Jan 4th, 2009
Empower Your Smile
If you want to be happy, stop waiting for others to make you happy, just decide to be happy. If your life seems too dreary, smile anyway.
Ilchi Lee Said that this may seem like Pollyanna, pie-in-the-sky nonsense at first, but it is very much rooted in the physiological reality of your brain. When you smile, even when it is a forced smile, chemicals associated with happiness are released in the brain. Also, smiling is contagious. Very few people can resist the urge to smile back when you smile at them.
As wonderful as a smile is, laughter is even better. The old saying “Laughter is the best medicine” is literally true. Laughter boosts the immune system and reduces the stress response, and thus is excellent for brain health. Furthermore, good attitude and lots of positive social interaction seem to reduce the risk of dementia and other aging-related brain disorders. A happy brain, it seems, is a healthy brain.
Read Dr. Lee’s new book about Dahn Yoga.