Trauma Support Community Check-in: Sunday 28 March 2021
"The free expression by outward signs of an emotion intensifies it"
Charles Darwin - "The Expression of Emotions in Men and Animal" (1896)
Put a Smile on your face !
We express feelings by certain behaviors. We laugh, cry, shiver. Our pulse and breathing rhythms go up or down. Our face is capable of a myriad of expressions of feelings.
But the opposite is also true. Because of the way our brains are wired, behaving in a certain way, promotes the feelings associated with that behavior.
Breathing slower makes us feel calmer. Standing upright, we feel more dignified. Staying asleep in bed makes us feel lazy.
And smiling makes us feel better. At least a little.
There is a ton of scientific evidence about this. You can check it in some videos and articles linked here at the bottom.
Try it by yourself ! Smile, and you will feel a little better.
Make it more real by thinking of something agreeable, cute, a good experience you had, someone you love, or feel grateful to.
I hope you like this little experiment. If it works for you, you can then apply it throughout your day.
More info.
Videos:
Articles:
Scientific American - "Smile!"
NBC News - "Smiling can trick your brain"
News Medica - "Smiling and happiness, according to experts"
How Stuff Works - "Does smiling make you happy?"
Questions:
- How do you feel today ?
- What makes you smile ?
I look forward to your comments, and wish you all the best !
Marcelo.
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TAGLIST
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@WelcomeToChat
- How do you feel today ?
I'm feeling good. I've had a nice day with mom and we've had fun. But I also have tons of homeworks and it stresses me a little.
- What makes you smile ?
A lot of things make me smile: the adventures of my dogs in the backyard, the silly jokes of my best friend, when I find a lost sock or when I talk to my dear friends.
@Kimmkimm
Dear Kimmy:
I'm glad you are feeling so good today.
That you could relax and have a lot of fun with your mom.
Don't let your homework accumulate too much. Bit by bit might not be a big deal, but once you have a heap of it, it becomes a stress-generator.
Also, as much as you can, try to free most of your weekend from homework, by doing most of it during weekdays. So you have some days of pure relax, free from this kind of worry.
It's great that you have lots of things that make you smile, it means you get lots of happy moments in your life.
I can relate to all those: adventurous dogs, silly jokes, lost socks (i have a large collection of single ones..), and good friends.
Thank you very much for participating in this check-in !
You are the "guest of honor" here...
All the best !
Marcelo.
@WelcomeToChat Thank you for the informative post and resources!
I am doing alright. Animals in general make me smile.
@lovelyWhisper66
Hi !
Thank you for participating in this check-in !
I am glad you liked the thread and have found interesting the information !
Animals make me smile too ! (except for spiders...)
Keep in touch !
All the best,
MArcelo.
- How do you feel today ? I'm fighting sinuses, i have a bunch on my mind, I was productive in editing, but i'm not doing that bad. I just need to take one challenge/issue at a time.
- What makes you smile ? my boyfriend, funny/ cute youtube videos, writings, and cats.
@Rebekahwriter13
Hi Rebekah !
Thank you for participating so consistently in the check-ins !
I wish your health issues improve asap.
I am glad that you are so creative and productive these days.
Having a boyfriend that makes you smile must be a huge good thing in your life.
I watch funny videos too. They make me smile and laugh. I search for "funny compilation"...
I identify with writings and cats too (those cute bandits !).
I wish you all the best !
Marcelo.
@WelcomeToChat Yeah, i hope you are doing well. I'm still fightinmg sinuses and anxiety
First of all, thank you for this post Marcelo. It caught me at just the right time :)
- How do you feel today ?
Well, that’s complicated. I spent the night trying to chase away my nightmares. I’m exhausted, stressed, grateful, angry, resentful, satisfied, unfulfilled, scared, I feel like I have a scream trapped in my chest, I want to cry in bittersweet agony every time I reflect on my current situation. In short: I’m a mess.
This post really did catch me at just the right time, too, I’m feeling better now, and I’m thinking about shading some drawings a bit. To get my head off of things. Even if my back is not gonna thank me for it later, it’s worth the trade-off.
- What makes you smile ?
A lot of things. I’m trying to stick to the simple, uncomplicated things right now: a hot cuppa, my soft blankie, my siblings’ laughter, whisper whisper music...
