Smile!

Before you read any further, just do this simple exercise. Close your eyes, smile (1 sec), take a slow deep breath (3 sec) and exhale slowly (3 sec).

How did you feel? Good isn't it?

Stress is Inside Not Outside

Majority of the people believe that stress is due to outside situations and something which is not within their control. While it's true that stress is the result of outside situations and circumstances, it is how YOU react to a situation that causes stress.

Have you observed how different people react differently to the same situations? That should clear things for you. I won't go into much detail. The only thing that's important for you to realize is that stress is within and not out.

Smile - the Miracle Cure to Deal with Stress

When you smile the face muscles relax and stimulates a part of the brain that relaxes and makes us happy. And the best part is that you can fake it! A faked smile has almost similar effects as a real smile. You just witnessed it at the beginning of this article.

Another benefit of smile is that it is contagious. When you smile at someone, it is almost impossible for a person seeing you not to smile. And when someone smiles back at you, you feel even better.

Heck! You can actually do that to yourself! Just watch yourself in the mirror and smile. See the magic it creates in you.

I know it may be a bit difficult initially for you to smile back at yourself. You are not used to it. But just do it. Just a couple of times and then you'll start loving it.

Do it often

You need not wait for stress to strike you for you to smile. Just make it a point every now and then to repeat the above exercise. Once you do that, your smile quotient will increase and you'll reclaim your lost sense of humor. You'll then find yourself laughing at things which you previously would not have. Life will be joy and situations that used to stress you will no longer bother you.