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Are you looking for a simple but effective brain hack for happiness? It all comes down to your smile.

There’s a Chinese Proverb that says, “Use your smile to change the world; don’t let the world change your smile”.

Smiling is powerful. They’re a natural way to express happiness and they invite those around you to share in that emotion. They light up a room and can help others feel at ease. In short, smiles are wonderful things.

But often in life, you may experience times when you don’t feel like smiling. Maybe you’re sad, or angry, or stressed. You’ve likely heard the adage: fake it until you make it. But does that actually help?

It turns out your brain prefers to smile—even if it’s fake. The simple act of smiling has enormous benefits for your brain.

Your Brain on Smiles

When you smile, your mouth sends a signal to your brain. This releases neuropeptides, molecules that lower stress and help neurons communicate. They also trigger the release of the neurotransmitters dopamine, serotonin, and endorphins—or, the happiness hormones.

• Dopamine gives you an instant boost of energy and motivation.
• Serotonin helps calm you down and soothes your nerves.
• Endorphins reduce cortisol levels and can even decrease feelings of pain. If you’ve ever heard the expression “smiling through the pain”, it’s because smiling can literally help manage your pain.

Together, these brain chemicals work to improve your mood, and help decrease symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Smiling also helps combat the long-term effects of chronic stress. This means reducing things like memory and recall problems, inability to learn, decision fatigue, trouble with problem-solving, and brain fog.

Research out of the University of Kansas found that smiling lowers your heart rate. Another study found that smiling can lower blood pressure. And multiple studies have shown that smiling boosts your immune function, which leads to better health and longevity.

The best part? You can get these incredible benefits even when you force a smile. A small study out of the University of Cardoff, Wales, found that participants who had Botox and couldn’t frown reported feeling happier for extended periods of time after the injections. In fact, after long-term use of Botox, nine of the participants felt such relief, they were able to reduce their medication and, in some cases, stop taking it entirely.

Your brain is hard-wired to associate a smile with happiness. That means a fake smile triggers the same neurochemical reaction as a real one. And because you’ll end up feeling better, odds are, that fake smile becomes real.

Smiles are Contagious

Smiling is not just a cue for your brain, but also for those around you. When someone smiles at you, the neurons in your brain automatically mirror that behavior. It’s instinct to smile back. This does two things:

1) Smiling instantly creates a positive social connection. People relax and stress levels go down for everyone. When you work with a smile, you’re creating a framework of positivity that lets people know you’re easy to work with and be around. This automatically builds trust and camaraderie, which means you’ll end up getting more done.

2) Giving and receiving smiles tells your brain that you are surrounded by friendly people. Your brain seeks social connections because it wants you to survive. To the brain, more friendly people means a better chance of survival. Being smiled at automatically reduces your stress response and puts you in a calmer state.

Conclusion

They say the best things in life are free. A smile costs nothing, yet it can be your shield from a host of health and cognitive issues arising from day-to-day problems. If you are having a bad day, use this brain hack and flash a big smile—even if you don’t feel like it — and see how the day magically transforms. Happy smiling!

‍For more on how body language affects your brain, watch this video:

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Are you a polymath? When everything interests you, following your dreams isn’t as easy as it seems. What if you have several dreams? And don’t know which one to pursue?

This conundrum is common. But it’s also common to hear that your interests are nothing more than hobbies, that they are a waste of time. Or, that to excel, you have to choose a single path.

The good news is that this is far from the truth. In fact, in the current global market, having many interests is perhaps better than being highly skilled in one particular area. People who are adept in multiple areas as known as polymaths. Here’s how to adopt this mindset and make it work for you.

Curse or Cure?

Choosing a career or skill to pursue is one of the hardest decisions you’ll make in life. It might also be the most important. That’s why it’s the subject of so much focus and judgment. And unless you are a visible genius or some kind of prodigy, people consider multiple interests as a sign of indecisiveness, superficiality, and lack of expertise.

You’ve likely heard the saying: “Jack of all trades, master of none”. But did you know that phrase wasn’t actually an insult? The full saying goes, “Jack of all trades, master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one”. It was a compliment to people who could manage multiple jobs. Often, one person being helpful in several areas is far more beneficial and economical than having to rely on multiple individuals.

Over time, society moved away from this mentality, shaving off the end of the saying to turn it from positive to negative. But technology has changed the way we do business. Workers between 55-64 stay with an employer an average of almost ten years and average 1.9 jobs over their careers. Compare that to millennials who expect to change jobs every 3 years and it’s obvious that multiple skills are an asset in today’s job market.

The case of the polymath

Remember Leonardo da Vinci? The legendary Renaissance painter is famous for painting the Mona Lisa, but his range of interests encompassed architecture, mathematics, science, engineering, anatomy, astronomy, botany, history, even literature and music. 

