Too Easy

Writing at about 11 o'clock the evening of the presidential election should easily provide a simple framework for a blog. But that's just too easy. So instead, and as I seem to be doing more and more often, to more musings on life.

Today I broach the topic of smiling. :)

"When life gives you lemons, smile dammit, don't pucker your cheeks like a fool."

I don't think anyone ever said these heartwarming words to me but I eventually discovered them for myself. It's my one rule in life. Smile.

Everything gets better when you smile. That cute girl across the bar will come and talk to you. The teacher who marks impossibly hard will give you an A. The rainy day will seem less wet. It's all so simple.

Now, you probably think I'm a fanatical fan of The Secret. And I want you to know that I'm not. This isn't about wishful thinking becoming a reality. It's more of a, to put it lightly, radical cognitive shift in perception of reality.

If reading that mouthful of a sentence didn't make you smile you can stop reading now. For the rest of you please continue.

What the heck is a radical blah blah thingy? It's what happens when you smile. Life just gets better when you smile. And when life gets better, its easier to see the good in every situation. Hence the radical (large) cognitive (thought) shift (change) in (in) perception (what you see) of (of) reality (life).

I want you to try something. Tomorrow, the day after, next Thursday. I don't care when but devote one entire day to smiling. Perform your very own radical cognitive shift in perception of reality. When you wake up look outside at the weather. And smile. At breakfast when they are out of your favourite cereal, smile. When you sit down in class for the longest, and arguably most boring hour of your life, you guessed it. Smile!

I hope a few things happen when you have this day of smiling:
1. Your face hurts. It's a good workout to prevent the formation of jowls.
2. You have an amazing day. The sky looks bluer, the trees look greener and you achieve the shift in perception of reality I talked about.
3. Everyone around you has a good day. A smile is contagious you know.
4. You wake up with a smile the day after.

And if you still can't think of a reason to smile, simply look at the results of the presidential election. It provides a good framework but really, it's too easy.