How Smiling Boosts Your Mood
This Week’s Offering: How Smiling Boosts Your Mood - Through Embodied Cognition
Hi Loves,
This week, I’m inviting you to try a simple, science backed practice that has been shown to lift your mood in just a few minutes. Research in embodied cognition, the idea that our body can influence our mind, shows that using the muscles involved in smiling can actually improve your emotional state. In other words: when you smile, even if it feels forced at first, your brain starts to believe you're happy.
The Practice
Each morning for the next five days, try starting your day with a smile. If that feels hard, fake it. If that still feels like too much, place a pencil or pen horizontally between your teeth to gently force a smile. I know it sounds strange, but stay with it for just 3–5 minutes. This physical cue sends a powerful signal to your brain that activates feel-good neurotransmitters like dopamine and serotonin. The result? A real shift in your mood.
Why It Works
This technique bypasses negative thinking and uses the body to influence the mind. It’s rooted in the science of embodied cognition, the idea that movement can create or enhance emotion. While we often think emotions come first and actions follow, studies show it can work in reverse too. When you smile, you engage the same facial muscles used during genuine joy, and your brain responds by releasing mood-enhancing chemicals.
Weekly Intention
May this week be a gentle reminder that joy isn’t something you have to search for outside yourself. It begins within you, and it can be nurtured through simple, consistent practices. Just like everything in nature, joy is meant to flow.
Mantra
I find joy, even when it feels out of reach.
With love and gratitude,
Nicole Ilana
Nicoleilana.com
About Nicole Ilana
Nicole Ilana holds a Master’s degree in Psychology from Columbia University, where she studied within the Spirit Mind Body Institute. Her approach blends academic training with personal insight, drawing from Positive Psychology, Jungian thought, Spiritual Psychology, Human Design and mind-body healing. Nicole offers a holistic path to transformation, grounded in the belief that a regulated nervous system is the foundation for creating the life you truly desire.
When You’ll Hear From Me
Thursdays – A thoughtful, grounding letter filled with stories, practices, and tools
Sundays – A short and sweet health or nervous system tip to support your week