2. Color with a Smile
"A simple smile is a natural mood booster and one of the easiest ways to cultivate happiness."
Engaging your smile muscles sends a signal to your brain to release feel-good hormones like serotonin and dopamine. The beauty of this biohack is that even a forced smile can trick your brain into reducing stress and enhancing joy.
Practice:
Take a moment to gently turn the corners of your mouth upward into a smile. Hold it for 10–20 seconds, allowing your eyes to join in. Whether genuine or not, this small action has big effects. Try smiling often—smile at yourself, smile at others, or even smile while coloring!
Invitation to Curiosity:
"What happens in your body and mind when you hold a smile? Can you feel the shift, even if it feels silly at first?"
Connection to Daily Life:
"Use a smile to soften stressful moments, brighten interactions, or uplift your mood while doing daily tasks like washing dishes or commuting."
Whether you hum or simply smile, these small practices can create profound shifts. And all these practices can be done solo, with a loved one, or with the
entire family. I know I’ll be using these over the holidays to stay grounded through the busyness and stress of the season.
Want to Explore More?
Erica supports individuals 1:1, leads classes, empowerment groups and corporate team building events that focus on reducing stress and increasing connection and creativity. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, nervous system regulation techniques, or a calming space to reset, you can find more details about Erica here.