This week was especially hard for me, and most of it was due to others’ rude and disrespectful behavior.  While trying to maintain my positive attitude, there just seemed to be people around every corner grasping at me with their nasty claws.  I tried to rise above it, not partake in the negative behaviors, but my body and mind just wouldn’t participate.  Instead, I spent a week sleepless, stressed, and truly unhappy.

 

I understand that many of us are going through some tough times right now.   It is frustrating to be dealing with unemployment, higher prices of everyday items, and housing issues.  That shouldn’t give us the right to regress to childish behavior and disrespect of those we care about, work with, and are around on a daily basis.

 

The other day I did some writing about the health benefits of smiling.  I think everyone should look into the health benefits of smiling.  I will include a little of the information at the end of my venting, but for the moment, indulge me in finishing my thoughts.  This week I was dealt some frustrating views from someone I have worked with for many years.  Instead of focusing on any positive work attributes I have, all negative behaviors were focused on – and there haven’t been many – but they had been thought about for a long time and came exploding out at me without any concern.  When the tirade was over, business went back to normal and I was expected to continue on.  I spent some time soul searching, and chose instead to not continue on and walked away from a job that I loved and loved and loved.

 

Needless to say, there was crying, anger, yelling, chest beating – you name it, it happened at my house this week.  I felt pretty low and down.  I tried to look to the positive, think of this as an opportunity, but I will admit, I still felt pretty bad.  I wasn’t sleeping, wasn’t exercising, and wasn’t eating.  You know it’s bad if I’m not eating.

 

Then, out of the blue, while moping up and down the isles and the grocery store, an unknown woman smiled at me.  Really smiled at me.  Looked me in the eye, acknowledged my existence, and smiled at me.  What are you going to do – not smile back?  Of course I smiled back and by the time I drove home, I was even quietly singing along to the radio.

 

She saved me.

 

A total stranger.

 

Just because she really smiled at me.

 

Here’s that smiling information I was talking about, so pay attention.   I found out that along with helping us to look attractive, smiling releases endorphins and serotonin  - a neurotransmitter that basically helps make us feel good and keeps our moods stable.  Just cracking a little smile alleviates stress and starts the process in our brains to change moods and behaviors.   When you are in a good mood and feeling positive, your whole body is happy.  Your blood pressure goes down, your brain is active, and your stress levels balance out.  So there you go, smiling is just about the best thing you can do, and on top of everything else, it is free.  I don’t think any of us do it nearly enough.

 

This whole smiling thing started a movement in me – a movement to smile at as many people as I could.  And I don’t mean just random little half smiles, I’m talking full-face look the person in the eye grand smiles!  Not only did I start feeling better, I started thinking about if I was helping someone else feel better.

 

It’s the end of the week and I have had some time to think about things.  It’s not fair when others take out their frustrations on you when you don’t deserve it  (make sure you aren’t doing this yourself) but it happens sometimes.  I would love to tell you that there is a happy ending to my week, but there isn’t.  I am now one of the unemployed, frustrated, and somewhat angered many, but at least I have my smile – and I am out there smiling away!

 

Please do ONE thing good for yourself today and try it.  Really give someone a true smile – try it out on a stranger and see how it feels.  Even if your life isn’t going real well, I know you will feel better.  I really know it.