently caught a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I wasn’t feeling particularly gloomy or angry or even a wee bit sad. But the mirror reflected otherwise. The corners of my mouth were turned downward and anyone who didn’t know me might think I was unhappy, unfriendly, annoyed, or a combination of all three. Why did I look so glum even though I wasn’t feeling that way? Or was I really feeling that way and just not being honest with myself?

The truth of it is that gravity is pulling parts of us down, whether we like it or not, and our mouths are not exempt. The corners of our mouths simply begin to droop along with the rest of us as the years rush onward.

Maybe it’s because I just had a so-called major birthday, but these kinds of things are on my mind lately. Yeah, maybe it’s a wee bit shallow, but I’m not apologizing for caring. It’s bad enough body parts droop, but I’d like to keep my face looking pleasant and satisfied, and apparently the corners of my mouth have a lot to do with that.

I may be "all grown up," but acting goofy with my husband makes me smile.

I may be “all grown up,” but acting goofy with my husband makes me smile.

After doing a bit of web research, I found out that there are cosmetic solutions for the famous corner-of-mouth-droop – Botox or cosmetic fillers. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not opposed to anything that makes you feel and look better – but since Botox and fillers are both pricey and temporary (in my opinion, better saved for the “bigger” issues, like crow’s feet and wrinkly foreheads), I’m convinced there has to be a better cheaper way.

Onward. I stumbled on a page about doing facial exercises (aka “Facercise.”) All you need to do, believers say, is devote eight minutes of each day to a regimen of various exercises for your face – and presto, change-o – just like you can tighten your sagging butt with simple exercise (NOT), so can you achieve tightening and rejuvenation of your face simply by working on your facial muscles.

There has to be a better way. Aha! I got it!

Try smiling. (Am I brilliant or what??)

No, really – science backs me up on this.

For one, smiling is contagious. It’s hard not to smile back at someone who smiles at you. And that contagion is a natural paying-it-forward, right? If more people smiled, I suspect that more people would smile. Or something like that.

For another, in times of stress, studies have found that smiling helps mitigate anxiety and even lowers your heart rate.

Add to that the endorphins that are released when you smile (and especially when you laugh). They’re the euphoric, feel-good hormones that reduce your perception of pain.

Smiling can actually trick your body into thinking you’re in a good mood. Along with doing kegels when I’m waiting at a red light (if I remember, that is), I also try to remind myself to smile. It’s truly amazing how my mood is instantly lightened by such a simple act.

When I think about it, there really are a lot of reasons to smile…and they’re not just everything I’ve just mentioned in the above paragraphs. Here are ten things that made me smile today:

  1.  The sun is shining
  2. The weather is still warm (even though it’s mid-October)
  3. I am healthy
  4. I’m immersed in doing what I love
  5. I had a killer workout at the gym
  6. I made myself a homemade soy latte with my new Keurig Rivo http://www.keurig.com/content/rivo machine and saved both a trip to Starbucks and over$4.00! If I continue to do this daily, I’m $28 richer for the week…$112 for the month…and $1,344 for the year! You’ll recoup the cost of the machine ($199.99) in no time.
  7. I just spent a wonderful week celebrating my birthday with family and long-time dear friends
  8. I took a lovely and fragrant bubble bath
  9. I talked to my mom and exchanged emails with my children and husband
  10. I will get a chance when I’m finished working to go outside and take a walk

Okay…now it’s your turn. If you tell me, you’re bound to make me – and everyone else reading this – break out into one big smile.

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Filed Under: Aging and Growing Older, Anxiety, Current Obsessions, Happiness, Health, Midlife, Musings, Things to make you smile


Comments

  1. Lisa Froman says

    October 18, 2014 at 6:41 am

    Ha, this made me smile. And I know I will be smiling when I meetj you in person Monday. (Try to ignore my wrinkles…..NYC is wearing me out.) lol

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 18, 2014 at 6:50 am

      That’s so nice, Lisa. I’m so looking forward to meeting you, too! I’ll try to ignore your wrinkles if you try to ignore mine…NYC is quite the place, isn’t it?

      Reply
  2. Grown and Flown says

    October 18, 2014 at 7:56 am

    Sheryl, knowing that you had a big birthday and are not engaging in any woe-is-me talk about aging makes me smile (my own big one is edging closer!) Thanks for the reminders of why we should all be smiling more! Happy bday.

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 18, 2014 at 12:38 pm

      No woe-is-me for me! I’m happy and privileged to have reached this age. I’m gonna milk it for as long as I possibly can!! Happy (almost) bday to you, too 🙂

      Reply
  3. Lois Alter Mark says

    October 18, 2014 at 12:43 pm

    I am a total believer in the power of smiling! And you, my friend, always make me smile 🙂

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 22, 2014 at 1:42 pm

      Thanks, Lois…your smile is infectious! Every time I see you, it’s spread across your face.

      Reply
  4. Irene S. Levine says

    October 19, 2014 at 1:20 am

    Great post by someone who always brings smiles to others!

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 22, 2014 at 1:43 pm

      Thank you, Irene, and the same sentiments back to you!

      Reply
  5. Lou xoxo says

    October 19, 2014 at 8:33 am

    WOW, best post ever!!
    Made me smile also, feel happy to be alive and so happy to hear that you are happy!!

    I too have always noticed the downturned curves of my lips but never have I ever read about it…you’re a genius and I love the fact that you are brave enough to write about it. You are my hero!!

    Happy Birthday and many, many more healthy and happy ones. Keep up the great writing…
    love tons and tons!!
    xoxo
    Lou

    Reply
    • SherylK says

      October 22, 2014 at 1:43 pm

      Well, Lou…that sure made me smile even more. Thanks for your thoughtful comment 🙂

      Reply
  6. Cathy Chester says

    October 19, 2014 at 11:04 am

    I try to smile as much as possible, and sometimes I think it’s stuck on my face cause sometimes I smile when I’m not as happy! Which confuses people but I guess that’s half the fun, eh? Keep smiling, Sheryl, and another time to say Happy Birthday!

    Reply
  7. Kimba says

    October 20, 2014 at 12:40 pm

    Found myself smiling as I read this post – here’s to stopping the droop and making the world a better place all at the same time!

    Reply
  8. Carol Cassara says

    October 26, 2014 at 11:51 am

    Smiling LOOKS good, too! Great post for a Sunday!

    Reply
  9. Mary says

    October 26, 2014 at 12:23 pm

    Thanks for making me smile on this beautiful Sunday morning!

    Reply
  10. Ruth Curran says

    October 26, 2014 at 4:19 pm

    I love the fact that science backs up the power of smiling but I am now worried. Someone told me not too long ago that I smile with my whole body. Does that mean all of me is falling Sheryl?
    Thank you for the Sunday smile!!

    Reply
  11. Elaine Ambrose says

    October 26, 2014 at 4:37 pm

    I really needed to read this today. You make an excellent argument for choosing to be happy. I’m smiling, indeed.

    Reply
  12. Toni McCloe says

    October 26, 2014 at 4:46 pm

    Great post! I think I’ll make a list of the things that make me smile and post it on my mirror.

    Reply
  13. Matt D. says

    November 6, 2014 at 12:05 am

    Can’t help but smile as I was reading this. Now, how to share this smile…

    Reply

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About Me

What’s this so-called midlife, anyway?

It’s a time of tremendous change, growth and opportunity. A time to re-evaluate our choices, our experiences and ourselves. A time to take what we’ve accumulated up until now and put it to work.

When I turned 50, many things changed...
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Sheryl Craft is a Live Healthy Connecticut Expert

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