Highways are a great place for stress.
jonbonsilver / Pixabay – Highways are a great place for stress.

I’ve been wearing more smiles today than normal. I don’t know exactly why. I see something and the memory reminds me of something and I instantly erupt in a full smile.

We cannot have a negative thought and a positive thought in our brain at the same times. We are a one-thought per instant people. Every thought you have creates chemicals in your body. Negative thoughts create chemicals you really don’t want flowing through your veins. Positive thoughts are the opposite.

During this Christmas season, we will have lots of opportunities to stand in lines watching other people. We might even be in line waiting for a light behind a stranger who must answer a text after the light turns green. There are lots of these little stressors popping up everywhere.

When negative thoughts occur, the chemical reaction begins and the body adjusts to these chemicals. Our muscles, our body language all mimic the emotions we are feeling. Assume you are at a traffic light. You know only a few cars can get by before it turns red.

A person ahead of you is not moving and the light has been green for more than a moment. You might be the first to honk. You immediate emotion is displeasure with someone interrupting your travel. You are creating chemicals that your body has to mediate. You are also displaying emotions related to the immediate anger thrust upon your situation.

Smile. Give a big hearty smile to the situation as soon as you can think about it. You might have a few seconds of negative reaction. Why not add a minute or so of positive ones to cancel out that influx of negativity. A smile forces the muscles in your face to reverse the direction of positivity to your brain. It neutralizes the event and calms your negative emotions.

Try it, you’ll like it. It’s cheap and fast. It works everywhere. Don’t leave home without one.

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