Smiling and laughing are contagious. When you are with people who are smiling and laughing, it makes you feel like smiling. Seeing the smiles of others affects your own emotional state and your sense of well-being.
Since I remain housebound as I recover from hip replacement surgery, it’s been a challenge to maintain a positive outlook and to keep smiling during a time that sometimes feels like house arrest. I decided to take a more light-hearted approach to this post and list some of the reasons for smiling.
- You are on track with living your dream
- Your gratitude list is growing
- You are making progress on you bucket list
- You don’t have Christmas bills
- You kept your resolutions (if you made any — I didn’t)
- You learned something important today
- You had your teeth cleaned
- Your spouse/partner brought you flowers
- You love yourself
- You finished a key project
- You threw out 5 things that were cluttering your life
- You went to the spa
- You exercised
- Your spouse/partner brought you coffee in bed
- You cleaned up your in-box
- You received a compliment from a stranger
- You finished all the laundry
- You walked in the fresh snow
- You walked on the beach
- You walked after your hip surgery
- You ate your veggies
- You solved the daily Sudoku
- You finished the daily crossword
- A friend called you with an invitation
- You had time to nap
- You held a baby and it did not respond with a wail
- Your cats snuggled and purred without wanting food
- You had a phone call from a friend you considered ‘lost’
- Sunshine was streaming through your window on a winter day
- You did something nice for somebody who needed a favour
- You got great jeans that fit
- You heard your husband’s laughter
- You found $20 tucked in the pocket of an infrequently-worn jacket
- Your received a bouquet of helium balloons
- Your narcissus bulbs started blooming
- You planned a vacation
- You had some great cupcakes
- You had a foot massage
- You found your favourite fleece hoodie in a neglected closet
- Your neighbour’s children made snow angels in your front yard
I could go on and on but you’re probably bored by now. Make your own list. Revise it periodically. And smile.
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Hello Jeanette,
I agree that smiling and laughing contribute positively to one’s emotional state and sense of well being. One of the things that makes me smile and laugh more often is fellowshipping with others. And of course face-to-face fellowship is more effective than fellowship via technology. This has been important throughout my entire life, but is even more important, now that I am retired. There is nothing better than periodic fellowshipping with friends and relatives. I sometimes reminisce on my almost seven years of retirement, and always seem to dwell on the times I fellowshipped with friends and relatives. The bonus is that reminiscing brings more laughter.
To all readers: Fellowship, smile, laugh and enjoy retirement!!
Well said. The fellowship of those people you treasure is a gift of immeasurable value; life takes on new meaning from these encounters and the memories of these experiences provide many smiles. Ciao, Jeanette