More recently, we have individuals such as Umberto Eco, Carl Sagan, Stephen Fry, Steve Jobs, and even Donald Glover (aka Childish Gambino) as examples of people who successfully embody multiple skills and interests.

We consider them geniuses, but history will tell us that just a few hundred years ago, this was actually a pretty common thing. Specialization of knowledge is a relatively new idea that was driven by the industrial revolution. Before that, knowledge pursuers would have no qualms about straddling fields as different as astronomy and anatomy.

Some defining traits of a polymath personality would be:

• Curiosity
• Holistic attitude
• Creativity
• Ability to perceive things from multiple perspectives
• Adaptability
• Relentless pursuit of excellence

These traits can not only be applied to many of today’s technology-driven jobs, but they can help you excel in them. Almost all progress in our civilization has been driven by combining the knowledge and traditions of various people and fields. Someone who can holistically tackle multiple areas is an invaluable asset.

How to have a polymath mindset

Simply because you have a lot of interests in a wide range of subjects doesn’t automatically make you a polymath. Some skill is still involved. It’s important that you can combine your interests to create new results. Here are a few ways you can channel your multiple potentialities into a polymath mindset:

1. Decide on a combination

Maybe you like writing, have a web development background, and a passion for cooking. You might combine those into creating a dynamic food critic blog or restaurant consulting business. If you like photography, animals, and being outdoors, you could combine those into a pet photography business or an in-depth website on animal health and safety.

Take stock of your skills and interests. You’ll likely find that many of them work well together with a bit of creativity. Innovation is a key element of success in the modern world. By combining skills, you’re more likely to drive innovation by creating something new and unexpected than someone driving a single course of expertise.

2. Train hard

Once you decide on the combination of skills, focus on improving each component. Fine-tuning one field will likely yield you better results that trying to improve all of them. While you want to be proficient in many areas, you also want to have a deep understanding of each of them.

This might require taking classes or getting additional training. You might require more development in some areas over others. Never walk away from the opportunity to learn, whether that’s through formal education, classes on the side, or simply mining the plethora of resources available online.

3. Remember your goals

There can be a tendency to get overly excited when you learn something new. That’s why it’s vital that you keep your purpose in mind. It might tempt you to take in-depth classes on the history of veterinary care or the philosophy of literature. But unless you can use the information within your business, it might be more distracting than helpful.

If you’re working on improving your writing skills, focus on the business aspect of writing versus creative writing. That’s not to say you can’t also enjoy creative writing on the side. As we’ve discussed, you never know when those skills might help. But the more focused you are, the more likely you’ll achieve your goals.

Remember, the great polymaths throughout history dedicated themselves to each task before moving on. They focused on greatness in the moment, creating timeless works of art, foundational scientific principles, and otherwise influencing society.

Conclusion

Having too many interests is not a curse—it’s an opportunity. The future needs people who can think holistically and creatively, and adapt quickly to changes. With the right mindset and plan, you can be one of them.

‍For more on learning how to learn, watch this video:

If you want to speed up your brain, the answer is simple: learn a new language. There are many exercises to help you improve your cognitive abilities. But what if they came with the perks of improving your career and making travel more enjoyable?

In our globalized world, knowing more than one language is a valuable skill. Even better, the challenge of learning something new gives your brain a good workout, improving its overall functionality. Here’s how learning a foreign language affects your brain.

Language Improves Memory

People who learn and speak a second language have a sharper short-term memory. Learning a foreign language requires memorizing a lot of new information. You also have to access that memory while you use the language. This strengthens your short-term or working memory, i.e. where you store and process information over a short period. Overall, this benefits not only your ability to learn a language, but every area of your life.

Learning Sharpens Cognitive Abilities

A study out of the University of Edinburgh found that participants who spoke two or more languages performed better on standardized vocabulary, reading, and math tests than monolingual people. They tested 262 people of various ages between 2008 and 2010. The two areas most improved by learning a new language were reading and general intelligence. And the best part is you can enjoy this improvement at any stage of life.

Can Help Slow Down Dementia

The same study found that knowing two or more languages can help delay the onset of dementia by almost five years more than monolingual people. Learning and speaking multiple languages exercises your brain, which keeps your brain active longer. This makes you more immune to memory and cognition-related diseases like dementia.

Learning a New Language Improves Attention and Focus

A multilingual person has a lot more to choose from for using verbal or written language, so their brain gets better at processing information. Comprehending and responding to someone in a foreign language takes focus, and so does switching between languages for daily usage. This training improves your overall ability to filter out distractions and focus one task at a time.

