The Power of Smiling

Ah Monday. For many of us just reading that word can stir up feelings of anxiety and fret. For others it's an opportunity for a fresh start. Overall Monday plays a significant part in most of our lives. How we interpret the day typically sets the tone for the rest of the week. Now I know what you’re thinking, “Is this guy going to try and sell me on some motivational Monday Kool-Aid?”. Well yes, I am. We all face challenging moments in our careers and lives. And for some reason they seem to happen mostly on Mondays. At least in our heads anyway.

Just over a year ago I published my first book called Unstuck Mondays. This is the part where I tell you it was a New York Times bestseller and a beloved classic. Well, it wasn’t. But I liked it, and it received a fair amount of good reviews. So I guess that should make me somewhat of an expert on this topic, right? Not really, but let’s just go with it for now. If you’ve agreed to read this, then you’re looking for something positive to kick your week off in the right direction.?

So with that being said, I’ve launched “Smile, It’s Monday!” LinkedIn Newsletter. If you subscribe you’ll receive a quick Monday morning post every week. If I do my part right, the post should energize you with the stamina you need to get through the first day of the week. It should also help you take a different perspective on some of the recurring negative aspects of your career. Those areas that specifically make facing Monday morning sometimes a dread.

So why “smile”? If you’ve noticed I’ve been posting a lot about smiling on Mondays. And it was by purposeful intent. Smiling is an intentional action that can lead to neurological benefits to our nervous system.?

When we smile, our brain releases small molecules (or neuropeptides) to help us fight off that Monday morning stress. We also get a kick of other ‘happy hormones’ like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. Serotonin is our antidepressant or ‘mood stabilizer’ and endorphins act as a mild pain reliever. A study from the University of Kansas (U.S.) found that smiling can help us recover faster from stress and reduce our heart rate in stressful situations.

But smiling isn’t just beneficial for us personally. Others around us are positively impacted when they see us smile too! When we smile at someone, the reward center of their brain is activated (dopamine) and it stirs up feelings of happiness and positivity. One Swedish study suggests that we can’t help but react with a smile of our own when we see someone smiling. It ends up being an infectious loop of happiness!?

"When we smile, our brain releases small molecules (or neuropeptides) to help us fight off that Monday morning stress."

An experiment was conducted a few years back to test the science behind smiling and the emotions that came with it. Two groups were instructed to hold pens in their mouths in separate ways. One group was directed to hold their pens between their lips for several minutes. The other group held their pens between their teeth for the same period of time. At the end of the experiment, the group that held their pens between their teeth experienced a higher level of happiness then the group that held it with their lips. Why did this happen? Picture yourself doing both methods (or actually try it). What you might notice is holding the pen with your teeth almost forces you to crack a smile, while holding it between your lips creates somewhat of a frown.

Our feelings follow our behaviours. In other words, putting on a smile (even if it feels awkward at first) can trick our brains into believing we’re happy, which can then spur actual feelings of happiness. For some of you reading this, it isn’t new information, but I encourage you to use this as a reminder that we have the power to take control of the way we feel when we wake up on Mondays, instead of being a victim to it.?

So that’s my goal with this newsletter. To give you something to smile about as you start your work week. To inspire you to grow in your career, help you expand your creative thinking and like smiling, give you practical ways on how to approach your day with a positive mindset! I’m looking forward to taking this journey with you. Happy Monday!

Sheldon Barrocks is an author, freelance writer and?Award-winning?Supply Chain professional. Since 2010 he has published articles covering business, career advancement, creativity, pop culture, music, fashion, sports and more. He's provided creative solutions for major brands like?Mars, Kelloggs, General Mills, Conagra, B&G Foods, Ingredion, Henkel and more. Check out his book?Unstuck Mondays?and join his mailing list to level up in your creativity and career!

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