Smiling can be one of the hardest things to do when going through Betrayal Trauma, but it is one of the most beneficial and straightforward things you can do.
While reading the rest of this blog, I want you to do so with a big smile and assess how you feel at the end of the blog.
It takes minimal effort, yet it yields beneficial results. Psychology Today (August 14, 2020) states:
“The sheer activity of moving your facial muscles to form a smile – even if you fake it – can influence our perception of emotions. Could smiling be a simple antidote to help us get through tough times?”
You are facing tough times! Can smiling help you feel better? Read more and then practice the exercise I describe at the end of this blog.
I quote from the britishcouncil.org (April 2, 2014).
“When our smiling muscles contract, they fire a signal back to the brain, stimulating our reward system and increasing our level of happy hormones, or endorphins. In short, when our brain feels happy, we smile; when we smile, our brain feels happier.”
From NBC news on November 26, 2017, Dr. Sivan Finkel, a cosmetic dentist said,
“Even forcing a fake smile can legitimately reduce stress and lower your heart rate.”
Researchers at the University of Kansas published findings that smiling helps reduce the body’s response to stress and lower heart rate in tense situations; another study linked smiling to lower blood pressure, while another suggests that smiling leads to longevity.
Do you feel better now than when you started reading?
When I was attending massage therapy school, we learned a short exercise to practice with our clients to help them relax and feel calmer. I suggest you try this exercise at least once a day, but better, try it whenever you feel stressed, sad, or triggered. It is an exercise use often, and it honestly did help me get through many difficult situations on my healing journey.
Close your eyes – bow your head – smile as big as you can – slowly count to 20 – then finish with a deep breath.
This short little technique can help you as much as it has me.
To find out if I am the right person to help you on this journey, please visit my appointment page and schedule a free 30-minute session to get to know each other.
