The Practice Of Smiling

    SF
    Sean FargoPublished November 28, 2019 · Updated April 8, 2024 · 1 min read

    Printable Worksheet

    The Practice of Smiling

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    A mindful companion to this worksheet

    A mindful approach to the practice of smiling

    “The Practice of Smiling” is an invitation to slow down and meet your experience with curiosity, honesty, and kindness — three qualities that quietly transform everything they touch.

    How mindfulness can help

    Mindfulness offers a steady inner ground from which to engage any topic. Instead of being swept along by reaction, we learn to notice what is here — sensations, thoughts, feelings — and respond from a place of presence rather than pressure.

    Gentle steps to try

    1. Begin with the breath. Take three slow breaths before opening the worksheet. Let your body remember it is here.
    2. Read with curiosity. Move through each prompt slowly. Notice which questions soften you, and which ones tighten you.
    3. Write what is true now. There are no right answers — only honest ones. The truth at this moment is what the worksheet is asking for.
    4. Close with one breath. When you finish, pause. Place a hand on your heart and acknowledge yourself for showing up.

    Insight does not arrive on a schedule. Trust the practice of returning, the courage of honesty, and the slow unfolding of your own becoming.

    Here’s a Sample of the “The Practice Of Smiling” Guided Meditation Script:

    SmilingMindfulness practice means feeling how you feel.Instead of avoiding or shoving down pain, you accept it with care and attention.But that doesn’t mean you have to sit in pain, doing nothing.The simple practice of smiling can actually trigger joy in the mind and body, helping relieve some of this pain.In this exercise, you will mindfully tune in to how it feels to bring a gentle smile across the face.Allow the eyes to close, and find a comfortable sitting posture.If you are able to, keep the spine straight to invite energy and alertness into the mind and body.Begin by bringing your attention to the sensations of the body breathing.

    Start with the abdomen, tuning in to the rising and falling.Let the body breathe itself; you don’t need to breathe in any certain way.After two minutes, move your attention to the chest.Feel the expansion and contraction here as the body continues to breathe.When you notice that the mind has wandered, simply bring the chest back into your awareness.Allow two more minutes to pass.Now move your attention up to the nostrils.You may feel the breath at the tip or base of the nose or on the upper lip.Pay attention to the subtle sensation of breathing here.

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