A few weeks ago, the health and fitness celebrity Jack Lalanne died. After listening to a story about him on NPR, I found myself watching video after video of his mid-20th century TV show on YouTube. I don’t remember his show from my childhood, but, the other day, I was somehow completely hooked. This tip is not really about him, but I do like the point he makes in the video.
So, have fun with a little YouTube, and then sit back and smile (or not)!
First, watch this video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NEboAJf9UVc.
Did it make you smile? Whatever you think of Jack Lalanne, it’s hard to disagree that smiling (and spontaneous song) has an uplifting effect. You might be able to recall experiences when smiling was contagious, even under difficult circumstances. Similarly, you might remember times when you noticed that everyone around you seemed to be frowning, or at least appeared overly serious.
At least once this week, see if you can catch yourself in a moment that could benefit from a smile. Notice the details around you – how glum everyone looks, or how “blah” you might be feeling. Then, share a smile with the person or people around you, and see if it catches on (or smile to yourself if you’re alone). At the very least, it will probably make you feel better, and it might have a substantial ripple effect that could make other people’s day.
By the way, I’m ideally not talking about a phony, cheesy smile – the kind you became skilled at for family photos when you were in the 6th grade. I’m talking about a smile that comes from within. So, in order to really smile, you might bring to mind a time that made you genuinely happy or a sense of gratitude for something that is going right, even if everything else seems to be not so great. If this seems impossible, then try the phony one…but phony smiles, believe it or not, often morph into genuine ones. Give it a try! And – here’s the true mindfulness part – notice how you feel before, during, and after your smiling moments, particularly the emotional and bodily content of your experience as it happens. (Even notice if you have that “I don’t want to smile, I’m in a bad mood” mentality…are you thriving on your present-moment misery?!)
