A couple of week ago, a dear friend and colleague, Eduardo Morales, sent a video to me that seemed simple, at first. And, then, I kept thinking about it and thinking more and more about it until I thought, “I’m going to pay attention to this.” (And, I also know that Eduardo rarely sends me anything that doesn’t have significant meaning for me.)

The point of this video by Sadhguru (which I’ve shared below) is that “Life is Ticking Away – Time to Smile! In the video, he says, “It is not the clock ticking away. It is your life ticking away”.

Wow! That’s really a lot to think about. And, he further suggests that we should smile just because we’re alive. I’m alive, so I took the challenge! I set a timer on my IPhone to remind me to smile- every 2 hours. And, not only did I smile, I added a bit of gratitude and every time I smiled, I said the phrase, “Thank the Universe for my life”. It seemed fun when I first started and then it became a bit annoying and then it became tedious, but I kept it up and it got easier and easier and even fun again. And, it paid off. I feel lighter, happier, more optimistic, and more relaxed. After only 2 weeks, I wondered why I feel like I do, so I did a bit of research and this is what I found.

Over 30 research studies show us that by choosing to smile; changes start to occur automatically, both internally and externally. There are many benefits to smiling; that is, if you choose to share it with the world. They include:

1. Smiling makes you more approachable.
2. Smiling makes you seem more trustworthy.
3. Smiling actually retrains your brain for the better.
4. Smiles are contagious.
5. Smiles may strengthen the body on a cellular level.
6. Smiling boosts your productivity.
7. Smiling makes you more creative.
8. Smiling can improve your mood.
9. Smiling helps reduce stress.
10. And, the good news is that even fake smiles do the trick!

What about gratitude? More than 40 research studies have shown that gratitude can change your life. The following are just a few of the benefits that were reported:

1. Gratitude makes us happier.
2. Gratitude makes you friendlier.
3. Gratitude makes us healthier.
4. Gratitude strengthens our emotions.
5. Gratitude develops our personality.
6. Gratitude makes us more optimistic.
7. Gratitude makes us less self-centered.
8. Gratitude increases self-esteem.
9. Gratitude improves your sleep.
10. Gratitude helps us to cope more effectively.

So, I think smiling and gratitude are beneficial! What do you think?  It’s worth a try, right??? I’d love to hear your thoughts.

Blessings on your journey, Beverly

Video of Sadhguru