5 Ways a Simple Smile Meditation can Create the Butterfly Effect in Your life

Smile with me. The world is waiting.

The world is a scary place right now. Stress levels are high. There are big problems that we don’t have the solutions to. But we can still control one thing: ourselves.

In times like this that we need some easy stress-relieving tools the most. We can’t afford to spiral down into anxiety and depression. We need to find ways to stay on top and keep from drowning in the storm. Smile meditation can do that.

I love teaching this simple technique. It only takes a few minutes, and I promise you it’s worth it. But why would we bother with it, can it really help that much?

Smile Meditation Can Alter Brain Chemistry and Create a Feedback Loop

Smiling releases all of those feel-good neurotransmitters like serotonin, dopamine, and endorphins. These natural chemicals go into the bloodstream and calm down all your overexcited systems, giving them a break from being tense and on edge. You end up with lowered blood pressure, lowered heart rate, and an overall lower stress level. A smile “tricks” you into being in a better mood and a little healthier.

But what about a sad and frowning face? It makes inflammation rise as cortisol levels go up. The balance of other neurotransmitters like serotonin and dopamine is upset and makes you even sadder or angrier, and less healthy. It also increases blood pressure. Muscles that are already tense either stay that way or get even tighter. This becomes a feedback loop that makes you even more likely to put on a sad face and keep those muscles tense. All of these negatives will impact the immune system, leaving you open to infection and disease.

Smile Meditation Activates The Vagus Nerve and Improves Your Health

The vagus nerve connects many of your subconscious systems that help regulate your heart, lungs, stomach, and a lot more. When we meditate and slow our breathing, this can help lower your heart rate and blood pressure. One of the biggest effects is it stops the fight or flight reflex in its tracks. Just like neurotransmitters, this has a huge effect on inflammation in the body.

Why do we want to avoid inflammation? It causes slow and steady damage to your body, and eventually your well being. Over time, it will contribute to chronic diseases that none of us want. These include arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, obesity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s disease.

Smiling meditation is one way you can help your body positively, instead of slowly contributing to its downfall. Inflammation takes a long time to ruin things, so it goes unnoticed. I will do anything I can to avoid getting sick, especially if it’s easy and costs nothing.

Smiling Meditation Makes You Into the Butterfly Effect

When you practice smiling, it will carry out into your life. It eases some of the stress and makes it more likely that you won’t walk around frowning. This has a butterfly effect on everyone you encounter.

Imagine that you do a simple smile meditation, and then later you go out and interact with several people. Their lives are complicated and all-consuming. Their stress levels are most likely off the charts. And for one brief instant, they see a person in their space that is relaxed, open, and smiling. It could give them hope that everything isn’t about to plunge off a cliff.

Because of your demeanor, they will treat you just a bit differently. They might smile back. Civility levels rise. Patience and politeness increases.

You will get better service in stores.

Random passers-by are more likely to notice you and give you your space instead of ignoring your existence and rudely pushing past.

But the kicker is that they are more likely to pass that smile on. This is huge. We can affect people we don’t even meet! It can be a smile effect that reaches an unknown number of strangers. Doesn’t that bring a smile to your face?

Smiling Meditation Makes You Hotter

Be honest. Who doesn’t want to look hotter? I do.

Who looks better to you, someone who frowns, looks tense and wound up and frazzled? Or, a serene, amenable, and smiling person? I personally find a frown a total turn off.

Smiling meditation is a simple tool that increases your attractiveness. You will subconsciously loosen up, and be more intuitive in your reactions around other people.

A genuine smile changes the shape of the eyelids and those fine crinkles at the sides, so people are able to subconsciously see that you are smiling. They don’t even need to be able to see your mouth to spot that smile. This is important to remember when wearing a mask. Smile anyway! It makes a difference.

Smile Meditation is a Life Upgrade Waiting to Happen

How can this one simple little meditation change everything for you? If you aren’t meditating yet, you are missing out. But it can be intimidating to get started. Using smile meditation, you can get your feet wet and see what this mental work has to offer.

What if it was the butterfly effect for your own life that you’ve been looking for? What if using it every day lead you to the happiness and success you deserve?