Better Decision-Making Skills

Learning a new language can help you become a better decision-maker. Your brain becomes better at filtering irrelevant stimuli and focusing on relevant information. Studies show multilingual people are more immune to propaganda, marketing hype, and exaggerated information because of this skill. Being bilingual helps you to make smarter decisions in life.

Learn to Listen Better and Understand More

When you learn a language other than your native tongue, your brain has to work extra hard to comprehend it. This sharpens your auditory information processing skills. As a result, you become better at listening and comprehending—even in your own language. This leads to greater understanding of situations and people.

A Second Language Improves Your Native-Language

You learn your native language intuitively from your home environment. But when you learn a second language, you have to pay attention to its syntax and grammatical structure. This makes you more aware of linguistic differences and rules, which then improves the skills in your native tongue, as well. People who study an unfamiliar language are generally better speakers and writers in their native tongues.

Conclusion

Learning a new language is challenging. But your brain loves being challenged. Exercising your brain regularly is the best way to keep it fit and healthy. And when you learn a new language, you can improve your career trajectory, enjoy travel on a deeper level, and expand your communication skills at the same time.

If you want to know how to learn anything faster—including languages, watch this video:

If you look up kindness in the dictionary, you’ll find a simple definition: the quality of being friendly, generous, and considerate. And yet, most people agree that kindness is much more than that. It’s embracing empathy and sympathy for other people. It stems from love, respect, solidarity, and humility.

Beyond kindness making you a wonderful human, many studies show that kindness is healthy for the brain. And because it’s one foundation of a meaningful life, it’s also good for your mental and emotional well-being.

Here are 4 reasons kindness specifically benefits your brain.

1. Kindness Makes You Happier

A Study conducted at the University of California asked a group of people to do random acts of kindness daily for about 2 months. They found that happiness levels of the volunteers increased by about 40%. Another study at Harvard found that giving money to strangers makes people happier than spending the money on themselves.

These studies show that performing these acts activates areas of pleasure, social connection, and trust in the brain. Scientists also found that if people simply think of giving, the brain releases endorphins and oxytocin, hormones that elevate your mood, making you feel better and happier for hours.

2. Being Kind Creates a Positive Feedback Loop in Your Brain

Kindness makes us happier and happiness makes us kinder. 

Researchers found that when someone is happy, they are more likely to be giving and kind to others. Studies suggest a positive feedback loop between being happy and being kind. The kinder you are, the happier you are, which then makes you kinder and happier. A win-win all around.

3. Kindness and Togetherness Increase Social Connection and Bonding

Your brain wants you to be social. It’s programmed for it. Your ancestors knew that survival was more likely in a group. And the brain has remembered that ever since.

Some studies suggest that social connection enhances your physical performance and mental clarity. Feeling safe allows you to focus because your attention isn’t on alert for threats.

When you do something good for someone, it includes a degree of social connection and sentimental bonding. Connections resulting from kindness promote a sense of trust and cooperation with others. This makes the bond between individuals stronger.

4. Being Kind Decreases Pain, Anxiety, and Stress

• Pain

Scientists found that when you do something nice for someone else, your brain releases endorphins, which are the most potent natural painkiller.

• Stress

Cortisol is the stress hormone. Studies say that kind people have 23% less cortisol than other people.

• Anxiety

A study done on a group of people with anxiety asked participants to do at least six acts of kindness weekly. After four weeks, their social avoidance decreased and their mood elevated significantly.

Conclusion

One of the best qualities of your brain is its neuroplasticity. No matter how small your act of kindness may be, it is still good for your brain. Every day, try a new way to give to others. Smile more, give compliments, and help others. It really makes a difference.

If you’re curious about the power emotions can have on you, watch this video:

Daily exercise touts a litany of benefits. It prevents heart disease, strokes, diabetes mellitus, and even cancer. It promotes healthy weight maintenance, regulates blood pressure, improves mental health, and helps clear age-related brain fog. But can it improve memory, thinking capabilities, and more?

Researchers at the University of British Columbia found that when you do regular aerobic exercises, certain areas in the brain, including the hippocampus and temporal lobes, increased in size. These areas are responsible for memory, learning, processing emotions, and more.

The Effects of Daily Exercise on the Brain

Exercise increases memory and influences your ability to think, both directly and indirectly.

Direct ways include:

• Decreasing insulin resistance
• Decreasing inflammation
• Increasing the release of growth factor chemicals (These chemicals protect the health of brain cells and enhance the growth of new blood vessels in the brain.)

Indirect ways include:

• Improvement of mood and quality of sleep
• Reduction of stress and anxiety levels
• Prevention of cognitive impairment

Studies show that the areas of the brain responsible for memory and thinking (the prefrontal cortex, hippocampus, and medial temporal cortex) are larger in people who exercise regularly.

One study found that regular exercise of moderate intensity for six months or more increased the size of multiple brain areas.

