28 Days To Confidence - Day 2

28 Days To Confidence Challenge : Day 2

So, how did you go with the posture? Did it help? It may be a little early to see the effects of it as yet.  I think it would be beneficial to carry this one through the whole 28 days, as well as todays: Day 2: Smile.  Yes, that's it.  It may sound simple and easy enough and it is, but I want you to try to do it all day.  I don't mean that you have to walk through life grinning like an idiot, but to practice your resting smile face, just raising the corners of your mouth slightly where you feel comfortable.  This means no resting bitch face. ;)  

It's easy to go on auto pilot and forget, just like posture.  Smiling makes you feel good and when you feel good, you are more confident.   This one will feel odd at first, but just keep trying and it will soon become more natural. 

Day 2: Smile

How did I go? 

The morning was challenging for me as I was very tired from a poor nights sleep and I had to be up early and on the train.  I found I really had to concentrate on it because it's so easy when you're tired and not feeling your best, to naturally frown.  The train is a challenging environment to practice this one, I noticed that everyone was frowning and looking down.  It's so easy to get caught up with the group, but I was determined to really concentrate on it.   However, I noticed that when I kept smiling, I started to feel better.  Positive thoughts started coming through and I started to think of the day and get excited.  

Whenever I noticed myself not smiling, I made a conscious effort to fix it.  I have been working on this one for a few months now and it gets easier, but I still have to focus on this until it becomes habit.  I have been asked a lot recently "why are you smiling?" or "why are you so happy?", in return I ask "why aren't you smiling?"

The afternoon was really easy to practice this one because I was out with my nephew.  It is near impossible for me not to smile when he is around, I'm constantly smiling and doing crazy things to make him smile and laugh.  I just can't help it.  I know I'm bias, but he is freaking adorable too, so when you are with him, people will smile at you.  I was also carrying a huge helium balloon around for him, his face lit up when he saw it, how could I not smile?

The balloon...

This challenge was in the back of my mind the whole day, so I was also observing others during the day.  I wasn't surprised that people weren't smiling on the train, but it did surprise me how many people didn't smile back at me when I was walking with my nephew and a huge balloon.  Sure, there were quite a few who did, I also got some laughs and some odd looks sometimes (that just made me smile more), but there were quite a lot that didn't smile back at all.  

I found this surprising because to me, balloons are a positive symbol, they are around during times of celebrations and evoke positive associations for me.   If I saw someone walking around with a huge balloon, I'd smile at them. Wouldn't you?  Also, children always make me smile because there is something so innocent about them.  They remind me of a time when I didn't have to adult and I didn't have problems, they remind me to stop and remember the basics, what life is really about.  I had a double smile combo!  It still wasn't powerful enough for some, but we are all different and we all have our problems. 

Let me know how you go and how you are finding the challenge.  I'd love to hear from you! :)