Whatever happened to the good, old-fashioned smile?
Some days it can even feel that the smile has become some type of lost art form, a rare mystical being spoken of only in fairytales and recalled only by old folk and young children alike who either remember the ‘good old days‘ or are still innocent enough to find joy through play.
In such a rapidly changing society full of uncertainty, now more than ever it’s increasingly important if not vital to pay attention to and take care of our mental health for our holistic well being which involves incorporating and nurturing our physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and social needs.
What if we said there was a simple, proven action that could boost your mental state?
🙂 Smile! 🙂
Smile you say? Huh? Really??
See, we told you it would be simple! It’s also free, it doesn’t hurt, anyone can do it and no one even needs to know you’re doing it (unless, of course, you choose to share your smile with another for extra feel-good points)! The simple act of smiling and laughing can deliver many health benefits for us all.
Research has found the level of stress hormones, being cortisol and adrenaline in the bloodstream, are significantly reduced due to the positive endorphins which are produced during the action of smiling. This naturally has a positive flow-on effect on our physical health. This Beyond Blue link explains the science of smiling a little more.
Understandably, sometimes in life we feel that there is not exactly a lot to smile about but don’t be dismayed – simply mimicking the gesture of smiling can be enough to get those endorphins flowing! Earlier studies in Japan even encouraged office workers to hold a pen or pencil between their teeth to imitate a smile for a short period of time each day with a positive effect!
Smiling Activities
Why not get a couple of grinning minutes into your day? Take a look at the list and see what you could try:
🙂 Watching comedy
🙂 Listening to music
🙂 Looking through picture albums
🙂 Searching for clips of cute, fluffy animals doing cute, quirky things
🙂 Laughter Yoga
🙂 Even learning to laugh at yourself a little more!
Aim For Wellbeing
As many of us know all too well, this world can get gloomy. The human right to complete health is not always possible for all. We understand. Limiting factors can vary, including:
- Limitations occurring with advancing age
- Chronic health conditions
- Trauma
- Disability
- Access to suitable health care
- Financial Situation
We can, however, aim to be as ‘well-a-being’ as possible by caring for our holistic health to the best of our ability. This can start with ensuring we stay as mentally healthy as possible.
Smile To Your Heart’s Content
So why not start with that therapeutic smile while enjoying a nice cuppa poured with your Uccello Kettle!
Happy smiling everyone!! 🙂
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