This “strategy” is pretty simple.
And sort of easy to do.
I say “sort of” as there may be times when is harder to do, and I want to be honest with you.
And as old-matey Jim Rohn used to say: “What is easy to do, is also easy not to do“.
So, although this is not so hard, most of time, it actually needs to be undertaken, in order to have the feel-good experience.
This strategy is also free.
It doesn’t require props.
And it creates a ripple effect.
As in, in can make other people feel good too.
That’s pretty cool.
The strategy is…
Smile.
Yep.
It sounds pretty simple, obvious, and maybe you even think I might be a bit of a simpleton.
But that is not the case (to the best of my knowledge anyway.
I recall reading – many many moons ago – about an experiment where they had people put a pencil across their mouth, which sort of forced them into a weird sort of smiling posture.
The result was that certain “feel good” hormones were released, due to triggering different facial muscles (similar to the ones utilised for smiling).
So, smiling – even when you don’t feel like it – has the potential to change your emotional state (and quite likely your chemistry).
That is pretty cool – and pretty easy to do.
But don’t just take my word for it.
Smile, RIGHT NOW.
Yep; pull a cheesy grin on that mug of yours and see how it makes you feel.
For me it starts off feeling contrived, and then something sort of happens, and I actually start being drawn into feeling pretty good.
How was it for you?
Bonus strategy
This one ties in nicely with the last strategy.
And this is definitely good for the greater good too.
It is…
Be nice to other people.
Be nice to the person serving you at the checkout counter.
Be nice to that person getting on their motorbike beside you.
Be nice to your friends, family, partners, etc..
Being nice actually makes YOU feel good.
And, again don’t take my word for it.
Go out today and try it on for size.
The experiment: Does being nice to other people make you feel good, bad or neutral?
You get to decide if it works for you.
And, if it does, of course, do more of it.
In Summary
It is sort of crazy how easy is to feel good.
Just smiling – even if it is initially “forced” – can actually change your internal chemistry and mood.
Being nice to others has a sort of boomerang effect, in that it also makes YOU feel good.
And now it is time to experiment, and see for yourself.
My Parting Words
My humble apologies if you think I am being too simple today.
Maybe you think there is more stuff going on, and more too it, than just smiling in order to feel better (as opposed to waiting for something to make you smile).
Give it a try.
I love the feeling that results from the simple act of smiling (for no specific reason).
Yes; this is more of an ‘in-the-moment effect’ as opposed to a long-term effect.
However, I would add a personal hypothesis, which suggests that the more you do it, the longer the experiences are likely to last.
And they might even become permanent.
And with being nicer to other people, how can that not be a good thing?
It would certainly make the world (and our own little mini worlds) a better place.
Give both of them a crack and see what you learn.
Then feel free to share.
And now, before we part ways, do a final SMILE, right now, and see how it makes you feel.
Take that into your day.
Have a vibrant day, and a week of making the world a better place.
Take care.
Carl
Quotable QUOTE:
“Being nice to others has a sort of boomerang effect, in that it also makes YOU feel good.” Carl Massy
(Author of 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be)
PS: Have you read or listened to this book yet? 18 Ways We Make Life WAY Harder Than It Needs To Be
