As we go about our day, exchanging natural smiles is simply warm and lovely!

It’s an acknowledgment of collective love or appreciation, and whether your mouth crests at another human, or a cute dog, the heartfelt gesture is universally, and instantly understood. We wish to convey kind thoughts.

Whilst it’s debatable as to which uses up the most muscles: a smile or a frown, and it’s because sometimes we might feel the need to force an expression: a cheesy grin for a corporate photo. We know, if we notice, our felt sense, which one feels the nicest.

For those brief moments of smiling, tension lifts away from our scalps, and we get pleasant tingly feelings at our nape, or in our tummies. It’s a little lift of human sunshine, irrespective of the challenges that we may be coping with.

I believe that smiling can be beneficial inwardly too. We can recreate those kind wishes for others, reflect them internally and nourish our own souls. I think it’s a nice form of mindfulness, and I frequently use it if I’m having difficulty sleeping.

All I do, following some breathing exercises, is lay flat in the bed, and place one hand on my heart, the other on my stomach. (Sub-consciously this helps to regulate breathing, without the bore of having to count numbers.)

Next, and with closed eyes, I think of all the people I love, whilst picturing their smiles, and their whole faces in as much detail as possible. I am aiming to create a photo-like image, and this is where the knack is, to recall maximum detail: dimples / favourite expressions, etc.

Initially, when you first give this a try, it’s easiest if you think of one person at a time.  Try to avoid thinking about those you still mourn, because you are focusing on gathering joy, not pain. Similarly, if they do pop to mind, then revert to what I call “smile gathering” instead. (This is just collecting/recalling all the smiles from as many people as you can think of. Not their whole faces. You can self-prompt, by simply asking yourself: “How did that nice girl in the supermarket smile at me earlier? Oh yeah, I remember: it was wide, and it evoked a kind twinkle in her eyes. I liked her lip piercing.”

Now, move on to another smile, and start gathering them up like strawberries. Picking them chronologically from the start of your day is a useful tip: “And that person at the petrol station, his was wide and jolly”.

Imagine you are pinning them up on a cheery yellow notice board in your mind’s eye. Keep your eyes closed, and your hands positioned. If they open, or you move, then simply pop your hands back, and close your eyes again. Start recalling smiles.

As you practice my method, I hope it’ll become moreish. It’s such a calming pursuit and a gentle river-like road to slumber land. It’s also a relatively easy and enjoyable form of mindfulness.