Smile.

When I’m preoccupied or nervous, the last thing on my mind is smiling. But here’s what happens when I remember to smile.

First, because I don’t really feel like smiling, I have to pause. I take a break from whatever is making me nervous. I have to remember what smiling feels like, and how my face should move.

Then, I have to think about something smile-worthy. What makes the corners of my eyes lighten, my mouth lift? What makes me feel like smiling?  It could be as simple as imagining my 2-year-old goddaughter wrapping her arms around my neck, or thinking of my son and our puppy snuggling on the couch.

It’s hard to bring these images to mind and not start smiling, so at this point I’m already feeling my face change. And along with my face, my mood starts to lift. I’m reminded that my world is bigger than whatever I’m worried about, that the people I love and the things that make me laugh will endure past this moment.

The act of smiling doesn’t change the facts about what I need to do, or what was making me nervous. But it does change my mindset. And that’s a lot.