Summary: An uncovered sneeze may spray farther than an open hose, but research shows our feelings move just as quickly and they're equally contagious. Take happiness, for example. Studies claim that smiling can not only boost your mood, but being genuinely happy is also a great way to move you quickly up the career ladder. I don’t know the specifics on that part because, frankly, I didn’t read the whole study. Besides, I’m not sure how much I believe it anyway. I don't personally know many heads of companies, but of the ones I'm familiar with, 'happy' isn't the first word that comes to mind when I think of them. A quick story: Years ago I had a boss who used to get upset whenever she noticed I wasn’t smiling. ‘What’s wrong, Kriste?’ she’d ask, nervous as a cat in the corner. ‘You’re not your usual smiling, happy self.’ This confrontation didn’t happen often, but when it did, it annoyed me. Tremendously. ‘I bust my ass for you, and now I’m supposed to grin and dance while I’m at it?’ I complained to my girlfriend Sheila. I ran down the list of the many ways I’d worked circles around my peers, and often around the clock, I added—and all the boss can see is I’m not smiling like she wants?’ I said. This is the benefit of having friends who let you unload. They’ll listen, let you rant and help you find your footing once the smoke clears. Shelia kept quiet, no doubt waiting for an opening. ‘Did it ever occur to you that she’s right?’ she asked. Sheila reminded me that in the many years she’s known me, my general disposition was joyful, and it was true that I was often smiling. Although the employer was awkward, my friend explained, the fact was my happiness had been making an impact I wasn’t even aware of. I never thought of it like that before. ‘Oh,’ I said. Now I’m not one to advocate being phony for the sake of appearing otherwise in the hopes that the latter becomes the reality. Faking it ‘til you make it might just make a mess of things. Plus, when I lived in New York, I can’t tell you how many random strangers—on a daily basis—would call out to me on the street telling me to smile (and then call me a bitch when I didn’t). That’s another story entirely. The point is, whether or note we intend it, our energy fans out and moves through a room like waves washing over everyone around us. We don’t have to say a word to communicate our deepest feelings because energy already does that for us. All too often it’s the words we speak that confuse the issue. Being aware of our energy—mood, vibration, emotion, whatever you want to call it—and honoring where we are makes all the difference. It’s this simple act of awareness that puts you and only you in control of your feelings rather than leaving it to other people to do for you. So how about you? What are you carrying today? When you walk through the door, what’s going with you? - - - - - - - You might also like: Baggage Claim Practical Magic Can I get a witness?
