Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ 5 Reasons Smiling is Good for You

Smiling is Good for you Physically and Mentally.

Here are 5 of the benefits of smiling:

    1. Reduces stress: Smiling helps to reduce the level of cortisol, a stress hormone, in your body. This can help you feel more relaxed and calm.
    2. Boosts your mood: When you smile, your brain releases endorphins, which are natural feel-good chemicals. This can help improve your mood and make you feel happier.
    3. Strengthens your immune system: Smiling has been shown to increase the production of white blood cells, which can help strengthen your immune system and protect you from illness.
    4. Lowers blood pressure: Smiling can also help to lower your blood pressure, which is good for your overall health.
    5. Improves social interactions: When you smile, you appear more approachable and friendly, which can help improve your social interactions and relationships.

Overall, smiling has many benefits for both your physical and mental health, so try to smile more often!

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Feeling Good tip of the Day ~ Create a Joyful Day

Today is in Your Hands

Create something good to look forward to. You can have a virtual coffee with a friend, a walk outside or a book to finish will give you purpose each day. Even if you’ve had a hard day, you can create something that sparks joy. Maybe it’s running yourself a nice hot bath or ringing a friend that makes me laugh. You can create something to look forward to — it doesn’t have to be a big thing. It trains your brain to notice things in the present.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Yes, There Is Joy in Your Life

Look for Joy & You’ll Find It

If you’re struggling to find joy, there’s one simple yet powerful thing that can help: digging for joy. “Take a moment once a day to recognise the things that are good in your life. At the moment I’m calling it ‘having a dig for joy’ to find the little moments that make us happy in our day,” Vanessa tells Country Living. “Our brains are naturally wired to focus on what’s wrong and we often overlook the little good things. It’s not saying to ignore the bad things, but there are also usually some good things to. If we stop to notice those things, it has both a physical and a psychological effect on us. These little moments can help to buffer against stress and anxiety. It’s a simple practice to do even on terrible days.”

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Where Are You Eating Lunch Today?

Get Out in the Sunshine for Lunch. You’ll be Happier

Getting outside in the sun was key to staving off misery — people who ate in parks had a more positive attitude about their jobs than those who chowed down at a restaurant or at home. Eating lunch at your desk can be a real downer, report scientists from the University of Sussex who measured the happiness of employees after they ate lunch in different locations.  The results showed that workers were happiest about their work when they ate lunch on the beach and least happy about work when they ate at their desk.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Turn Your Adventurous Spirit Loose

An Adventurous Spirit May Make You Happier

An adventurous spirit can lead to greater happiness by providing new experiences, positive emotions, personal growth, and social connections. Here are several ways that can happen:

    1. New experiences and challenges: An adventurous spirit involves seeking out new experiences and challenges. When we try new things, we push ourselves out of our comfort zones and learn more about ourselves and the world around us. These experiences can bring a sense of excitement and accomplishment, leading to greater happiness and fulfillment.
    2. Positive emotions: Adventurous activities can trigger positive emotions such as excitement, joy, and awe. These emotions can increase happiness and lead to a more positive outlook on life.
    3. Personal growth: Pursuing adventure and taking risks can lead to personal growth and development. As we overcome challenges and learn new skills, we gain confidence and a sense of accomplishment, leading to greater happiness and well-being.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Quieting the Mind Down

The human mind is designed to think and process information constantly. However, there are techniques you can use to calm your mind and reduce the number of thoughts you have, which can be helpful for relaxation and focus.

Here are a few techniques you can try:

  1. Mindfulness Meditation: Sit quietly and focus your attention on your breath or a specific sensation. When your mind wanders, gently bring it back to your breath or sensation without judgment.
  2. Deep Breathing: Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. Focus on the sensation of the breath filling your lungs and releasing through your mouth.
  3. Exercise: Engage in physical activities like jogging, swimming, or cycling to release pent up energy and clear your mind.
  4. Journaling: Write down your thoughts in a journal. This helps you to process your thoughts and clear your mind.
  5. Progressive Muscle Relaxation: Tense and then relax each muscle group in your body starting from your toes and working your way up to your head. This helps release tension and reduce stress.

Remember, these techniques take practice, so be patient with yourself. With regular practice, you can train your mind to focus and relax, which can lead to a more peaceful state of mind.

Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Being Resilient Gets Us Through the Tough Times

Build Your Resilience

Resilience is what allows you to cope with life’s ups and downs. Making something worthwhile out of painful times helps your resilience grow. Starting a support group to help others, or making something creative out of bad experiences by, for example, writing, painting or singing, can help you express pain and get through hard times.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ This Will Make You Feel Happier

SURPRISE: Smiling Will Make You Feel Happier

It might come as no surprise that smiling can make you feel happier. But the important thing here is that the smile must be sincere, it can’t be faked. If you fake it, you might even make yourself more unhappy, according to a 2011 study

The study examined a group of city bus drivers over a period of two weeks. They found that employees who put on a fake smile for the job were in a worse mood by the end of the day compared to when their shift began. But drivers who genuinely smiles as a result of positive thoughts actually had a better mood by the end of the day. So when you smile, make sure to smile like you mean it!

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~

Write About Your Feelings

Ever heard someone say, ‘If you’re angry at someone, write them a letter and don’t send it’? While that might seem like a waste of time, science reveals recording your feelings is great for clarifying your thoughts, solving problems more efficiently, relieving stress, and more. A team of pyschologists recently hit on a neurological reason behind why this simple act might help us overcome some emotional distress.

The researchers studied brain scans of volunteers who recorded an emotional experience for 20 minutes a day for 4 sessions. They then compared the brain scans with volunteers who wrote down a neutral experience for the same amount of time. The brain scans of the first group showed neural activity in a part of the brain responsible for dampening strong emotional feelings, suggesting that the act of recording their experience calmed them. This same neural activity was absent in the volunteers who recorded a neutral experience.

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Feeling Good Tip of the Day ~ Shake Off the Doldrums

Visit a Museum or Take in a Concert for a Mood Pick Me Up

Visiting a museum or seeing a concert is yet another way to boost your mood. A study that examined the anxiety, depression, and life satisfaction of over 50,000 adults in Norway offered an interesting link: People who participated in more cultural activities, like attending a play or joining a club, reported lower levels of anxiety and depression as well as a higher satisfaction with their overall quality of life. So get out there and participate!

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