Welcome to October's Slim Down
Welcome to October. We're flexing our facial muscles here in the NDD office to warm up for World Smile Day on Friday October 5th. How many times did you smile today? What could be a simpler Do Something Different for October than to smile when you would normally frown? Smiles are uplifting and contagious; and reassuring too. We know the fixed smiles adopted by aircrew are false (psychologists call smiles that rest in the lower half of the face and don't involve the eye muscles the 'Pan American smile') yet we'd prefer those than faces that express boredom, fatigue or even panic!
Regardless of their origin or motivation, smiles have a powerful effect on us all. Studies of courtroom judges have shown they give smilers lighter sentences than non-smilers, it's called the 'smile-leniency effect'. And interviewees who smile leave a much better impression on employers than the long-faced.
A smile can even be heard in the voice. So why not stick a smiley sticker on your phone this month to remind you to smile when you answer it?
'A compliment is verbal sunshine' Robert Orben
On World Smile Day we should all aim to 'Make one person smile'. One sure fire way of doing that is to offer a compliment. Imagine walking to work one day and hearing a voice say, 'Your eyes are beautiful'. Visual artist Tom Greaves installed a compliment machine on 14th Street Washington. 'You help create a brighter future' passers-by heard it utter, or, 'People are drawn to your positive energy'. Despite their obvious 'Pan American' randomness, the compliments still left people feeling all warm and gooey inside. We can all do that for others – all it takes is a few flattering, heart-felt words. If you've had a habit of voicing criticism rather than compliments, this Do Something Different could do wonders for your relationships this month.
Hungry for Money
Do binge eaters also spend compulsively? Recent research from neuroscience has found that food and money are governed by the same pathways in our brains, and that our desire for money has evolved from our desire for food. As most dieters are women, does that mean women are also more likely to be out of control with money? Our belief is that there are complex emotions that underlie women's relationship with money and we're conducting research into this. If you are female and aged 18-50, we would appreciate you filling in our on-line questionnaire. Go to www.sheconomics.com and click on research or Click here to go directly to the survey.
The forum this month has reminded us that when we 'Do Something Different' we think something different. And what a powerful, energizing and affirming experience that can be. Thanks, Siobhan, for your observations about how living life in the present tense works for you. And Christa's gem was that people who have out-of-body experiences apparently look down on their bodies and find them absolutely beautiful. That should bring a smile to all our faces!
Did we tell you how gorgeous you're looking today?
The No Diet Diet Way Team
