Sunday, May 20, 2012

The First Post

As I was getting ready to write this first entry so many ideas went through my mind.  I had to choose carefully.  I had to let you know the easiest way to have a better life.  It had to be a biggie.  It had to be profound.  

And I came up with so many ideas - but none of them were simple enough.  This was really a case of the nerves!  

Then, at about 2:00 this morning it hit me.  The single most important easy solution for a better life is....is the suspense killing you?  A drum roll, if you please...The curtains part to reveal...

SMILE.

That’s it.  Just smile and be pleasant.  There’s no real trick to it.  Just turn the ends of your mouth up.  That’s all it takes.  Smile.

I began thinking about the successful people I know.  Now, I am not just counting those who have made a lot of money; I am counting those who are leading happy lives...or, are happy in their life.  And, you know what?  They all had one thing in common - they smile at others.  

It is so easy...so simple.  Just smile at others and your life will be better.

Oh, I can hear you, “But, Phil, you don’t know my life...You don’t know the bad things that have happened...the tragedies...”  And you know what?  You’re right, I don’t know what has happened to you.  But I do know you have a choice: either wallow in it or wake up and greet the day with a smile.  It’s really your choice.

Look, if you start smiling at others, you will brighten their day - that is just a fact since there aren’t many smilers out there.  

“But, I don’t care if I brighten their day.”  

Let me tell you about a bit of magic - yes, magic.  If you start to smile at others - at the person in Starbucks, the grocery store, McDonalds...wherever you are, you will find that your day will be better.  String together a few days, and pretty soon you are at a week.  Put together a few weeks and you are at a month.  And, wait for it, put together a few months of smiling and you will be at a year.

Now, I am not saying you have to smile at everyone.  That is only for experienced smilers and I would not expect that from folks who are just starting.  No, just start by smiling at three people; just three.  Don’t over do it on the first day.  Watch their reactions.  Most of them will smile right back at you.  It’s amazing.  Your one smile developed into two smiles.  If you really want to go big, smile at five people a day...but that can get to be too much smiling if you haven’t done much before.

I know, I kow.  I am sounding a bit corny, but you will find if you just smile at three people a day for a week, your life will be better.  It’s the easiest way to make your life better.

“If you are reading this...Congratulations, you’re alive. If that’s not something to smile about, then I don’t know what is.”  Chad Sugg, Monsters Under Your Head.

“You’ll find that life is still worthwhile, if you but smile.” Charlie Chaplin

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