Research Suggests You Should Smile — Even When You Don’t Feel Like It
How to hold a Pencil between Your Teeth For an Instant Shift in Happiness
It’s annoying to be told to cheer up and smile, especially by a stranger in the street. But imagine someone telling you to put a pencil between your teeth, promising it will lift your mood in ten seconds.
There’s no shortage of advice on how to be happy and have a great, long life, but science journalist and author Helen Thomson fleeced through study after study to explore the real science behind the self-help. Her book, ‘This Book Could Fix Your Life’, examines the most recent research, and provides us with the highlights of what works and what doesn’t.
‘Study after study shows the incredible impact our minds can have on our physical health,’ she told Radio New Zealand recently, explaining that many physiological processes are triggered by thought. For instance, the placebo effect is a solid, scientifically studied process that happens in the brain.
The power of the mind figures prominently in Thomson’s book. Her own favorite, positive mood changer is the fake smile-hack, a ten second happiness-booster. ‘Put a pencil between your teeth without letting it touch your lips. Hold it there for about ten seconds, and you should feel…