Start Exercising Now

The question is: how much should you exercise to improve your memory?

Studies show that walking and doing aerobic workouts are the best forms of exercise to pump your heart. One hour of walking, twice a week, is moderate intensity exercise, according to research. You want to aim for this level of physical activity four to five days per week for the best results.

If you’re just starting out, start small. Depending on your health and physical capabilities, set a goal for ten minutes of activity and work your way up to a minimum of thirty minutes a day. If you can handle that, increase the intensity or time. You want to push yourself without over-exerting yourself.

If you don’t like walking, there are many other forms of moderate-intensity exercises, such as playing tennis, swimming, or squash. Household activities such as mopping the floor, vacuuming, and scrubbing are moderate intensity exercises, too. Anything that makes your heart rate increase and makes you sweat is the level of exertion you’re aiming for.

Conclusion

Exercise is important to your overall health, and daily exercise is good for your brain. Multiple studies over time show that physically active people have lower rates of age-related brain decline. The sooner you increase your physical activity, the healthier you’ll become.

For more on how exercise benefits your brain, watch this video:

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How do you motivate yourself? It’s hard enough to find motivation to reach your goals. But what about doing the things you don’t want to do?

One feature of adult life is doing things you’d rather not. Sometimes it’s for work, sometimes for other people, and sometimes that includes doing things for yourself. But problems can arise when not wanting to do a task turns into not doing it at all.

The longer you put off a task, the harder it is to do. And soon, procrastination becomes a habit. This can affect your work, family, health, and relationships. So, how do you break out of this cycle and find the motivation to get unpleasant or unenjoyable tasks done?

Why the delay?

First, it’s important to understand why you want to put something off. It’s common to think the reason you don’t start a task is because you’re lazy, or slow, or incompetent. But the problem is rarely your work ethic. Often, there is an underlying problem you don’t recognize that’s causing the resistance.

You might also fall into the cultural ideal that if you follow your passion, you’ll never put things off. But that simply isn’t true. There are three main reasons you put off doing things.

• You care too much about the task and are afraid to do it badly.
• You feel unmotivated and let other tasks or emotions distract you.
• You worry the job is hard, uninteresting, or both.

All of this can unlock the threat response in your brain, and when your brain expects stress in the future, it will employ all its strategies to make you avoid going into that situation. The best way to unfreeze your brain is to break the task down so it doesn’t feel threatening or stressful anymore.

How to get started

If forcing yourself to “be positive” or to “just do it” were as easy as they sound, no one would procrastinate. But rarely does it come down to willpower alone. Instead, tackling your to-do list with simple step-by-step strategies can help get you started and unlock your motivation.

1. Analyze why you are delaying

As we pointed out above, there’s a reason you don’t want to do a task. If you find yourself not wanting to do something, write down all the reasons you don’t want to do it. Be detailed and include things like why it’s unappealing, what you might be afraid of, and what you think is holding you back.

2. Feel the fear

Once you’ve identified your why, think about what you stand to lose if you don’t complete the task. Your brain is designed to maintain the status quo. Having a new goal may motivate it, but losing what you already have activates your motivation far more effectively. Use that fear to get unstuck and started on your goal.

3. Give yourself limits

Set a certain time limit for doing a task, and stick to it whether you complete the task or not. Tell yourself, “I’ll write this report until 6 p.m. and after that, no matter what state it might be in, I’ll move on to another task.” When you maintain this routine, your brain will learn to focus on the task within the time frame, and you’ll get more done.

A simple habit

Journalist and public speaker Mel Robbins pioneered the five-second rule method, and it can be extremely effective in wrapping all three steps into one. The rule goes like this: Whenever you are on the brink of getting distracted because of the scale/difficulty/nature of the task, stop for a moment and count from 5 to 1. When you stop counting, immediately start doing the task without second-guessing yourself.

This method makes use of your brain’s emotional response. When you think rationally, you can stay stuck in analysis forever. Your brain will keep supplying you with reasons to avoid the task if you want to avoid stress. But when you think emotionally, you employ fast-thinking. For example, if you see a child drowning in the sea when there is no lifeguard in sight, you don’t think twice about going into the water to save her. This unhesitating response comes from the emotional part of your brain.

When you do the five second count, you are creating a stop-and-go situation in your brain. By counting down from 5 to 1, you create a hard stop, where there’s nowhere to go when you reach the end. Use this instinctive response to jump headfirst into the task without thinking about it.

Conclusion

Unwanted tasks are an intrinsic part of modern existence. No matter what you do, you will come across tasks that you don’t want to do. Rather than trying to avoid them, you can learn to control your motivation and kick-start your productivity. Use these simple steps to help ensure you get anything done on time.

For more on Mel Robbins and her motivation hacks, watch this video: