The simplest things in life are the most difficult. Remember to breathe deeply. Drink lots of water. Walk for an hour everyday. It is the basics that present the biggest challenges. Don’t tell lies. Get at least eight hours of sleep. Don’t talk on the phone while driving.
Everybody knows it. Nobody practices it.
In pursuit of the highest peaks, where the view is breath taking, we forget, that oxygen still remains a basic without which there is no life, at any level.
Huffing and puffing, we reach the top. Breathless, we pant out “Oh what a beautiful view!” then promptly close our eyes and do yoga.
We spend years practising our ‘corporate’ face. Growling at subordinates and hissing at competition. Then join laughter therapy groups.
Laughter, smiling – happiness – these are the freebies that humans can self generate anytime, anywhere and yet how difficult a simple smile can be.
When I first realised I was taking myself too seriously I made a concious effort to smile more. Now, I was sure everyone was looking at me and thinking “What’s wrong with her?’
I was thinking “How silly am I looking?”
A week into it I imagined that the expressions were now saying “What does she know that I dont know?”
Beginning to enjoy this whole “look, I can smile exercise”, I smiled even more – at the check out girl at the supermarket, at the taxi driver on the pavement – the big one – at complete strangers in the elevators.
I had to curb it a little when I saw my son giving me the ‘psycho mom’ look before quickly sitting down and attacking the maths homework. Maybe I shouldn’t have gritted my teeth and lowered my voice so much while smiling, but the rest of the time the smile worked.
It made me feel sunnier, after the initial – do I have a spot on my face – it made people around me smile back.
It was a simple smile. And it made so many complex things so much more simple. 🙂 :):)
What do you think?