Smile! It Makes You Feel Good!

Did you know that separate from expressing an emotion, smiling creates a biological response in your body?  When we smile, it releases natural pain killers, endorphins and serotonin, all of those feel-good chemicals. This creates a little bit of a chicken-and-egg scenario: am I smiling because I feel good, or do I feel good because I'm smiling? The answer is...yes!

In my 8-week Let's Get Happy workshop, one of the homework assignments is to smile every hour, every day. Participants set an alarm on their phone or watch to remind them, then they smile when the alarm goes off! Since smiling releases those good chemicals, everyone's general state of happiness is raised by smiling on a very regular basis.

Smiling also increases the happiness level of those around you. Studies have shown that when you smile at someone, their brain "smiles" back at you, even if their face doesn't! In other words, the same chemicals are released as if they had actually smiled. Isn't that cool?! So not only are you helping yourself by smiling more often, but you are helping others, as well.

Over time, smiling even when there's nothing in particular to smile at becomes a habit, and you will maintain that higher level of happiness.

Give it a try! There's nothing to lose, and you will end up feeling happier!

Laura Allan, MA, LMHC, CPC 
Certified Happiness Coach
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Laura@LauraAllanCounseling.com

Would You Rather Be Right or Happy?

I’ve been hearing this question in various contexts related to personal growth for 20 years now, as I’m sure many of you have, too. From the beginning I got the basic meaning of it – when in a conflict, being right does not lead to happiness. Holding on to the need to be right creates strife in relationships.

Today I discovered a deeper meaning: if a belief I hold creates unhappiness, then do I want to stick by it no matter what (i.e. be right), or examine its value and consider changing it (so that I can be happy)? What is the right thing to do? Am I wrong if I decide to trade in that belief for something that makes me happier?

Let’s say you are a single woman, and would like to be married. If you believe that all the good men are taken, then you’re going to be pretty unhappy! Plus, since we tend to notice what supports our beliefs, you’re going to notice all the great men who are married. If, instead, you choose to believe that there are lots of good men available you will be hopeful, and you will start noticing all the great single men.

But, you may say, what if you are right? What if all the good men are taken? My question to you would be how does believing that help you? Does it change your marital status? Does it get you what you want in any way? I guess you can feel smug that you are “right.” But other than that it is not a helpful belief.

And here’s where the question “would you rather be right or happy?” comes in. If you’re willing to give up your attachment to being right, and start entertaining the idea that there are lots of good single men available to you, then you’re much more likely to find one!

What are some beliefs you have that don’t serve any purpose other than to make you feel bad? Now is the perfect time to find a belief that supports what you want, and then start noticing all the evidence to support it!

Laura Allan, MA, LMHC, CPC 
Certified Happiness Coach
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Live. Learn. Grow

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206-792-9912

www.LauraAllanCounseling.com
Laura@LauraAllanCounseling.com

Laura Allan - A Taste of Happiness

Looking to get happier in 2012? Check this out!

Laura Allan - A Taste of Happiness

What Santa Can Teach Us About Happiness

This morning I was looking at my Santa mug (which I love to use at this time of the year), and realizing that it always makes me smile. That led to me thinking about how Santa is always portrayed as smiling and happy, “a jolly old soul,” and always laughing “Ho, ho, ho.”

Considering that I am focused on creating more happiness in myself and in others, I got curious about what Santa could teach us about happiness. The first thought that came to mind is that Santa is all about giving. Granting the wishes of all the children in the world must be very fulfilling.

I know that when I work with clients to discover their ideal careers, the common theme is always about helping others in some way.  That’s where we get our juice. So it makes perfect sense to me that by giving to others, Santa is happy.

Looking deeper, I realized that Santa’s entire existence is about this one night a year, this one act of bringing gifts to children. Everything he does is rooted in this divine purpose. Santa knows who he is, and what he’s here to do.  That’s why he is always happy!

When we get in touch with our own purpose, who we are at our core, and what our gifts are to share with the world, we experience that place of happiness, too.  I have experienced this myself, and I’d bet you have, too.

That leads me back to clients discovering their ideal careers. They all want to help, but they each have their own unique gifts, their own individual style and expression of creativity, which is their way of helping.

Even beyond career, it’s about being in touch with who we really are – authenticity – and knowing that in our uniqueness we each have something valuable to contribute, that the world is a better place because of our existence. When we discover this truth about ourselves, we can’t help but smile, or even laugh out loud!

So, find your inner Santa and ho, ho, ho!

Laura Allan, MA, LMHC, CPC 
Certified Happiness Coach
LinkedIn
Live. Learn. Grow

Facebook Twitter

206-792-9912

www.LauraAllanCounseling.com
Laura@LauraAllanCounseling.com