I couldn't believe my ears. After all these years there was finally a diagnosis for my condition.
And forgive me for being a little dramatic here but that's what I had, a condition. People would pass me on the street and just know that something was wrong by simply by looking at my face.
The diagnosis didn't come straight to me either. I had wrestle with it before finally coming up with the answer.
You see I am stricken with a terrible condition called 'Resting Concerned Face'. There is no actual physical or mental ailment. It's just that, whenever I am not correcting it at least, my face rests in a seriously concerned looking state.
Other ailments within this sickness profile include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Resting Bitch Face
- Resting Dumb Face
- Resting Sleep Face
- Resting, I would rather talk to anyone but you, Face
- and finally the embarrassing - Resting, I just let one rip, Face
But please don't judge those of us with this condition harshly. We are not bad people. In fact, once you get to know us, you might not even notice our condition at all.
There is one downside to my personal ailment though, and that is that people tend to mimic my face back to me when they approach. After all, if I'm taking the world so seriously then why shouldn't they?
How to Cure "Resting B!tch Face"?
This all changed one amazing day as I made the morning commute from my car park to my office.
Me and my face were walking awkwardly down the street greeting each stranger as they approached with our standard appearance of concern. I could tell we were affecting those around us as they all searched themselves on our approach. One man, so taken by my apparent concern, even checked his own pulse for assurance.
One young lady however was different. As me and my concerned face approached her she did not cower or self check, she didn't gasp or even run like some of the others.
She smiled.
And I'm not talking about a small 'whatever' smile either. I'm talking about a smile that makes the sun come out and toast you in its radiance
. I was sunburnt and smile drunk! I didn't even have time to smile back before she was gone.
When I turned back to get a second shot of this little shining star on legs, I saw one of my colleagues behind me about twenty metres away. He was now caught in her beam and was smiling dumbly back at her also.
Free yourself from stress and go through life smiling - guided meditation can help you on your path.
I waited until he caught up with me. "My god did you just see that young girl? She just gave me the most incredible smile" I said.
His eyes were unfocused and he was still smiling himself "Me too!". He was still sunburnt and smile drunk.
That little girl, and her amazing smile, affected my mood for the entire day. I couldn't get over what an impact one small gesture had had on me.
In one tiny move she had planted a seed of happiness in me and it would become the perfect cure for my Resting Concerned Face disease.
Smiling is Addictive
I was now smiling at anyone, anywhere, at any time. It got so addictive that to overcome my Concerned Face I would even prepare my new Smile Face before even entering a room. By the time it got there it looked as if the smile had been there all day.
Guided meditation can help you let go of your inhibitions and just smile!
It was now my turn to plant the seeds of happiness in others. I can only hope that they did the same in others again.
Perhaps all of these seeds became trees of happiness? I will never know but I will have done my part in the process.
To round out this happy little story let me just leave you with these two lessons I have learnt during this process:
- Firstly it is up to you to chose a position of happiness - it doesn't chose you. Adopt it now and let it live with you until it becomes a regular part of your everyday life.
- Finally, happiness is not a precious commodity. It is an abundant commodity, which can take time to grow.
Sprinkle the seeds of happiness far and wide and let the harvest grow. Do you have any experiences of your own to share? Please do so in the comments!
Written by Andrew Hood.: I am a father of 3 and have spent over 20 years in Sales and Customer Service within the IT Industry.
My blog discusses the Tipping Point moments in my life where I have learnt important life lessons that I am looking to share with like minded people. These moments often occur through my private life, career or even my struggles with Anxiety and Depression over the years. My Blog is mainly about personal and career development and the pursuit of happiness in general.Two of my most popular posts include 5 Steps to avoid making the biggest mistake of your life: http://www.theweeklytippingpoint.com/5-steps-to-avoid-making-the-biggest-mistake-of-your-life/ and 5 Tips to Master the Language of Success: http://www.theweeklytippingpoint.com/unlock-secrets-language-success/
