Wouldn’t it be great to have every day go smoothly? The day would be perfectly balanced emotionally and physically; filled with love and laughter, kind words, support, creativity, affirmation, and sense of accomplishment… without feeling rushed, exhausted, or frustrated!

Oh, what a beautiful day! 

I struggle with desiring all of these things, but not always being able to achieve this level of happiness every day.

Have you ever noticed the look on your face when you are angry, upset, confused, or troubled by something? Is this the look you want others to see? I am constantly telling clients to “fix your face.”

What is “fix your face?” 
             
It is a funny way to remind people how they show their emotions affects how other people respond to them. For example, if you walk around with a scowl on your face, other people tend to avoid you.

It also helps remind individuals that adjusting their body language and facial expressions can alter their mood. For example, gritting your teeth and squinting your eyes shows anger. If you fix your face by consciously relaxing face muscles and portraying a calm expression, you start to feel calm. In addition, it gives you time to decide how you want to proceed in the current situation because you can easily use effective problem solving skills when you are calm and collected.

Body Language and Facial Expressions are Behaviors

Behaviors are a result of a specific thought causing you to feel a certain way. Using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, start with changing your problematic thoughts. Use this simple formula:

                                        THOUGHTS       ----->         FEELINGS       ----->      BEHAVIORS 
                                                                         Cause                                         Cause