Tap into your minds eye. Visualize a warm and loving smile. The kind of smile that erases worry and infuses peace. That is the smile you feel, this sort of smile creates an emotional response of sympathy, optimism, and connection. It is automatic.

Who is it that is smiling at you? Is it you in the mirror, someone passing by, someone you love?
For me, when I need a lift I visualize my grandmothers smile. Her smile provides me with immediate relief from the loop of worry in my mind.

Studies suggest that smiling, forced or not, can have a positive effect on your mood, decrease stress levels, and even make everyone around you feel better.

Smiling is a tool, use it to maintain and to encourage a culture of compassion. Smiling is a practice of self-care and an act of kindness that can lead to interconnectedness. The positive effects that one simple (free!) smile has on you and those around you are magical. Mirror neurons are dancing with each other, from one person to the next. Your blood pressure and heart rate lower, your mood lightens, your body aches less. The beautiful way our brain responds by releasing neuropeptides, essentially covering our brain in a protective layer that combats stress hormones and response.

That is the power of a smile. Smiling at its core is an act of compassion. Smiles are inclusive and equitable. Share them willingly and often.