I have been receiving many comments lately about the appearance of my face. Friends have been telling me how pretty I look lately. I am a words of affirmation love language type, so I definitely get fired up from the compliments.
There is only one thing I have done different to my face and that is add a genuine smile.
I hate to admit that I’ve worn a fake smile for so long. Growing up a competitive gymnast and then high school cheerleader, I know how to smile. I know how to smile when everything inside of me does not want to smile. I can do the fake smiles really good and I’ve been doing them too good for too long.
I can’t put my finger on exactly when my smile changed. I’m pretty confident it’s when my heart changed.
I can tell you about the oils I am using. I am using many of them and I love oils. They do wonders for emotional support, but it’s not just the oils.
I can tell you about the ridiculous amount of water I have been drinking. Just shy of drowning myself. I am drinking it all, but it’s not just the water.
I can tell you about the mason jar salads I have fallen in love with and I can’t eat one without edamame in it. Salads are crazy healthy, but it’s not just the salads.
I can go on for days about how much I love Zumba and even more so now that my youngest son attends classes with me. Maybe it is all Zumba – if you saw me keeping up it’d make you smile with belly laughter.
I know all of these things are making me healthier. The scale hasn’t noticed, but I stopped caring. The scale can’t measure what’s making the difference because skinny is a physical condition not a heart condition.
It is very simple.
Gratitude looks good on you.
I can dress up and wear the fancy clothes. I can paint my fingernails the new cool color. I can wear tassel earrings and try a different lipstick. Boy can I fake a smile with a filter on Instagram. I have done it all. Many times to appear like the smile is the real deal. And sadly, some people like the phony. Because it’s visually appealing, but there is nothing behind it but a staged look and teeth that knew braces.
But when the heart is happy… When the heart is thankful… When the heart is full of gratitude because the relationship with God and therefore relationships with others are super strong… It looks good on your face.
I believe this requires more than keeping a thankful list. Counting blessings is an amazing place to start. Try living graciously.
Every time someone deserves a complement go ahead and say it. Don’t wait for later.
Track down the manager and praise an employee for a job well done.
Say thank you more often and write thank you notes.
Send more essential oils than you talk about them.
Pass down books you’re no longer reading.
Pray for another person for 1 whole week.
Send a mom friend a text stating she is doing an awesome job. Do it now!
Make a dessert for someone who makes you feel special ‘just because’.
I think we have become a society of watchers – no longer doers. Bless another person by expressing your gratitude in tangible ways.I have been more joyful and heart happy in the last six months than I have been in the last three years. It is transforming me from the inside out because gratitude looks good on you.