20 Ways to Brighten Your Year With Mindful Wellness

Image via HBO

6. Smile more

No, this isn’t something I condone random people on the street telling you to do. I can’t stand that either. I’m not saying you should listen to folks who say, “you should smile.” Don’t worry about them. Smile for yourself. There’s science behind it that’s only going to make you feel better, and let that positivity simply wash over your entire being.

Smiling has surprising scientific and psychological benefits. When we experience a positive situation, the neuronal signals travel from the brain cortex to the brain stem. That allows the cranial muscles in the face to receive the signal, causing you to beam brightly. What you may not know is this creates a positivity loop, allowing the feeling of joy to hit you over and over again. All thanks to a little smile.

We just feel better when we smile. It’s why they say laughter is contagious. And sometimes this means putting on a happy face when it seems impossible. I don’t want you to think you’re being fake when you do this, but there’s a lot to be said about attitude. If you’re feeling down and out, don’t take it out on anyone else. Take a deep breath and find something positive to smile about. Even if it’s a cute little puppy or kitten video you find on YouTube. We had a lot to frown about in 2016, let’s try not to make the same error in 2017.