Imagine yourself being more relaxed and intuitive, open to the good things life has to offer. Now imagine that this upgraded version of you is possible by spending just a few minutes every day. Now realize that it’s free and pretty easy. I’m going to give you the secret formula soon. All you have to do is use it!

To me, it sounds like something worthwhile. Spend just a little bit of time to improve my mental state, with the side benefit of affecting the entire world. Let’s get started!

I’m Sold! What Next?

Here it is! A life-changing and short meditation that is super easy to learn. A great time to use it would be first thing in the morning, or before you go out into the world. It might be useful at the end of a workday too, to help you relax.

Parents, why not practice this with your kids? Maybe you will improve your relationship and help them create more peace in their lives. Imagine the butterfly effect of raising children who smile their way through life and impact hundreds of thousands of people in a positive way.

Start In a Comfortable Position

Let your hands rest on your knees, or anywhere they feel good. Close your eyes and take a moment to do a quick scan and see if you’re settled. Let a deep breath in, and then let it out. As you breathe, feel your body and really connect with the sensation of the breath going in and out of you. See if there’s any discomfort in your position and adjust to get more comfortable.

Notice your face. Is it tight anywhere? Let it be smooth. Feel your neck muscles, and release any tension in your neck and shoulders. One way to do this is to tighten all the muscles for a few seconds and then let them fall slack. Feel the relief of a loose, trouble-free face.

Breathe in, and notice how your upper body rises and expands. Then breathe out and feel your chest lower.

Imagine you are at the bottom of an ocean full of air, a life-giving pool of abundance that completely surrounds you. As you open your lungs, let the air into you and feel your shoulders rise. Now let the air return to the ocean, and feel your chest and stomach relax. Remember that all the air you ever need is given to you freely.

Take in another energy-filled breath fill you and be aware of your body. As the air leaves you again, let everything relax and loosen. Breathe in again and be aware, and then let the air return to the atmosphere ocean, pulling all the tensions out of you. Feel the breath start to come in again, and be glad. You are alive and breathing and full of possibility.

Start your smile, and allow it to come to you slowly like a gift. Let the corners of your mouth curl and move a bit at a time. Inhale slowly and fully, and then exhale slowly and completely. Inhale again and let the smile spread wider, and as you breathe out feel your body respond to the smile.

As you breathe and smile, notice gravity. Can you feel it anchoring you solidly through your butt, pulling you down? Smile wider and realize that you can always count on air and gravity. These two life-giving things supply you with energy and direction. Sense the pull in your arms and hands and body and be glad. The Earth is fully supporting you, and the ocean of air surrounds you.

As you inhale, feel your smile, and as you exhale, relax just a little more. Can you feel joy spreading through your body? Notice any feelings you are having and be glad. Enjoy the smile for a few more breaths.

Slowly release the smile and let your face rest in a serene, neutral position. How does this feel? Pay attention to the rest of your body. Take a few more breaths and notice gravity.

Slowly let the smile return like the sun rising on a beautiful summer morning. Smile with the joy of being alive. Know that every day is a gift and you can choose to do what you want with it.

Smile just a little wider and deeper and let breath fill your lungs. Then imagine a full cup of cool, clean water is being poured into your body from the top of your head. Let the breath out of you and feel the water trickle down through each and every cell, bringing peace and happiness to every corner of your body. See you filled with energy and good feelings from your toes to your crown.

Let the feelings inside you radiate out into the word with each exhalation, and draw in more air and energy each time you open to the ocean of air. Breathe in energy, and radiate out relaxation and acceptance. Breathe in again, breathe out, sending another wave of energy through every cell in your body. See the extra energy leaving you in a wave of joy. Sit and notice how your body feels, and be glad.

When you are ready, open your eyes slowly and look at the world. Savor the feelings and remember that you can bring this back any time today by just breathing in, noticing gravity, and breathing out. As you get up, smile and greet the world.

Please, give this a try and let me know how it went!

What worked for you, and what was challenging? How did you feel before and after the meditation?

I’m going to do a two-week smile meditation experiment. If anyone would like to join me, leave a response. I’ll write a followup after this experiment is over.