Achieving the Spontaneous Smile

©2008 Terri Marie

Can’t you wait? Can’t you wait to reach the point when life gets so good, that you notice you are smiling the smile that bubbles up automatically because it has to come out? Your smile is spontaneous.

How do you reach a state where this happens? How do you put yourself in the path of joy?

I do some things that make this smile more likely to find its way to my face.

Here they are.

Call a Good Friend

How can a good friend not make you smile? Even through the tough times, those who I call good friends, always create at least a gentle smile on my face. In the rest of times, the best of times, they give me a bubbling, full-of-life smile.

Go Look at a Garden

If you watch things come to life and you do not smile, you need some major time off. A garden can bring the spontaneous smile to many a woman’s face. And more men should try this. That green-all-around feeling is what helps make golf even more attractive. Whether it is formal or charming, a garden grows life. Growing life should make us all smile more.

Do What You Love

It may be said again and again but what you love, really love, should make you smile continually. When I ride a horse, I am smiling. When I go to the ocean, how can I help but smile? When I take a snowmobile ride or ski, I smile without even thinking about it. I just smile. The smile has arrived like the butterfly sitting on your shoulder. Everyone knows deep down what they love and what brings them joy. Be kind enough to yourself to give yourself what you love. Just as you would treat a dear friend - treat you to the things you love. Women – would a massage bring this smile to your face? Men- would a pair of Laker tickets do this for you? Or a day of fishing? Love is what creates the best smiles.

Try Something New

Trying new things opens our minds to new places where our smiles may just be hiding. I tried whale watching. Now I love getting out on any kind of boat and feeling the crisp, salty air. The smile forms as soon as I see that boat.

Be Around Smilers

No one can be around my Aunt Bev without not just smiling, but without laughing out loud. Bev has been through a lot, but she can also see through a lot. She can see to the smile that is hovering inside someone else. And Bev can bring out that smile. Find those people who wear smiles. Catch one of them as they pass a smile along to you.

Go Through a Memory Box

Keep little treasures from childhood or from your accomplishments. Look at old letters or a good report card. Keep a book of praises that people have sent you. Surround yourself only with things that you love and you will have many more spontaneous smiles arriving. For instance, you may notice the light hitting your favorite vase, or painting just the right way. You find the spontaneous smile when you see a card someone sent you to cheer you up. Make sure you have a good memory box to take out when you need to smile.

Go Ahead and Have Some Comfort Food

No, not at every meal. But have some meals or food that will cheer you up on occasion so that you look forward to it as the gift it is. Food is a gift. I’m not talking about abusing food or your body, but using food once in awhile to nourish your heart and soul.

Help Someone

When you do something from the heart, it turns up the corners of your mouth. It is because you are living life the way we were intended, to - to help others whenever we can. Chances are, when you help someone, you create two smiles – yours and theirs. That should make you smile even more.

For No Good Reason

For no good reason just look at someone and smile. More times than not, they will smile back. That should make your second smile turn into a spontaneous one. For no good reason – smile. Do it right now. I just did. I do believe I can feel you smiling too, and that brings a spontaneous smile to my face.

Watch for Rainbows and Cardinals

Watch for the spontaneous gifts God gives to make us smile spontaneously. A baby smiling at you from a stroller. A bird song in the morning. Watching two lovers look at each other. A young boy rushing somewhere on his bike. An old woman pushing a shopping cart. Savor the daily gifts of life. They are everywhere and with them are smiles to be used and cherished. I love the Louis Armstrong song, “What a Wonderful World, ” because I believe it is. The way the light brings alive a leaf or a flower can make me smile. Words written in joy make me smile. Every sunset makes me smile because for about 20 years I rarely saw one. We live in a living, changing, painting of life. Enjoy the colors, the textures, and the smells of life. Your senses will help you create your spontaneous smile.

Read Good Jokes

A sense of humor is critical to a true smiler. How could he or she who loves life, not smile, chuckle, grin or howl from humor that tickles our mind? Even in the midst of a serious family crisis, I went to a bookshelf, looked for the joke books, and found myself laughing and “forgetting” the crisis. Humor is the sunshine through the rain.

Make Other People Smile

This is my favorite. Because how wonderful the world is when it looks as if we are all posing for a family portrait.

What all the above actions have in common is this. The spontaneous smile will arise because of a feeling. If you don’t have that spontaneous smiling feeling right now, a change of thought and emotion can change the feeling. I call this a “theeling.” That will allow the smile to come out. It is there inside you always waiting for the right “theeling’ to release it.

And when you do. Smile, smile, smile.

Live like a hero!

Terri Marie

Terri Marie is the award-winning author of Be the Hero of Your Own Game. For a Free “Cheer of the Week” go to www.spiritualarena.com or sign up here.

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