When I talk to people who are grieving, I often see they aren’t smiling. Actually, most people who I talk to are not smiling at first. Thinking about this led me to wonder how much better we all could feel if we just remember to smile.
Think about all the things you could smile about right now. They can be simple things like the purr of your cat, the laughter of a baby, a hug from a friend, a piece of homemade apple pie, or the flowers in your garden or that you see on your walks.
Think about how your body feels when you smile. You are likely to relax. You might take a deep breath and stretch; you might feel lighter; or a sad thought may turn into a loving memory and you may feel the corners of your mouth turn up at that.
On those days when you feel like you just don’t have anything to be happy about, pay attention to that. It’s a good time to practice some self-care. Do things for yourself that are relaxing and have put a smile on your face before. You can do something like put a funny show on TV, or play some of your favorite music, or call a friend you love to be talking with. Sometimes simply taking a nap is a way of resetting and finding that smile.
I remember trying to make my mom smile. She usually wasn’t smiling after dad died. When I noticed that, I’d smile a big smile for her, and if she didn’t respond, I’d just smile so much more, and pretty soon we both would be giggling.
Being happy isn’t hard. The key is to notice when you aren’t feeling happy and do something about that. Smile!
The Grief and Happiness Alliance
Loving and Living Your Way Through Grief
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