How To Easily Change How You Feel

It is a well accepted and scientifically proven fact that how we feel mentally and emotionally affects how we feel and look physically. Our thoughts and emotions affect how our bodies feel, our facial expressions, and how we act and move. We can all easily identify someone who is angry, or depressed, or happy, by their face, their body language and their overall demeanour.

However, not so well known is the fact that this works both ways. We can actually change how we feel by changing our physiology - the way we move, our posture and even our facial expressions.

Smiling or laughing is a perfect example. It actually takes a lot less effort and uses a lot less facial muscles to smile than it does to frown. Smiling and laughing also make changes to our blood flow and oxygen levels and stimulates our brains. We all know that smiling and laughing make us feel good and change our mood. It's very difficult to feel angry, depressed, upset or any other negative or destructive emotions when we smile, and almost impossible when we laugh.

This is why humour can be one of the very best ways of diffusing conflict or confrontational situations.

What does this means for self improvement and how can this help us to lead happier lives? It means that at any time, we can literally choose to change our moods and feelings by changing our physiology.

This may sound too good to be true, but you can easily try this for yourself. You can choose an emotion or a state, for example, being shy, timid, and lacking in confidence. Now, act, move and look the way you would if that was how you actually felt. If you really make the effort and try this, it will almost certainly change your mood and state of mind so you do actually feel that way.

Then act as if you are totally full of confidence and on top of the world. Imagine yourself in a situation where you are in total control and have never felt better.

Thinking about a time when you really felt this way, or visualising another person who exemplifies these qualities will help. To make this work most effectively, get up and walk around the room and hold yourself in the most confident manner, or like the most confident person, that you can imagine. How does that feel?

You may feel a bit silly when you first try this, and it might seem like acting, but this really can change your thought patterns, your state of mind, and the way you feel - if you keep an open mind and allow it to.

Nor is it that different from actions we all take regularly anyway to change the way we feel, such as straightening your back, improving your posture, standing up and stretching, taking some deep breaths or walking around the room.

Everyone knows that small actions such as these can, for example, alleviate tiredness or boredom and improve concentration. Doesn't it make sense that bigger or more exaggerated actions can bring about even greater changes and improvements? I'm sure we can all think of times when we felt tired and listless and forced ourselves to do some physical activity. Usually, we feel like a new person afterwards, both physically and mentally.

We can actually 'act' our way to more positive thoughts and feelings by changing our physiology. This simple method can be used to help put you in a better frame of mind and make you more optimistic any time you choose.

"We must all realise that emotion is created by motion. The way we move changes the way we think, feel and behave" - Anthony Robbins

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