Yesterday we touched a little bit about breath work and it’s power for you to be able to communicate a relaxing experience to those you lead and serve. Today lets talk about the SMILE. That’s right, your pearly whites. Or, if you are like me, my pearly off whites.
Smiles can be one of the most effective ways to relax the opposite person. It is quick and extremely easy to do. We have all been in those meetings or rooms where it is so tense that it is hard to believe nobody pulled a muscle.
As soon as you meet someone, have a meeting with someone, or you are giving/receiving feedback, begin with a smile. One great way to practice this is to smile as long as it takes two of your breaths. As you practice mastering Day 1, you will be able to smile just a bit longer every time.
If you need help smiling, look for a person in the room with a silly haircut or maybe you can look for the degree on the wall and think of the wild and crazy times you had in college. You might even be able to find a picture of little kids and either think of your sweet, precious angels or imagine the kids in the pics are little deviants in disguise.
Find a way to relax your people. Smile more. You can’t give and receive feedback if their walls are up. Smiling is your best tool to do it. Anything from Super Troopers, Wedding Crashers, or Van Wilder could do the trick.