“Life is like a mirror, smile at it and it smiles back at you.”
How aware are you of your movement and gestures?
Did you know that every movement and every gesture sends messages to our brain influencing how we feel, how we act and, how we are experiencing life?
According to a study published in the journal Experimental Psychology, researchers found that smiling can have a positive effect on mood. This works EVEN IF THE SMILE IS FAKE! The act of smiling triggers facial muscles that send messages to the brain which releases endorphins that alter our mood. And that is just from a smile!
Imagine what we are telling our brain when we are dancing – which is a whole-body experience involving more than some facial muscles. There are countless studies that show dance to reduce stress, stimulate the immune system and help develop the brain.
Knowing this perhaps it is worthwhile to be mindful of our movement in the dance. When we hold back – what messages are we reinforcing in the brain? When we use only part of our body – what else is frozen?
Active participation where we give our all to the dance ensures a positive change in our emotions, thinking, and relationship to life and others. This doesn’t mean going over the top and exhausting ourselves. It really is quite simple. All we need to do is bring attention to our dance, here, now! Shut out the distractions of a chattering mind. Let go of the inhibiting factors that may influence our dance. And lastly, be willing to try out something new – break the habits of a lifetime.
Imagine what wonderful messages we could then be sending to our brain – that life is wonderful…..let’s dance!
_Christos Daskalakos
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