Episode 019 - the Power of a Smile

 In today’s episode, I want to talk about my first favorite mom tip.

When I was about 10 years old, my mom bought me a printed poem in the south of France. 

The poem was called “the gift of a smile”.

As it was hanging in my bathroom, I remember seeing it several times a day, getting ready for school in the morning, brushing my teeth at night. And I can still remember most of it to this day because of that repetition.

The first 2 lines read as follows:

“Il ne coûte rien et produit beaucoup.”

“It doesn't cost a thing and produces a lot.”


Then it goes on to show all the benefits for the one smiling and for the one(s) receiving it demonstrating it’s clearly a win-win! (Link to the full poem (in French) if you're curious)

So today I'm grateful, even though I didn't always say or felt so, to my mom to have anchored this message in my head. 

Why Smiling Matters and How to Smile More

 It goes deeper than a smile. I think it matters how you show up in the world. Even with our personal likes and dislikes when it comes to style , we can all agree that our choices are a chance to be on our side.

I try and remember the power of a smile and challenge myself to smile more, especially when I feel too stressed, driving the kids to and from school, running not to be late to a meeting, or just because some days I don’t want to do what I have planned so carefully.

You can think of a Mona Lisa smile, or the Budha's if it helps. 
(I like those because they feel calm and full of serenity)

Just like coaching, smiling intentionally, even when you don’t feel like it, will help you shift your perspective and reconsider what’s happening, what’s in your control and what you would like the outcome to be.

By the way, Sunday's international laughter day and that should be celebrated too!

 https://www.daysoftheyear.com/days/world-laughter-day/

Because May is mental health awareness month, I thought you may like to hear all the benefits of laughter:

It can help with:

• Your overall stress and cortisol levels because it helps relieve the pressure 
• Your abs because of your belly muscles contracting when you’re laughing
• It can make you feel more connected to the people around you that you’re sharing this hilarious moment with
• It can help you feel more relaxed because o